When Satan was thrust out of heaven, he determined to make the earth his kingdom. When he tempted and overcame Adam and Eve, he thought that he had gained possession of this world; "because," said he, "they have chosen me as their ruler." He claimed that it was impossible that forgiveness should be granted to the sinner, and therefore the fallen race were his rightful subjects, and the world was his. But God gave His own dear Son-- one equal with Himself--to bear the penalty of transgression, and thus He provided a way by which they might be restored to His favor, and brought back to their Eden home. Christ undertook to redeem man and to rescue the world from the grasp of Satan. The great controversy begun in heaven was to be decided in the very world, on the very same field, that Satan claimed as his.

Da Satan blev kastet ud af Himmelen, besluttede han at gøre jorden til sit rige. Da han fristede og overvandt Adam og Eva, mente han, at han havde fået denne jord i sin besiddelse, for han sagde: "De har valgt mig til deres hersker." Han påstod, at det var umuligt at tilgive synderen, og at verden var hans. Men Gud gav sin egen kære Søn, - sin egen ligemand - for at han skulle bære syndens staf, og således skabte han en udvej, så at menneskene igen kunne komme til at nyde hans gunst og vende tilbage til deres Edenhjem. Kristus påtog sig at frelse menneskene og redde verden fra Satans greb. Den store strid, der begyndte i Himmelen, skal afgøres på denne jord, på det område, som Satan gjorde krav på som sit.