by C. Jones (Wales)
At the Lord's baptism by John, God had spoken saying "Thou art my beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased," Lk.3.22. Immediately after this, the Lord "being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness," Lk.4.1. He was led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. Satan often takes this approach and attacks a believer immediately after that believer has experienced a particular blessing or moment of joy in the Lord.
It was impossible for the Lord to sin. He "knew no sin," 2Cor.5.21; "did no sin," 1Pet.2.22, and "in Him is no sin," 1Jn.3.5. The temptations served to prove that the Lord would not and could not sin. There was nothing in Him to respond to Satan's temptations and he could say "the prince of this world … hath nothing in me," Jn.14.30. The very suggestions of Satan hurt and offended the Lord's sensitive Holy Being and "in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted," Heb.2.18. As a result of His experiences and His exposure to the wiles and devices of the Devil, "we have not an high priest, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin," Heb.4.15.
Adam and Eve were tempted in a garden, in a scene of plenty and beauty. The Lord Jesus Christ, the last Adam, was tempted in a wilderness. Luke recounts the temptations in the order in which they affected the Lord, the perfect Man, in His body, soul and spirit. He had fasted for forty days and was hungry, and Satan suggested to Him that He should use His power, as the Son of God, to turn stones into bread, Lk.4.3. The Lord answered Satan by saying "It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God," Lk.4.4. He quoted from Deut.8.3. This temptation can be compared with that of Eve when she saw that the tree was good for food, Gen.3.6, an appeal to the "lust of the flesh," 1Jn.2.16.
After this, Satan tried to persuade the Lord that he would grant Him rule over the kingdoms of the world, with their power and glory, if the Lord would worship him. Satan now tried to appeal to the "lust of the eyes," 1Jn.2.16, as he did when Eve saw that the tree was "pleasant to the eyes," Gen.3.6. We read in Rev.11.15 that in God's perfect timing, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever." In Ps.2.8 we read that the Father said to the Son "Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession." The Lord would, at the time ordained, receive world dominion from His Father. In the meantime He would humble Himself, serve and suffer. The Lord would not do anything contrary to the will of His Father and would certainly not worship Satan. In response to this temptation the Lord quoted from Deut.6.13 and commanded Satan, with divine authority, saying, "Get thee behind Me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve," Lk.4.8. The Lord uttered the same words, "Get thee behind Me, Satan," when Peter was used by Satan to try to persuade Him not to go to the cross, Matt.16.23. In this temptation Satan offered the Lord power and glory as he had offered Eve when he said "ye shall be as gods," Gen.3.5. It was the Father's will that the suffering should precede the glory and nothing could prevent the Lord from going to the cross and thereby paying the penalty for the sin of the whole world.
Using methods which are outside the revealed will of God to attempt to achieve ends which are in accordance with the will of God constitutes disobedience and sin. The end cannot justify the means in such circumstances.
In his third attempt, Satan tried to persuade the Lord to do something spectacular, to cast Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple. Satan can use Scripture, for on this occasion he misquoted Ps.91.11,12, claiming that God would use angels to prevent the Lord coming to any harm, thereby proving that He was the Messiah. Satan went as far in quoting as "He shall give His angels charge over Thee, to keep Thee," Lk.4.10, but omitted the words "in all thy ways," Ps.91.11.
God's promises cannot be applied to acts which are not in accordance with His will. The Lord quoted Scripture, Deut.6.16, in reply to this temptation, addressing Satan once again with divine authority, saying "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God," Lk.4.12. Satan was suggesting to the Lord that He could achieve fame and glory by doing something spectacular and ostentatious. Once again Satan failed completely to cause the Lord to take any action which was outside the will of God His Father. This temptation corresponds with that of Eve when she saw that the tree was "a tree to be desired to make one wise," Gen.3.6. It was an appeal to "the pride of life," 1Jn.2.16.
In His victory over Satan in the wilderness, the Lord proved His complete dependence on God and His absolute dedication and perfect submission to the will of God. The temptations proved the Lord's perfect fitness to be the Saviour of the world and He "returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee," Lk.4.14.
We have to fight against temptations and we are enjoined to "take … the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." Eph.6.17. The Lord used the written Word of God to defeat Satan and therefore we must study it, fill our minds and memories with it and use it, in the power of the Spirit, in times of temptation.
It is essential for the believer to study the Scriptures to learn the will of God and the wiles and devices of Satan, who will subtly try to lead us into sin through making suggestions to which the old sinful nature will respond. Those of us who have been saved by grace have the Holy Spirit dwelling within, but we also have the old sinful nature which will be with us as long as we are alive on this earth.
Satan uses his wiles and devices to appeal to the old nature, making sinful suggestions for the gratification of physical desires (the lust of the flesh); the acquisition of material possessions and power (the lust of the eyes), and for achieving success and fame (the pride of life).
God's commands, the things He tells us to do and the things He tells us not to do, are given in love. They are all for His glory and our eternal blessing. We are told to "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly," Col.3.16, and we must do this, resting and rejoicing in believing that "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?", Rom.8.32.
—concluded