Satan and evil angels were on the ground. Even while God was proclaiming His law to His people, Satan was plotting to tempt them to sin. This people whom God had chosen, he would wrench away, in the very face of Heaven. By leading them into 335 idolatry, he would destroy the efficacy of all worship; for how can man be elevated by adoring what is no higher than himself and may be symbolized by his own handiwork? If men could become so blinded to the power, the majesty, and the glory of the infinite God as to represent Him by a graven image, or even by a beast or reptile; if they could so forget their own divine relationship, formed in the image of their Maker as to bow down to these revolting and senseless objects--then the way was open for foul license; the evil passions of the heart would be unrestrained, and Satan would have full sway.

Satan og de onde engle var til stede. Selv mens Gud forkyndte sin lov for sit folk, lagde Satan planer om at friste dem til synd. Han ville prøve at rive dette folk, som Gud havde udvalgt, til sig lige for øjnene af Herren. Ved at forføre dem til afgudsdyrkelse ville han ødelægge virkningen af enhver form for tilbedelse; for hvordan kan menneskene løftes op ved at beundre det, der ikke står højere end de selv, og som kan symboliseres ved noget, de selv har frembragt? Hvis menneskene kunne blive så forblindede over for den evige Guds magt, majestæt og herlighed, at de fremstillede ham ved hjælp af et udskåret billede eller et dyr eller krybdyr, hvis de kunne glemme deres eget slægtskab med guddommen - at de var skabt i deres skabers billede - og bøje sig for disse frastødende, livløse ting - så var vejen åben for en frygtelig tøjlesløshed. Hjertets onde lidenskaber ville ikke være til at styre, og Satan ville få fuldt herredømme over dem.