When the spirit creation was complete¹ and a great deal of time had passed in the first estate,² God the Father presided over an organizational meeting in heaven³ that all his spirit children attended.⁴ This gathering is called the council in heaven⁵ or grand council.⁶ The Prophet Joseph Smith also referred to this gathering as a "council of the gods."⁷ A poem authored by the Prophet in 1843, states that the grand council was held on Kolob,⁸ which was the first spirit world that God created nearest his celestial residence in heaven.⁹ Kolob was the logical place for the grand council to be held since Kolob is also the governing world of the universe created by God and also the spirit world within this earth.¹⁰

During the grand council, the Father presented his plan of salvation,¹¹ which was the same plan of salvation from many prior generations of creation. Among other things, this plan required a Redeemer to atone for the anticipated sins of God's spirit children in premortality, and as mortal humans during the period of their mortal probation.¹² Jehovah (Jesus Christ)¹³ was singularly qualified to be the Redeemer¹⁴ because he held the birthright¹⁵ as the Father's firstborn son,¹⁶ and because he was without sin and was like unto God.¹⁷ Jehovah accepted the position of Redeemer when he said, "here am I, send me."¹⁸ No other spirit child of God in the council could legitimately seek the position of Redeemer after Jehovah had accepted the call because no one possessed his unique qualifications based on his birthright and perfect attributes.¹⁹

Nevertheless, Lucifer (Satan)²⁰ demonstrated his pride, vanity, and arrogance,²¹ when he offered to be the Redeemer,²² saying, "here am I, send me."²³ Lucifer was also a spirit son of God,²⁴ whose premortal name means the shining one or light bearer.²⁵ Lucifer was also a son of the morning,²⁶ which means he was born early in the spirit creation as one who possessed a high measure of intelligence.²⁷ As a son of the morning, Lucifer was in a position of great influence and even power among his peers.²⁸ Lucifer proposed a new plan that would have destroyed the agency of mankind.²⁹ He claimed that he could redeem the human family by force³⁰ and compulsory means.³¹ His proposal was completely contrary to the law of heaven.³² God's children could never be exalted without the exercise of agency.³³ Instead of accepting the Patriarchal Order of the Priesthood,³⁴ Lucifer offered priestcraft.³⁵ He sought unrighteous power and dominion³⁶ and tried to elevate himself above God³⁷ in honor and glory.³⁸ The Father rejected Lucifer's plan³⁹ and he chose Jehovah to be the Redeemer.⁴⁰

When the Father chose Jehovah in Abraham 3:28, Lucifer "was angry, and kept not his first estate; and, at that day, many followed after him."⁴¹ This was an act of rebellion⁴² because Lucifer and his followers sinned against the great light and truth they acquired during eons of time before the grand council.⁴³ They committed the unpardonable sin⁴⁴ because they knowingly and consciously rejected Christ as the Redeemer and the Father's plan of redemption.⁴⁵ When Lucifer knowingly rebelled, he became perdition⁴⁶ and his followers became unembodied sons of perdition.⁴⁷