But on
the contrary, the facts show that it pleased him to reveal this great
truth to the shepherds and to use them as his witnesses.--Luke 2:8-18.
[158]There is nothing whatsoever in the account of this experience of
the wise men to indicate that their mission was in any wise beneficial
to mankind; but the most charitable view we can take of it is that they
were dupes of a deep-laid plot by Satan, the arch conspirator, to
destroy the seed of promise; and that Jehovah let the conspiracy proceed
to the point where it would fully demonstrate the wickedness on the part
of Satan and his instrument, and then demonstrated his great protecting
power. Without a doubt Satan has attempted to deceive and has deceived
multitudes of honest people into believing that these wise men were the
witnesses of the Lord, and hid from their minds the fact that they in
truth and in fact represented Satan.
[159]All the wicked persecution that came upon the Lord Jesus afterward,
and upon his followers to this day, has been because of the influence of
Satan the devil. And yet at all times the Lord has protected his own at
the very critical moment, just as promised: "The angel of the Lord
encampeth round about them that fear [reverence] him, and delivereth
them".--Psalm 34:7.
HOW UNDEFILED?
[160]St. Paul says: "As by one man sin entered into the world, and death
by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned".
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