Great Controversy Notes

Chapter 30, Pages 505-510

by Walter Rea

"And I will put enmity between them and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heal."

We have called the words a prophecy…we must regard them also in the light of a promise… "I will put enmity." The enmity, you observe, had no natural existence: …As soon as man transgressed, his nature became evil, and therefore he was at peace, and not at war with the devil. …Satan and man would have formed alliance against heaven. …There is not, and cannot be, a native enmity between fallen angels and fallen men…so that fallen angels and fallen men were sure to join in a desperate companionship… This lofty spirit must have calculated, that if he could induce man, as he had induced angels, to join in rebellion, he should have them for allies in his every enterprise against heaven. There was nothing of enmity between himself and the spirits who had joined in the effort to dethrone the Omnipotent…they were linked, as with an iron band…

So that when he heard that there should be enmity between himself and the woman, he must have felt that some apparatus would be brought to bear upon man; and that, though he had succeeded in depraving human nature, and thus assimilating it to his own, it should be renewed by some mysterious process, and wrought up to the lost power of resisting its conqueror. …but an enmity supernaturally put, and not naturally entertained.

Unless God pour his converting grace into the soul…we shall continue to the end of our days his willing captives and servants… Introducing a new principle into the heart, he causes conflict where there had heretofore been peace, inclining and enabling man to rise against his tyrant…whensoever you see an individual delivered from the love, and endowed with a hatred of sin, resisting those passions which held naturally away…you are surveying the workings of a principle which is wholly from above;

How the enmity was never put in such overpowering measure, as when the man Christ Jesus was its residence. …It was just the holiness of the Mediator which stirred up against him all the passions of a profligate world. …There was thrown a perpetual reproach on a proud and sensual generation…lowliness of his condition, and the want of external majesty and pomp moved the Jews to reject their Messiah, …he possession of a supernatural power.

…evil angels conspired with evil men; and the whole energies of apostasy gathered themselves to the effort of destroying the champion of God and of truth.

…How if there be enmity between the serpent and the Church generally, of course there is also between the serpent and each member of that Church. …But when the grace of God is introduced into his heart, he will discern quickly the danger and hatefulness of sin, and will yield himself, in a higher strength than his own. …Persecution, in its most terrible forms, is only the development of a principle which must unavoidably exist until either Christianity or human nature be altered… "the offence of the cross" has not ceased, and cannot cease… "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Tim. 3: 12)

…The conflict between a believer and his foes may be long and painful… He may inject doubts and suspicious… But all this--and we show you here the full sweep of the serpent's power--still leaves the man a believer; and, therefore, all this, though it bruise the heal, touches not the head.

Henry Melvil, Sermons, Volume 1, Pages 2-28 - 1846

"I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heal."

The divine sentence pronounced against Satan after the fall of man, was also a prophecy, embracing all the ages to the close of time…

…God declares, "I will put enmity." This enmity is not naturally entertained. When man transgressed the divine law, his nature became evil, and he was in harmony, and not at variance, with Satan. There exists naturally no enmity between sinful man and the originator of sin. Both became evil through apostasy. The apostate is never at rest, except as he obtains sympathy and support by inducing others to follow his example. For this reason, fallen angels and wicked men unite in desperate companionship. Had not God specially interposed, Satan and man would have entered into an alliance against Heaven; and instead of cherishing enmity against Satan, the whole human family would have been united in opposition to God.

Satan tempted man to sin, as he had caused angels to rebel, that he might thus secure co-operation in his warfare against Heaven. There was no dissension between himself, and the fallen angels as regards their hated of Christ; while on all other points there was discord, they were firmly united in opposing the authority of the Ruler of the universe. But when Satan heard the declaration that enmity should exist between himself and the woman, and between his seed and her seed, he knew that his efforts to deprave human nature would be interrupted; that by some means man was to be enabled to resist his power.

The grace that Christ implants in the soul creates the enmity against Satan. Without this converting grace and renewing power, man would continue the captive of Satan, a servant ever ready to do his bidding. But the new principle in the soul creates conflict where hitherto had been peace. The power which Christ imparts, enables man to resist the tyrant and usurper. Whoever is seen to abhor sin instead of loving it, whoever resists and conquers those passions that have held away within, displays the operation of a principle wholly from above.

The antagonism that exists between the spirit of Christ and the spirit of Satan was most strikingly displayed in the world's reception of Jesus. It was not so much because he appeared without worldly wealth, pomp, or grandeur, that the Jews were led to reject him. They saw that he possessed power which would more than compensate for the lack of these outward advantages. But the purity and holiness of Christ called forth against him the hatred of the ungodly. His life of self-denial and sinless devotion was a perpetual reproof to a proud, sensual people. It was this that evoked enmity against the Son of God. Satan and evil angels joined with evil men. All the energies of apostasy conspired against the champion of truth.

The same enmity is manifested toward Christ's followers as was manifested toward their Master. Whoever sees the repulsive character of sin, and in strength from above, resists temptation, will assuredly arouse the wrath of Satan and his subjects. Hatred of the pure principles of truth, and reproach and persecution of its advocates, will exist as long as sin and sinners remain. The followers of Christ and the servants of Satan cannot harmonize. The offense of the cross has not ceased. "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Tim. 3: 12)

…Satan's agents are constantly working under his direction… To this and they seek to deceive Christ's followers…they misconstrue and pervert the Scriptures… All this is foreshadowed in that first prophecy, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed."

White, Ellen G., Spirit of Prophecy, Pages 324-326 - 1884

…that he should be buffeted with temptation, convulsed by agony, lacerated by stripes, pierced by nails…But then there was not an iota of his sufferings which went not towards liquidating the vast debt which man owed to God… But whilst he could only cause pain, and not pollution; whilst he could dislocate by agony, but not defile by impurity… He can harass with temptation, and occasionally prevail; but he cannot undo the radical work of conversion. He cannot eject the principle of grace, and he cannot, therefore, bring back the man into the condition of his slave or his subject… He may impede his growth in holiness. He may inject doubts and suspicions… all this…touches not the head.

Henry Melvil, Sermons, Volume 1, Pages 2-28 - 1846

Satan assailed Christ with his fiercest and most subtle temptations; but he was repulsed in every conflict. Those battles were fought in our behalf; those victories make it possible for us to conquer… No man without his own consent can be overcome by Satan. The tempter has no power to control the will or to force the soul to sin. He may distress but he cannot contaminate. He can cause agony, but not defilement… they misconstrue and pervert…

White, Ellen G., Spirit of Prophecy, Page 326 - 1884

"I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heal."

The divine sentence pronounced against Satan after the fall of man was also a prophecy, embracing all the ages to the close of time and foreshadowing the great conflict to engage all the races of men who would live upon the earth.

God declares: "I will put enmity." This enmity is not naturally entertained, When man transgressed the divine law, his nature became evil, and he was in harmony, and not at variance, with Satan. There exists naturally no enmity between sinful man and the originator of sin. Both became evil through apostasy. The apostate is never at rest, except as he obtains sympathy and support by inducing others to follow his example. For this reason fallen angels and wicked man united in desperate companionship. Had not God specially interposed, Satan and man would have entered into an alliance against Heaven, and instead of cherishing enmity against Satan, the whole human family would have been united in opposition to God.

Satan tempted man to sin, as he had caused angels to rebel, that he might thus secure co-operation in his warfare against Heaven. There was no dissension between himself and the fallen angels as regards their hatred of Christ, while on the other points there was discord, they were firmly united in opposing the authority of the Ruler of the universe. But when Satan heard the declaration that enmity should exist between himself and the woman, and between his seed and her seed, he knew that his efforts to deprave human nature would be interrupted; that by some means man was to be enabled to resist his power.

…It is the grace that Christ implants in the soul which creates in man enmity against Satan. Without this converting grace and renewing power, man would continue the captive of Satan, a servant ever ready to do his bidding. But the new principle in the soul creates conflict where hitherto had been peace. The power which Christ imparts enables man to resist the tyrant and usurper. Whoever is seen to abhor sin instead of loving it, whosoever resists and conquers those passions that have held away within, displays the operation of a principle wholly from above.

The antagonism that exists between the spirit of Christ and the spirit of Satan was most strikingly displayed in the world's reception of Jesus. It was not so much because He appeared without worldly wealth, pomp, or grandeur that the Jews were led to reject Him. They saw that he possessed power which would more than compensate for the lack of these outward advantages. But the purity and holiness of Christ called forth against Him the hatred of the ungodly. His life of self-denial and sinless devotion was a perpetual reproof to a proud, sensual people. It was this that evoked enmity against the Son of God. Satan and evil angels joined with evil men. All the energies of apostasy conspired against the Champion of truth.

The same enmity is manifested toward Christ's followers as was manifested toward their Master. Whoever sees the repulsive character of sin, and in strength from above resists temptation, will assuredly arouse the wrath of Satan and his subjects. Hated of the pure principles of truth, and reproach and persecution of its advocates, will exist as long as sin and sinners remain. The followers of Christ and the servants of Satan cannot harmonize. The offense of the cross has not ceased. "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12

Satan's agents are constantly working under his direction to establish his authority and build up his kingdom in opposition to the government of God. To this end they seek to deceive Christ's followers and allure them from their allegiance… All this is foreshadowed in that first prophecy: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed."

…Satan assailed Christ with his fiercest and most subtle temptations, but he was repulsed in every conflict. …Christ will give strength to all who seek it. No man without his own consent can be overcome by Satan. The tempter has no power to control the will or to force the soul to sin. He may distress, but he cannot contaminate. He can cause agony, but not defilement.

White, E. G., The Great Controversy, Pages 505-510 - 1911

Thus again it is shown that within six pages of Chapter 30, six Bible texts are used as fillers and most, if not all the thoughts expressed come from Henry Melvil in his book of "Sermons", volume 1, written in 1846. Nothing of substance comes from Ellen G. White and her visions and revelations. This total copying from uninspired sources in at least five of the chapters of "Great Controversy" does not find any parallel in the scriptures, when matched with the ten or more chapters from her husband, James White, which she also copied without giving any credit.


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