Matthew 4:8-10 KJV Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; (9) And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. (10) Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Jesus' answer to the devil shows that all flesh must worship God.
Like the previous temptation, Jesus is not telling Satan to worship God, but is saying He as a man must worship God, so therefore will not fulfill the temptation of satan. Jesus quotes once again from Deut. 6 Deuteronomy 6:13 KJV Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. Once again, like the previous two responses to Satan, Jesus is quoting references spoken to Israel who were in the same wilderness as he was, outside Israel as He was.
Jesus passed the first two tests of temptation.
The reference in Deut 6:13 is in context of Moses telling Israel of directions they must retain ONCE INSIDE CANAAN.
Previously, Jesus spoke of temptation in reference to Israel's temptation at Massah and Meribah when the waters came from the rock after they complained. The first was when God allowed them to hunger to try them and fed them with manna. Verse 16 is what Jesus quoted to the devil in the second temptation, and now he quotes verse 13. He first quoted Deut 8:3 in the first temptation.
It all pointed to the promised land. The first two referred to experiences they had in the wilderness.
We are going to leave the level of wilderness walking in our Christian lives if we succeed in maturing.
The jews were told to seek out their habitation in Canaan.
Deuteronomy 12:8-11 KJV Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes. (9) For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you. (10) But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; (11) Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD: The wilderness represents a place of incomplete understanding.
We will face and fight the enemy in this Canaan as Jesus did. Luke 4:16 says He went into Nazareth and spoke God's word and they resisted Him and tried to throw him over a cliff.
Luke 4:33-36 KJV And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, (34) Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. (35) And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. (36) And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. Israel fought Canaanites in the land.
REST is found in our lives after we conquer the enemy.
Job 1:10 KJV Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. Lack of faith and understanding keeps us away from entering this rest where there is a hedge.,
Isaiah 5:1-5 KJV Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: (2) And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. (3) And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. (4) What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? (5) And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: Jerusalem was called a vineyard and the tower in the vineyard was the temple.
Israel was intended to bring forth grapes, but brought forth wild grapes. Ecclesiastes 10:8 KJV He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. We break a hedge and allow the enemy to walk in and overcome us.
The enemy has a right to influence us if we yield to his temptations, and commit sin.
We are spirit, soul and body.
Deuteronomy 6:10-15 KJV And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, (11) And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; (12) Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. (13) Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. (14) Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; (15) (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth. Entering Canaan is entering ACTIVE SONSHIP.
Satan knew he could not make Jesus doubt his sonship, for he failed there twice.
The Jews must enter Canaan.
So Satan came out in the open now, without covering of trying to ask Jesus if he was really Son of God.
Yet Christ would receive this very inheritance anyway!
He was after Christ's power over the kingdoms of the world, which is why he attacked the SONSHIP in Christ's mind previously.
It is like the devil is acting like God who took Moses up Mount Nebo and showed him the promised land given to Israel.
Deuteronomy 34:1-4 KJV And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, (2) And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, (3) And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar. (4) And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. God warned Israel to not go after other gods.
Once we know satan's hiding tricks, he comes out into the open and lets us know himself quite plainly.
Losing the fear of God will cause you to live loose and you will lose God's blessings and experience hardships as the enemy takes over. Israel left God and sinned and the Lord allowed the enemy nations to rise up and afflict them severely.
STRENGTH OF THE TEMPTATION The truth was Jesus was tempted to take what would otherwise require the CROSS for Him to take.
2 Timothy 2:12 KJV If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 1 Peter 3:18 KJV For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 1 Peter 3:22 KJV Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. Revelation 11:15 KJV And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. Jesus was tempted to not receive the cup in the Garden of Gethsemane.
SIMILAR ANCIENT TEMPTATION. Adam was given dominion over the earth.
Three temptations upon Eve as upon Christ. (1) good for food (body) (2) pleasant to sight (soul) (3) Desire to make one wise (spirit) Adam and eve were in a state of innocence.
Genesis 3:5 KJV For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 1 John 3:2 KJV Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. Just like taking the kingdoms was Jesus' intention anyway! The tree of life was there for Adam.
Luke 3:38 KJV Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God. God desired to make Adam into what we are made into. WHY WAS IDOLATRY SO TEMPTING? Deuteronomy 6:14-15 KJV Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; (15) (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth. The false gods promised the blessings the True God would give.
NOTE THAT IDOLATRY TO BE AVOIDED IN CANAAN INVOLVED A SPIRITUAL ASPECT. Satan’s own desires came out in the third temptation with Jesus.
Of all the desires of Lucifer, the last one is to be like God. Isaiah 14:12-14 KJV How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! (13) For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: (14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Satan will counterfeit the blessings of God.
Satan wanted to: 1) Ascend into heaven 2) Exalt his throne above stars • Sit on mount of congregation Sit on sides of north. 3) Ascend above clouds 4) Be like Most High. Church is said to have this: 1) ASCEND INTO HEAVEN 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 KJV For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 2) Sit with God on His throne Revelation 3:21 KJV To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 3) Ascend above clouds 4) Be like most high 1 John 3:2 KJV Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. But satan also was attacking something they already were: Genesis 1:26-27 KJV And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (27) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 5:1 KJV This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Adam was LIKE GOD. Genesis 3:5 KJV For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. So satan was attacking them and making them doubt something that was true of them already.
Believers today do not know who they are in Christ.
The fact was that Adam and Eve were made in the image and likeness of God.
For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Col 2:9-10) We lack nothing now! We ARE LIKE GOD.
Ephesians 2:6 KJV And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: Satan mustered up memories of his own fall, and his own desires.
But this LAMB was the LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH!
We must be consecrated to serve in order to have dominion. This will keep you from falling.
Matthew 8:5-13 KJV And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, (6) And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. (7) And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. (8) The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. (9) For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. (10) When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. (11) And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. (12) But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (13) And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. Had Adam and Eve eaten of the fruit of life they would have been glorified. Genesis 3:22 KJV And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Would Jesus rise from the dead if he heeded the devil?
He offered self glory to Eve as well.
But Jesus overcame temptation and suffered the death of the cross and is now seated over all kingdoms of this world. Ephesians 1:20-21 KJV Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (21) Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 2 Corinthians 4:17 KJV For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; Hebrews 12:11 KJV Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Romans 8:18 KJV For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Spirit of GLORY works upon you when you suffer. 1 Peter 4:1-2 KJV Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; (2) That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 1 Peter 4:12-14 KJV Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: (13) But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (14) If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. You ensure glorification when you suffer. Devil is afraid of that.
Deuteronomy 6:13 KJV Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. Serve God and you will not fall for the third temptation. Luke 19:17-19 KJV And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. (18) And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. (19) And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. Faithfulness over small things makes you ruler over large things. Revelation 3:21 KJV To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. |