Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. This was the first step in beginning His earthly ministry. But, there was another step that He had to accomplish.
Luke 4:1; Matthew 4:2- And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Jesus went into the wilderness to face temptations by the devil.
Satan, himself, was going to try to get the human part of Jesus to sin. If he could accomplish that, then all God's plans for the salvation of mankind would be ruined.
Jesus went into the wilderness and was there for 40 days without food.
We don't know what He was doing there. Perhaps He was praying, or maybe He was being tempted or mocked by the devil the whole time! The Bible doesn't say. It only tells us about three specific temptations that the devil used to try to get him to sin.
Matthew 4:3- And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
Remember, Jesus hadn't eaten anything for over a month! He was certainly very hungry!
Is it a sin to eat? No. But, there was something about this that would have been a sin if Jesus had done it.
But, Jesus was stronger than his appetite.
Matthew 4:4- But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Jesus knew that even though food was important for the human body, the Word of God was much more needful! It was more important for Him to pass the temptation than it was for Him to eat.
Luke 4:5-7- And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
The devil knew that Jesus prophesied to rule the world. The Old Testament had promised this to the Jews many times. The devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. The devil said that he would allow Jesus to rule over them all if He would bow down and worship.
The devil is called the god of this world. He did have the power to set Jesus up as a king. Didn't the Bible promise that Jesus would rule the entire world? Yes, but giving worship to anyone but the Lord God Almighty is a sin, that's the first commandment written on the tables of stone given to Moses for the Hebrew children when they came out of Egypt.
Luke 4:8- And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Jesus knew that was the first commandment. It's always wrong to worship the devil, even if it means doing something that seems good.
The devil had just struck out twice!
Now, he would try another thing.
Luke 4:9-11- And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
The devil took Jesus to the very top of the temple. Then, he questioned Jesus about being the Son of God. He said that the angels wouldn't allow Jesus to be harmed even if He jumped off a high building.
Well, if Jesus had jumped and the angels had caught Him and set Him down carefully, then everyone in Jerusalem would have seen and known that He was truly the Messiah.
Wasn't that why He came? To show His people that He was their Messiah?
Yes, but there was something even more important that He had to do first.
Luke 4:12- And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Jesus knew that His first mission was to live a holy, sinless life so that He could pay for the sins of the world. Had He shown that He was the Messiah in the manner, the religious leaders would have accepted Him and crowned Him king! But, no one would ever be able to be saved from their sins.
Jesus was willing to wait for God's timing in all things!
Matthew 4:11- Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
The devil went away, probably mad that he couldn't get Jesus to sin. And, angels came and ministered unto Him- that means they probably fed Him and comforted and encouraged Him.
Hebrews 4:15- For 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.
But, why did the Bible mention these temptations? How could Jesus be tempted in all points, or areas, like we are tempted?
I John 2:15-16- Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
The Bible tells us that all that is in the world is tainted with sin. Every time we sin, it's because of loving something more than God.
The lust of the flesh is when we love or desire something more than God. Eve was tempted by the fruit in the garden when she thought that it was good for food. Jesus was hungry. Eve sinned because she wanted the fruit more than she wanted to obey God, but Jesus wanted to obey God more than He wanted to eat.
The lust of the eyes is when we see and want something more than God. Eve was tempted by the fruit in the garden when she saw that it was pleasant to look at. Jesus saw the glory of the kingdoms of this world and all the possibilities that were available if He would have ruled over them. Eve sinned because she thought something looked better than God's promises, but Jesus wanted God's promise of redemption for all mankind more than He wanted to do a little good right at that moment.
The pride of life is when we think of ourselves more highly than we think of God. Eve was tempted by the fruit when she dreamed of being as wise as God. Jesus could have had the people He loved accept Him as their Messiah and King right then and there. Eve sinned because she didn't believe God knew what was best, but, Jesus knew that God's plan for salvation would enable both the Jews and the Gentiles to accept Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lord.
Jesus felt the same things that we feel when we get tempted by the devil, or our flesh. But, Jesus didn't sin when He was tempted. And, He tells us that we don't have to sin when we are tempted.
I Corinthians 10:13- There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Jesus promises that He will help us not to sin. He will provide a way that we can withstand the temptations. And, He promises us a reward if we follow His direction and don't sin.
James 1:12- Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
All we have to remember is to love the Lord God Almighty more than what we desire or see or how we want to be viewed by others, and we will get a crown!
How awesome is that!?!?
Did you know that the devil never stopped tempting Jesus while He was on this earth?
Luke 4:13- And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
He only departed for a season. The devil was going to try everything he could to stop Jesus from accomplishing what God wanted.
Luke 4:14; Matthew 4:13-17- And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Jesus was determined to complete the task that God had given to Him. He went to His people and started to preach the same message that John the Baptist was sent to preach- Repent! The time of God fulfilling promise is happening!
