A Miserable Man

2 Nephi 2:27

Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once said that Lucifer is a miserable man. He is eternally unhappy that he lost his station in the premortal world and lost the war in heaven. He was not satisfied with the third of the spirits who chose to follow him. He wanted every spirit to be his. 

He wanted God's throne. In fact, he could have had it through obedience leading to salvation and exaltation, but he forfeited it because he was not willing to share it with the rest of us. He wanted to be the only exalted being. And because of his selfish pride, he will never be exalted. Instead, he faces eternity in outer darkness. 

Out of spite, he wants to take the rest of us with him into outer darkness. He still wants to rule and reign over us, thinking that will somehow make him happy. But he can never be happy, and those who follow him will never be happy either.

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