The following short summary is from a miro board that was presented in this video. It outlines the origin and progression of the Great Controversy between Christ and Lucifer as presented in the writings of Ellen G. White. The complete reference list follows at the the end.
The Beginning: Eternity Past and Christ’s Sonship
[1-3] Before the commencement of time, Christ existed as the only begotten Son of the Father. [4, 5] While they were two in individuality, they were one in nature, character, and purpose, and Christ was truly God in infinity, but not in personality. He was the only being in the universe permitted to enter into all the counsels and purposes of God. Crucially, [34] Christ's equality with the Father was rooted in His ontological sonship—He was "begotten in the express image of the Father’s person," not a created being like the angels.
The Creation of the Heavenly Host
[6, 7] Through His Son, the Father created all things in heaven, including the various orders of angels: thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers. [8, 9] All heaven gave allegiance to both the Father and the Son, as life flowed from the Father through the Son in a "circuit of beneficence." [10, 11] Among these created beings, Lucifer was the most honored, standing next to Christ in power, majesty, and character. At this time, all heaven existed in perfect harmony and subjection to the government of God.
The First Meeting About the Creation of Men
[12] Prior to the fall of Satan, the Father consulted with His Son regarding the plan to create the earth and man in their image. [13, 14] Lucifer, who had led the heavenly choir in songs of praise, was not permitted to know the specific purposes of God in this counsel. [15] When Lucifer learned of this purpose, he became envious of Christ and jealous that he had not been consulted.
The First Wish for Exaltation & Sowing Doubts
[16] Lucifer began to covet the honor due to the Son alone, aspiring to be equal with God. [17, 18] He began to secretly insinuate dissatisfied feelings to other angels, representing himself as seeking "freedom" and "liberty" for the host. [19] He suggested that the divine law governing the angels was an arbitrary restraint that holy beings did not need. [20, 21] Lucifer’s beautiful appearance and high station made his insinuations very strong, and many angels began to sympathize with him.
The First Great Meeting: Reaffirming Christ’s Position
[22, 23] To address the secret discontent, the Father summoned all the heavenly hosts. [24] He publicly declared the true position of His Son, ordaining that Christ should be equal with Himself and that the Son’s word was to be obeyed as God's own. [25] While the loyal angels joyfully worshipped Christ, Lucifer felt a fierce conflict; though he bowed, his heart returned to pride and a desire for supremacy.
Lucifer Leaves the Father's Presence & The Controversy
[26] Lucifer went forth more openly to diffuse discontent, representing Christ’s public exaltation as an "injustice" to himself. [27] He claimed that an "absolute Ruler" had been appointed over them and that a "new" status had been given to Christ which changed the order of heaven. [28, 29] Loyal angels attempted to reconcile him, arguing that Christ’s position was not new but had been "the same from the beginning."
The Conference Between the Father and the Son
[30] Loyal angels reported the growing rebellion to Christ, who was already in conference with the Father. [31, 32] They decided to use only the word of truth and testimony to counteract Satan, giving him time to fully develop his principles of rebellion. [33] God offered Lucifer pardon on the condition of repentance, but pride forbade him from submitting.
THE GRAND ARGUMENT
[34, 35] The loyal angels set forth the definitive argument for Christ's supremacy: He was not a son by "creation" (like the angels) or "adoption," but was the "Only Begotten Son," existing with the Father before the angels were even created. [36, 37] This ontological sonship made His position unchangeable and non-arbitrary, a fact which Lucifer and his followers sought to "obscure."
Satan's Sin & The Arguments of Loyal Angels
[38] Satan’s sin was the transgression of the law governing the order of heaven by seeking to exalt himself above the Son. [39, 40] Loyal angels warned that the Creator could easily overturn Satan's authority, but Satan turned from them, denouncing them as "slaves." [41] He told his followers they had gone too far to go back and must now assert their liberty by force.
The Second Great Meeting and Final Decision
[42] The Father eventually summoned the host again to decide each case. [43] He informed Satan that His secret purposes would be revealed to the Son alone, and that implicit obedience to Christ was required of all. [44] Satan boldly declared his rebellion, claiming he had nearly half the angels on his side and that he would only obey God directly, not Christ.
The War in Heaven and Expulsion
[45, 46] The conflict moved from arguments to force. [47] Christ, as the Commander of Heaven, was appointed to put down the rebellion. [48] In the battle, Christ and His loyal angels fought against Satan and his sympathizers, eventually driving the rebel host out of the heavenly courts. [49] Though expelled from God's immediate presence, Satan and his fallen angels initially remained at the gates of heaven, taunting those who went in and out.
The Mission of Christ to Earth
[50] The timeline then moves to the Creation of the Earth and the Fall of Man. Following the fall of man, Christ began the work of redemption that had been devised from eternity. [51] To redeem man, Christ entered His Incarnation—the Son of God, who was in the form of God and equal with Him, made Himself of no reputation to take on human likeness—and became obedient unto death. [52, 53] Following His resurrection, Christ was Glorified, returning to the right hand of the Majesty on high and obtaining a name more excellent than the angels.
When was Jesus made equal with the Father?
[54, 55] The source concludes that while there were specific events of "exaltation" (like the meeting before the host or after the resurrection), Christ was "made equal" and "one with God" in eternity past. [56, 57] His equality is innate, rooted in His identity as the Son "begotten in the express image of the Father’s person" before any created beings existed.
List of References
(1) John 1:1; (2) Ms 116-1905.19; (3) YI December 16, 1897, par. 5; (4) PP 34.1; (5) 8T 268.3; (6) Ephesians 3:9; (7) John 1:3; (8) Colossians 1:16, 17; (9) DA 21.2; (10) 1SG 17.1; (11) 4SP 316.3; (12) 3SG 36.1; (13) 1SP 28.1; (14) 1SP 18.1; (15) 3SG 36.1; (16) Ms 140-1903.2; (17) GC 495.1; (18) Lt 162-1906.5; (19) Ms 1-1902.2; (20) Ms 90-1910.4; (21) EW 145.1; (22) 1SP 17.2; (23) PP 36.2; (24) 1SP 17.2; (25) PP 36.3; (26) PP 37.1; (27) PP 37.1; (28) EP 12.1; (29) EP 12.2; (30) 1SP 21.1; (31) 3SG 37.1; (32) Ms 1-1902.4; (33) GC 495.3; (34) ST May 30, 1895, par. 3; (35) 1SP 19.1; (36) Lt 157-1910.1; (37) Lt 42, 1910, par. 3; (38) DA 129.3; (39) 1SP 20.1; (40) 1SP 19.1; (41) 1SP 20.2; (42) 3SG 37.3; (43) 1SP 22.2; (44) 3SG 37.3; (45) 1SP 22.2; (46) 3SG 38.1; (47) RH May 30, 1899, par. 4; (48) EW 145.2; (49) TA 47.3; (50) Genesis (as implied in Chapter context); (51) Philippians 2:5-8; (52) John 17:1-5, 24; (53) Hebrews 1:1-14; (54) NPU Gleaner April 6, 1910, par. 6; (55) 8T 268.3; (56) ST May 30, 1895, par. 3; (57) RH July 9, 1895, par. 13
Further study:
Key to Empowering the Third Angel's Message
