Season 4 Podcast 11 Milton’s Paradise Lost Bk X, Pt XXXI, “The Fall Pt III”

Season 4 Podcast 11 Milton’s Paradise Lost Bk X, Pt XXXI, “The Fall Pt III”  In the prologue to Book X, Milton writes.Satan arrives at Pandemonium; in full assembly relates, with boasting, his success against Man; instead of applause is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience, transfomed, with himself also, suddenly into serpents, according to his doom given in paradise; then, deluded with a show of the forbidden tree springing up before them, they, greedily reaching to take of the fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes. Satan glories in his new titles. Now that he has brought about the fall of man, he sees himself as God of this world. Though he lost the war in heaven, he sees himself as victor in the war on earth. The great irony of the fall is that Satan would have done more to defeat the plan of God by staying out of Eden; by never tempting Adam and Eve; and by never bringing about the fall. If Adam and Eve had remained in the garden of Eden there would have been no progression. They would have never known good and evil, never known opposition, never had children. They would have remained forever in an innocent state knowing neither joy nor misery. Agency requires both the enticements of Christ and the enticements of Satan. In addition, we could never have come to earth to gain a body.By bringing about the Fall Satan launched the plan of salvation in which Christ would redeem man from the fall, allowing mankind freewill, agency, freedom, and liberty, bringing about their resurrection, and allowing them to return to the presence of God in a sanctified and perfected state where they themselves would be Gods if they chose to keep the commandments of God. That could never happen as long as Adam and Eve remained in the Garden of Eden. This is the great paradox of the fall. Satan is necessary for the eternal progression of mankind. At the heart of everything is freewill and agency. Without Satan we never would have had either one. Whom thus the Prince of Darkness answerd glad.Fair Daughter, and thou Son and Grandchild both,High proof ye now have giv’n to be the RaceOf Satan (for I glorie in the name,Antagonist of Heav’ns Almightie King)Amply have merited of me, of allTh’ Infernal Empire, that so neer Heav’ns doreTriumphal with triumphal act have met,Mine with this glorious Work, & made one RealmHell and this World, one Realm, one ContinentOf easie thorough-fare. Satan is cunning, but Christ is wise. He allows Satan to tempt man to bring about his purposes. Satan does not know the mind of God. In the above Satan glories in his new role of antagonist. The irony of the statement is that the only creator is Christ. Satan, who has no powers of creation, lives only to destroy the works of Christ. The Jews call Satan The Destroyer.Satan’s greatest triumph is that he has paved the road to hell which he calls an “easy thorough-fare. He lives to make people miserable like himself.Satan, Sin, and Death are now going to the depths of hell to inform his associates, the other devils, of his great triumph. Remember all this above occurred at Hell’s Gate. He is conversing with Sin and death. In hideous irony, he refers to his incestuous union with sin and death by calling the mother of his child “Fair Daughter” and by referring to his Son from that incestuous union “thou Son and Grandchild both.” Milton brilliantly defines the foul relationship between himself and sin and death.  Therefore while IDescend through Darkness, on your Rode with easeTo my associate Powers, them to acquaintWith these successes, and with them rejoyce,You two this way, among those numerous OrbsAll yours, right down to Paradise descend;