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Temptation of the Bible in the Desert
Many secular people throughout the ages have found that the temptation of Jesus Christ in the desert is too simplistic to be afforded any thought or concern. But if one looks deeply at the details of the events in the desert the implications are profound. It is clearly evident that Satan's temptation of Jesus Christ wasn't just a test for Christ, but also a test for Satan himself. For Satan didn't believe that the word of God, written by man, is authentic or even enforceable. So Satan used scripture to test and tempt Jesus Christ and finally learn the truth.
Satan didn't believe that the bible, while written by man, is actually the inspired word of God. When Satan presented his temptations to Jesus Christ the temptations were based on scripture that were written by man. If Satan was correct, that the Bible is nothing more than words made up by man, then Satan's temptations would amount to nothing and Satan would have discovered a falsehood about God himself, especially his son Jesus Christ.
The question for Satan was - were God’s words, written down by men who were themselves sinful, enforceable in Satan’s kingdom down here on earth? Answer - They Were! But only in the Old and New Covenant lands. Hint: The New Covenant land is any place where the Holy Spirit is..meaning wherever a christian is! The christian is the dwelling place of God’s Holy Spirit therefore the Christian is now the Temple of the Holy Spirit. But in the Old Covenant land God dwelled in the actual Temple in Jerusalem! Wherever a Christian is located in this world God’s righteous will be allowed to flourish….. but so will Satan’s evil for it is his kingdom (which is why christians are hated the world over…)
So, Satan’s temptation of Jesus Christ in the desert were a way of trying to learn whether the Bible was actually God's word written down by men, or only words made up by those men. Satan, who thought he was God, just didn't know. The temptations were Satan's way of learning the truth without exposing his ignorance and/or disbelief. If the bible were just words made up by men then those words could not be used against Satan.
But we eventually learn that God, as Jesus Christ, reaffirms the Holy nature of the Bible as being the actual word of God for Jesus Christ condemned Satan with the words in the scripture. The words in the Bible were so genuine that Satan was rebuked for his unbelief by Jesus Christ, using scripture, and then fled and hid from God - Jesus Christ, just like Adam and Eve did after they became sinful for not believing in God's word forbidding the eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
The temptation of Jesus Christ in the desert by Satan is exactly the same temptations that Christians must endure daily. Many people, like Satan, similarly do not believe that the Bible, while written by man, is actually the inspired word of God. Not only did Jesus Christ confirm that scripture is the inspired word of God written by men, but that scripture could be used to judge Satan, all the angels, and mankind alike.
Just imagine Satan's shock to learn that he has been judged by a mere man in the person of Jesus Christ, who is God become man, using words written by men that were inspired by God. Satan learned that the words in the bible are inspired by God and are still valid as words of God to judge Satan and his followers. Satan is the lord of this sinful world and to have God's words, written down by the same people who Satan rules over (mankind), now being used to judge Satan himself is simply too perfect to be anything but the will of God!
Satan was judged by God through a lowly man called Jesus Christ using words of God written down by the lowly men of God. I think Satan still believes he hasn't been properly judged by God. Satan believes he is God and to be rebuked by a lowly man in the person of Jesus Christ using words written down by lowly men of God must have been a terrible blow to his pride. Satan expects to be judged as an equal to God but God would not, and could not, let that happen! Satan is not equal to God.
After the temptation in the desert Jesus took his trust in the Bible, as being the actual word of God, straight to the cross of Calvary. Jesus Christ's trust in Bible, as being the true word of God the Father, was ultimately tested on the cross. Jesus Christ did not doubt the scripture as the actual word of God and went to the cross willingly, knowing his death would be followed by his resurrection and life eternal in heaven.
Christians all throughout history are continually being tested as to our belief that the bible is the actual word of God just as Jesus Christ was tested in the desert. Everyday the word of God, as written down in the Bible, stretches out its arms offering forgiveness of sin to everyone, and equally pronouncing condemnation for unbelief. The temptation in the desert established the credibility of the Bible as the word of God capable of judging all those on earth and in heaven! To ensure an everlasting life in heaven with God make a profession of faith in the word of God by believing in the death and resurrection of God's son Jesus Christ, who became our sacrifice for sin as chronicled in the Holy word of God.......... The Bible!
God Bless
Note:
Jesus Christ waited for Satan in the desert to ensure that Satan came as himself. In the desert Satan couldn't disguised himself as any animal, as he did in the Garden of Eden, or possessing someone else like he did with Judas Iscariot. The desert was deserted and devoid of any disguise which forced Satan to come to Jesus Christ as he really was, without hiding behind any disguise!
It must be noted that after Satan was rebuked by Jesus Christ for his sin, he fled in sinfulness. But then all the good and faithful angels, who did not follow Satan, came to serve Jesus Christ. The good angels did not have to flee Jesus Christ for they did not follow Satan. The rebellion in heaven was now over! One rebellion down....one to go! Jesus Christ went to the cross to settle the next, and last, rebellion.....man's rebellion!
Again, when Satan was rebuked by Jesus Christ, Satan became sinful not only in heaven, but he became sinful in his own kingdom down here on earth. Satan has no place to hide anymore. When a person has the indwelling Holy Spirit Satan MUST flee as he did when Jesus Christ rebuked him in the desert. Satan hates Christians because he must flee from them because of the indwelling Holy Spirit!
Amen
Many secular people throughout the ages have found that the temptation of Jesus Christ in the desert is too simplistic to be afforded any thought or concern. But if one looks deeply at the details of the events in the desert the implications are profound. It is clearly evident that Satan's temptation of Jesus Christ wasn't just a test for Christ, but also a test for Satan himself. For Satan didn't believe that the word of God, written by man, is authentic or even enforceable. So Satan used scripture to test and tempt Jesus Christ and finally learn the truth.
Satan didn't believe that the bible, while written by man, is actually the inspired word of God. When Satan presented his temptations to Jesus Christ the temptations were based on scripture that were written by man. If Satan was correct, that the Bible is nothing more than words made up by man, then Satan's temptations would amount to nothing and Satan would have discovered a falsehood about God himself, especially his son Jesus Christ.
The question for Satan was - were God’s words, written down by men who were themselves sinful, enforceable in Satan’s kingdom down here on earth? Answer - They Were! But only in the Old and New Covenant lands. Hint: The New Covenant land is any place where the Holy Spirit is..meaning wherever a christian is! The christian is the dwelling place of God’s Holy Spirit therefore the Christian is now the Temple of the Holy Spirit. But in the Old Covenant land God dwelled in the actual Temple in Jerusalem! Wherever a Christian is located in this world God’s righteous will be allowed to flourish….. but so will Satan’s evil for it is his kingdom (which is why christians are hated the world over…)
So, Satan’s temptation of Jesus Christ in the desert were a way of trying to learn whether the Bible was actually God's word written down by men, or only words made up by those men. Satan, who thought he was God, just didn't know. The temptations were Satan's way of learning the truth without exposing his ignorance and/or disbelief. If the bible were just words made up by men then those words could not be used against Satan.
But we eventually learn that God, as Jesus Christ, reaffirms the Holy nature of the Bible as being the actual word of God for Jesus Christ condemned Satan with the words in the scripture. The words in the Bible were so genuine that Satan was rebuked for his unbelief by Jesus Christ, using scripture, and then fled and hid from God - Jesus Christ, just like Adam and Eve did after they became sinful for not believing in God's word forbidding the eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
The temptation of Jesus Christ in the desert by Satan is exactly the same temptations that Christians must endure daily. Many people, like Satan, similarly do not believe that the Bible, while written by man, is actually the inspired word of God. Not only did Jesus Christ confirm that scripture is the inspired word of God written by men, but that scripture could be used to judge Satan, all the angels, and mankind alike.
Just imagine Satan's shock to learn that he has been judged by a mere man in the person of Jesus Christ, who is God become man, using words written by men that were inspired by God. Satan learned that the words in the bible are inspired by God and are still valid as words of God to judge Satan and his followers. Satan is the lord of this sinful world and to have God's words, written down by the same people who Satan rules over (mankind), now being used to judge Satan himself is simply too perfect to be anything but the will of God!
Satan was judged by God through a lowly man called Jesus Christ using words of God written down by the lowly men of God. I think Satan still believes he hasn't been properly judged by God. Satan believes he is God and to be rebuked by a lowly man in the person of Jesus Christ using words written down by lowly men of God must have been a terrible blow to his pride. Satan expects to be judged as an equal to God but God would not, and could not, let that happen! Satan is not equal to God.
After the temptation in the desert Jesus took his trust in the Bible, as being the actual word of God, straight to the cross of Calvary. Jesus Christ's trust in Bible, as being the true word of God the Father, was ultimately tested on the cross. Jesus Christ did not doubt the scripture as the actual word of God and went to the cross willingly, knowing his death would be followed by his resurrection and life eternal in heaven.
Christians all throughout history are continually being tested as to our belief that the bible is the actual word of God just as Jesus Christ was tested in the desert. Everyday the word of God, as written down in the Bible, stretches out its arms offering forgiveness of sin to everyone, and equally pronouncing condemnation for unbelief. The temptation in the desert established the credibility of the Bible as the word of God capable of judging all those on earth and in heaven! To ensure an everlasting life in heaven with God make a profession of faith in the word of God by believing in the death and resurrection of God's son Jesus Christ, who became our sacrifice for sin as chronicled in the Holy word of God.......... The Bible!
God Bless
Note:
Jesus Christ waited for Satan in the desert to ensure that Satan came as himself. In the desert Satan couldn't disguised himself as any animal, as he did in the Garden of Eden, or possessing someone else like he did with Judas Iscariot. The desert was deserted and devoid of any disguise which forced Satan to come to Jesus Christ as he really was, without hiding behind any disguise!
It must be noted that after Satan was rebuked by Jesus Christ for his sin, he fled in sinfulness. But then all the good and faithful angels, who did not follow Satan, came to serve Jesus Christ. The good angels did not have to flee Jesus Christ for they did not follow Satan. The rebellion in heaven was now over! One rebellion down....one to go! Jesus Christ went to the cross to settle the next, and last, rebellion.....man's rebellion!
Again, when Satan was rebuked by Jesus Christ, Satan became sinful not only in heaven, but he became sinful in his own kingdom down here on earth. Satan has no place to hide anymore. When a person has the indwelling Holy Spirit Satan MUST flee as he did when Jesus Christ rebuked him in the desert. Satan hates Christians because he must flee from them because of the indwelling Holy Spirit!
Amen
