Changes

54:4.2 [[Parents]], those who have borne and reared [[children]], are better able to [[understand]] why [[Michael]], a [[Creator]]-[[father]], might be slow to [[condemn]] and destroy his own Sons. [[Jesus]]' [[story]] of the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_169_-_Last_Teaching_at_Pella#169:1._PARABLE_OF_THE_LOST_SON prodigal son] well [[illustrates]] how a loving [[father]] can long wait for the [[repentance]] of an erring [[child]].

54:4.2 [[Parents]], those who have borne and reared [[children]], are better able to [[understand]] why [[Michael]], a [[Creator]]-[[father]], might be slow to [[condemn]] and destroy his own Sons. [[Jesus]]' [[story]] of the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_169_-_Last_Teaching_at_Pella#169:1._PARABLE_OF_THE_LOST_SON prodigal son] well [[illustrates]] how a loving [[father]] can long wait for the [[repentance]] of an erring [[child]].

54:4.3 The very [[fact]] that an [[evil]]-doing [[creature]] can [[actually]] [[choose]] to do wrong—commit [[sin]]—establishes the [[fact]] of [[Free will|free-willness]] and fully justifies any length [[delay]] in the [[execution]] of [[justice]] provided the extended [[mercy]] might conduce to [[repentance]] and [[rehabilitation]].

54:4.3 The very [[fact]] that an [[evil]]-doing [[creature]] can [[actually]] [[choose]] to do wrong—commit [[sin]]—establishes the [[fact]] of [[Free will|free-willness]] and fully justifies any length delay in the [[execution]] of [[justice]] provided the extended [[mercy]] might conduce to [[repentance]] and [[rehabilitation]].

54:4.4 Most of the [[liberties]] which [[Lucifer]] sought he already had; others he was to [[receive]] in the [[future]]. All these precious [[endowments]] were lost by giving way to impatience and yielding to a [[desire]] to [[possess]] what one craves now and to possess it in [[defiance]] of all [[obligation]] to [[respect]] the [[rights]] and [[liberties]] of all other [[beings]] [[composing]] the [[universe of universes]]. [[Ethical]] [[obligations]] are innate, [[divine]], and [[universal]].

54:4.4 Most of the [[liberties]] which [[Lucifer]] sought he already had; others he was to [[receive]] in the [[future]]. All these precious [[endowments]] were lost by giving way to impatience and yielding to a [[desire]] to [[possess]] what one craves now and to possess it in defiance of all [[obligation]] to [[respect]] the [[rights]] and [[liberties]] of all other [[beings]] [[composing]] the [[universe of universes]]. [[Ethical]] [[obligations]] are innate, [[divine]], and [[universal]].

54:4.5 There are many reasons known to us why the [[Supreme Rulers]] did not [[immediately]] [[destroy]] or [[intern]] the [[leaders]] of the [[Lucifer rebellion]]. There are no [[doubt]] still other and possibly better reasons [[unknown]] to us. The [[mercy]] features of this [[delay]] in the [[execution]] of [[justice]] were extended [[personally]] by [[Michael]] of [[Nebadon]]. Except for the [[affection]] of this [[Creator]]-[[father]] for his erring Sons, the supreme [[justice]] of the [[superuniverse]] would have [[acted]]. If such an [[episode]] as the [[Lucifer rebellion]] had occurred in [[Nebadon]] while [[Michael]] was [[incarnated]] on [[Urantia]], the instigators of such [[evil]] might have been [[Immediate|instantly]] and [[absolutely]] [[annihilated]].

54:4.5 There are many reasons known to us why the [[Supreme Rulers]] did not [[immediately]] [[destroy]] or [[intern]] the [[leaders]] of the [[Lucifer rebellion]]. There are no [[doubt]] still other and possibly better reasons [[unknown]] to us. The [[mercy]] features of this delay in the [[execution]] of [[justice]] were extended [[personally]] by [[Michael]] of [[Nebadon]]. Except for the [[affection]] of this [[Creator]]-[[father]] for his erring Sons, the supreme [[justice]] of the [[superuniverse]] would have [[acted]]. If such an [[episode]] as the [[Lucifer rebellion]] had occurred in [[Nebadon]] while [[Michael]] was [[incarnated]] on [[Urantia]], the instigators of such [[evil]] might have been [[Immediate|instantly]] and [[absolutely]] [[annihilated]].

54:4.6 Supreme [[justice]] can [[act]] instantly when not restrained by [[divine]] [[mercy]]. But the [[ministry]] of [[mercy]] to the [[children]] of [[time and space]] always provides for this time lag, this saving [[interval]] between seedtime and [[harvest]]. If the seed sowing is [[good]], this interval provides for the testing and upbuilding of [[character]]; if the seed sowing is [[evil]], this merciful delay provides [[time]] for [[repentance]] and [[rectification]]. This time [[delay]] in the [[adjudication]] and [[execution]] of evildoers is [[inherent]] in the [[mercy]] [[ministry]] of the [[seven superuniverses]]. This restraint of [[justice]] by [[mercy]] proves that [[God]] is [[love]], and that such a [[God]] of [[love]] [[dominates]] the [[universes]] and in [[mercy]] [[controls]] the [[fate]] and [[judgment]] of all his [[creatures]].

54:4.6 Supreme [[justice]] can [[act]] instantly when not restrained by [[divine]] [[mercy]]. But the [[ministry]] of [[mercy]] to the [[children]] of [[time and space]] always provides for this time lag, this saving interval between seedtime and [[harvest]]. If the seed sowing is [[good]], this interval provides for the testing and upbuilding of [[character]]; if the seed sowing is [[evil]], this merciful delay provides [[time]] for [[repentance]] and [[rectification]]. This time delay in the [[adjudication]] and [[execution]] of evildoers is [[inherent]] in the [[mercy]] [[ministry]] of the [[seven superuniverses]]. This restraint of [[justice]] by [[mercy]] proves that [[God]] is [[love]], and that such a [[God]] of [[love]] [[dominates]] the [[universes]] and in [[mercy]] [[controls]] the [[fate]] and [[judgment]] of all his [[creatures]].

54:4.7 The [[mercy]] [[delays]] of [[time]] are by the [[mandate]] of the [[free will]] of [[the Creators]]. There is [[good]] to be derived in the [[universe]] from this [[technique]] of [[patience]] in dealing with [[sinful]] [[rebels]]. While it is all too [[true]] that [[good]] cannot come of [[evil]] to the one who [[contemplates]] and [[performs]] [[evil]], it is equally [[true]] that all [[things]] (including evil, [[potential]] and [[manifest]]) [[work]] [[together]] for good to all [[beings]] who know [[God]], [[love]] to [[do his will]], and are [[ascending]] Paradiseward according to his [[eternal]] [[plan]] and [[divine]] [[purpose]].

54:4.7 The [[mercy]] delays of [[time]] are by the [[mandate]] of the [[free will]] of [[the Creators]]. There is [[good]] to be derived in the [[universe]] from this [[technique]] of [[patience]] in dealing with [[sinful]] [[rebels]]. While it is all too [[true]] that [[good]] cannot come of [[evil]] to the one who [[contemplates]] and [[performs]] [[evil]], it is equally [[true]] that all [[things]] (including evil, [[potential]] and [[manifest]]) [[work]] [[together]] for good to all [[beings]] who know [[God]], [[love]] to [[do his will]], and are [[ascending]] Paradiseward according to his [[eternal]] [[plan]] and [[divine]] [[purpose]].

54:4.8 But these [[mercy]] delays are not interminable. Notwithstanding the long [[delay]] (as time is reckoned on [[Urantia]]) in [[adjudicating]] the [[Lucifer rebellion]], we may [[record]] that, during the time of [[effecting]] this [[revelation]], the first hearing in the pending case of ''[[Gabriel]] vs. [[Lucifer]]'' was held on [[Uversa]], and soon thereafter there issued the [[mandate]] of the [[Ancients of Days]] directing that [[Satan]] be henceforth confined to the [[prison]] world with [[Lucifer]]. This ends the [[ability]] of [[Satan]] to pay further [[visits]] to any of the fallen worlds of [[Satania]]. [[Justice]] in a [[mercy]]-[[dominated]] [[universe]] may be slow, but it is certain.

54:4.8 But these [[mercy]] delays are not interminable. Notwithstanding the long delay (as time is reckoned on [[Urantia]]) in [[adjudicating]] the [[Lucifer rebellion]], we may [[record]] that, during the time of [[effecting]] this [[revelation]], the first hearing in the pending case of ''[[Gabriel]] vs. [[Lucifer]]'' was held on [[Uversa]], and soon thereafter there issued the [[mandate]] of the [[Ancients of Days]] directing that [[Satan]] be henceforth confined to the [[prison]] world with [[Lucifer]]. This ends the [[ability]] of [[Satan]] to pay further [[visits]] to any of the fallen worlds of [[Satania]]. [[Justice]] in a [[mercy]]-[[dominated]] [[universe]] may be slow, but it is certain.

==54:5. THE WISDOM OF DELAY==   

==54:5. THE WISDOM OF DELAY==