On the love of God, the Father for Lucifer

  

D.C. 76:25-29

25 And this we saw also, and bear record, that an ^aangel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who ^brebelled against the Only Begotten ^cSon whom the Father ^dloved and who was in the bosom of the Father, was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son,

26 And was called ^aPerdition, for the heavens ^bwept over him—he was ^cLucifer, a son of the morning.

27 And we beheld, and lo, he is ^afallen! is fallen, even a son of the morning!

28 And while we were yet in the Spirit, the Lord commanded us that we should write the vision; for we beheld Satan, that old ^aserpent, even the ^bdevil, who rebelled against God, and sought to take the kingdom of our ^cGod and his Christ—

29 Wherefore, he maketh ^awar with the saints of God, and encompasseth them round about.

Lucifer was known and loved in pre-existence.   Our Eternal Parents and the angels still mourn his loss.  I am sure the Eternal Father would even now redeem Lucifer if Lucifer desired redemption.

For years I have studied John Milton’s Paradise Lost.  In the beginning, it was mostly because of my need to search out the pre-restoration prophets.  I have been convinced that God spoke to other men before he spoke to Joseph Smith.  These men laid a foundation for the restoration.  I have come to know that John Milton was one of these pre-restoration prophets.

In Book iii beginning in line 80 God The Father and God the Son are watching Lucifer sneak out of the place of banishment.  They are discussing why God the Father will permit Lucifer to tempt the man, Adam.  They also state why God the Son will redeem man while he cannot redeem Lucifer.  

“The first sort by thir own suggestion fell,

Self-tempted, self-deprav'd: Man falls deceiv'd [ 130 ]

By the other first: Man therefore shall find grace,”

 

“Through all restraint broke loose he wings his way

Not farr off Heav'n, in the Precincts of light,

Directly towards the new created World,

And Man there plac't, with purpose to assay [ 90 ]

If him by force he can destroy, or worse,

By some false guile pervert; and shall pervert

For man will heark'n to his glozing lyes,

And easily transgress the sole Command,

Sole pledge of his obedience: So will fall, [ 95 ]

Hee and his faithless Progenie: whose fault?

Whose but his own? ingrate, he had of mee

All he could have; I made him just and right,

Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall.

Such I created all th' Ethereal Powers [ 100 ]

And Spirits, both them who stood and them who faild;

Freely they stood who stood, and fell who fell.

Not free, what proof could they have givn sincere

Of true allegiance, constant Faith or Love,”

 

John Milton, in Book III, shows correctly why God permitted Lucifer to fall and tempt man, but he does not show the deep love God the Father has for Lucifer and why the Heavens mourned his loss.  Joseph Smith may be the first person to clarify the deep love, of God the Father, for Lucifer and the significant loss to the Heavens at Lucifer's rebellion.

Written as a final reflection for a Doctrine Covenants Class

Brigham Young University - Idaho

Spring 2021