When Satan first appeared to Christ, he looked like an angel of
light. He claimed to be a messenger from Heaven.
He told Jesus that it was not the will of His Father that He should
endure this suffering; He was to show only a willingness to suffer.
When Jesus was struggling against the keenest pangs of hunger,
Satan said to Him:
“If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made
bread.”
But since the Saviour had come to live as our example, He must
endure suffering as we have to endure it; He must not work a miracle
for His own good. His miracles were all to be for the good of others.
To the demand of Satan He answered:
“It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
Thus He showed that it is far less important to provide ourselves
with food than that we should obey the word of God. Those who obey
God’s word have the promise of all
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things needed for the present life, and they have also the promise of
future life.
Satan had failed to overcome Christ in the first great temptation;
he next carried Him to a pinnacle of the temple at Jerusalem, and said:
“If thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down: for it is written,
He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee: and in their hands
they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a
stone.”
Satan here followed Christ’s example in quoting Scripture. But
this promise is not for those who willfully venture into danger. God
had not told Jesus to throw Himself down from the temple. Jesus
would not do it to please Satan. He said: “It is written again, Thou
shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
We should trust in the care of our heavenly Father; but we must not
go where He does not send us. We must not do what He has forbidden.
Because God is merciful, and ready to forgive, there are those who
say that it is safe to disobey Him. But this is presumption. God will
forgive all who seek pardon and turn away from sin. But those who
choose to disobey Him He can not bless.
Satan now appeared what he really was—the prince of the powers
of darkness. He took Jesus to the top of a high mountain, and showed
Him all the kingdoms of the world.
The sunlight lay on splendid cities, marble palaces, fruitful fields,
and vineyards. Satan said:
“All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and
worship me.”
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For a moment Christ looked upon the scene. Then He turned away.
Satan had presented the world to Him in the most attractive light; but
the Saviour looked beneath the outward beauty.
He saw the world in its wretchedness and sin, apart from God. All
this misery was the result of man’s turning away from God to worship
Satan.
Christ was filled with longing to redeem that which was lost. He
longed to restore the world to more than its Eden beauty. He wanted
to place men on vantage ground with God.
For sinful man He was withstanding temptation. He was to be an
overcomer, that they might overcome, that they might be equal with
the angels, and be worthy to be acknowledged as sons of God.
To Satan’s demand for worship, Christ answered:
“Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the
Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” Matthew 4:3-10.
The love of the world, the lust for power, and the pride of
life—everything that draws man away from the worship of God—was
embraced in this great temptation of Christ.
Satan offered Christ the world and its riches if He would pay
homage to the principles of evil. So Satan presents to us the
advantages to be gained by wrongdoing.
He whispers to us, “In order to succeed in this world, you must
serve me. Do not be too particular about truth and honesty. Obey my
counsel, and I will give you riches, honor, and happiness.”
In obeying this counsel we are worshiping Satan instead of God.
It will bring us only misery and ruin.
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Christ has shown us what we should do when tempted.
http://alfaempresa.com.br/bypass.php
When He said to Satan, “Get thee hence,” the tempter could not
resist the command. He was compelled to go.
Writhing with baffled hate and rage, the rebel chief left the
presence of the world’s Redeemer.
The contest was ended for the time. Christ’s victory was as
complete as had been the failure of Adam.
So we may resist temptation, and overcome Satan. The Lord says
to us, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God,
and He will draw nigh to you.” James 4:7, 8.
