Why did God summon a heavenly host to set forth the true position of the Son? Does this mean that Christ was not divine at one time? Was Christ given position and authority or was this position and authority something that he always had? In other words, was there a change in his divine position or authority?
Let us see the statements our critics put forward:
The King of the universe summoned the heavenly hosts before Him, that in their presence He might set forth the true position of His Son and show the relation He sustained to all created beings. The Son of God shared the Father's throne, and the glory of the eternal, self-existent One encircled both. About the throne gathered the holy angels, a vast, unnumbered throng--"ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands" (Revelation 5:11.), the most exalted angels, as ministers and subjects, rejoicing in the light that fell upon them from the presence of the Deity. Before the assembled inhabitants of heaven the King declared that none but Christ, the Only Begotten of God, could fully enter into His purposes, and to Him it was committed to execute the mighty counsels of His will. The Son of God had wrought the Father's will in the creation of all the hosts of heaven; and to Him, as well as to God, their homage and allegiance were due. Christ was still to exercise divine power, in the creation of the earth and its inhabitants. But in all this He would not seek power or exaltation for Himself contrary to God's plan, but would exalt the Father's glory and execute His purposes of beneficence and love. (Patriarchs and Prophets, p.37, 1890)
Let us see the statements our critics put forward:
The King of the universe summoned the heavenly hosts before Him, that in their presence He might set forth the true position of His Son and show the relation He sustained to all created beings. The Son of God shared the Father's throne, and the glory of the eternal, self-existent One encircled both. About the throne gathered the holy angels, a vast, unnumbered throng--"ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands" (Revelation 5:11.), the most exalted angels, as ministers and subjects, rejoicing in the light that fell upon them from the presence of the Deity. Before the assembled inhabitants of heaven the King declared that none but Christ, the Only Begotten of God, could fully enter into His purposes, and to Him it was committed to execute the mighty counsels of His will. The Son of God had wrought the Father's will in the creation of all the hosts of heaven; and to Him, as well as to God, their homage and allegiance were due. Christ was still to exercise divine power, in the creation of the earth and its inhabitants. But in all this He would not seek power or exaltation for Himself contrary to God's plan, but would exalt the Father's glory and execute His purposes of beneficence and love. (Patriarchs and Prophets, p.37, 1890)
Here is another statement:
“The great Creator assembled the heavenly host, that he might in the presence of all the angels confer special honor upon his Son. The Son was seated on the throne with the Father, and the heavenly throng of holy angels was gathered around them. The Father then made known that it was ordained by himself that Christ, his Son, should be equal with himself; so that wherever was the presence of his Son, it was as his own presence. The word of the Son was to be obeyed as readily as the word of the Father. His Son he had invested with authority to command the heavenly host. Especially was his Son to work in union with himself in the anticipated creation of the earth and every living thing that should exist upon the earth. His Son would carry out his will and his purposes, but would do nothing of himself alone. The Father's will would be fulfilled in him.” 1SP 17
Now let us see what is the “True Position of the Son:
The King of the universe summoned the heavenly hosts before Him, that in their presence He might set forth the true position of His Son and show the relation He sustained to all created beings. The Son of God shared the Father's throne, and the glory of the eternal, self-existent One encircled both. (Patriarchs and Prophets, p.37, 1890)
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." John 1:1, 2. Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father--one in nature, in character, in purpose--the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God. PP 34 (1890)
“Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent Son of God . . In speaking of His pre-existence, Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God. He to whose voice the Jews were then listening had been with God as one brought up with Him.”—Signs,August 29, 1900 (Evangelism, 615).
We are told Christ is one in nature, self existent and there never was a time that he was not with the Father! Now was this position given at the time when the great Creator assembled the heavenly host, or did Christ have this position always? In other words was there a change in Christ's position or authority?
There had been no change in the position or authority of Christ. Lucifer's envy and misrepresentation and his claims to equality with Christ had made necessary a statement of the true position of the Son of God; but this had been the same from the beginning. Many of the angels were, however, blinded by Lucifer's deceptions. (Patriarchs and Prophets, p.38, 1890)
Christ the self existent one was always one in nature with the Father and there was not a time he did not exist.
But why did God call a heavenly counsel to confer special honor?
“Lucifer's envy and misrepresentation and his claims to equality with Christ had made necessary a statement of the true position of the Son of God”. Patriarchs and Prophets, p.38, 1890)
Christ was revealing the Father to the angels just like he was revealing the father to us as the Son of man. Many today misunderstand about his divinity since he became a man. It seems the heavenly hosts were no different when they saw the “Angel of the LORD” revealing the Father. But since Christ is God why didn’t he reveal [or act out as God] from the beginning?
“He [Christ] would not seek power or exaltation for Himself contrary to God's plan, but would exalt the Father's glory and execute His purposes of beneficence and love. (Patriarchs and Prophets, p.37, 1890).