God permitted Satan to carry forward his work until the spirit of disaffection ripened into active revolt. It was necessary for his plans to be fully developed, that their true nature and tendency might be seen by all.... His power to deceive was very great. By disguising himself in a cloak of falsehood, he had gained an advantage. All his acts were so clothed with mystery, that it was difficult to disclose to the angels the true nature of his work.... It was his policy to perplex with subtle arguments concerning the purposes of God. Everything that was simple he shrouded in mystery, and by artful perversion cast doubt upon the plainest statements of Jehovah. {FLB 69.2}

Gud lod Satan gennemføre sit værk indtil utilfredsheden udviklede sig til aktivt oprør. Det var nødvendigt for at hans planer blev udviklet til fulde, så alle kan se deres sande natur og tendenser. . . . . Hans magt til at bedrage er meget stor. Ved at klæde sig i falskhedens kappe, vandt han større fordel. Alle hans handlinger blev iklædt mystik, det var nemt at røbe den sande natur i hans arbejde. . . . Det var politik at forvirre Guds hensigter med listige argumenter. Alt som var enkelt, tilhyllede han med mysterier, og ved listige forvrængninger kastede han tvivl over Jehovas tydeligste udtalelser.