A Temptation Or A Test?

There are three “all” in this temptation - all the kingdoms of the world (v 5), all their authority and splendor (v 6) and “all be yours” (v 7)(Matthew has two “all”). There are two power words (vv 6, 14) to distinguish the devil’s power (exousia) and the Spirit’s power (dunamis) authenticated at His coming (Luke 21:27, Luke 22:69).

Satan’s kingdoms are an allusion to power, pride and possessions. His power (exousia) is limited to this world as he is the “prince of this world” (John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11) and “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). The Lord rejected the authority of the devil as much as HE resisted the devil. Rebukes the devil refutes Rev 11:15. The devil is to be rebuked, and not respected.

Jesus did not give the devil an inch. He would not subject Himself to the devil, strike a bargain with Satan nor share His glory with him because the devil’s authority is derived, downtrodden, doomed, destroyed, deficient. Only in the end will the disclosure that the “kingdoms” (plural) of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever (Rev 11:15).

Why worship God alone? What kind of power does Jesus have over the devil?

1. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth (Matt 28:18)

2. the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins (Mark 2:10)

3. And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man (John 5:27)

4. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it (my life) down, and I have power to take it again (John 10:18)

5. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him (John 17:2).

What are the characteristics of God’s glory:

1. It is only in the Son of man’s coming that “great power and glory” appears (Mark 13:26)

2. It is glory in the highest Luke 19:38

3. the glory as of the only begotten of the Father (John 1:14)

4. It is the glory which I had with thee before the world was (John 17:5)

5. It is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory (2 Tim 2:10, Rev 1:6)

Be Comforted and Confident of God

9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:9-13)

I started writing this message six months ago when good friend Cheng asked me to preach Saturday night but the preparation work stopped when Doris died on May 22, 2016, because, as I related to Cheng, I decided I cannot preach a text with no passion for it, meaning or relationship to my life after my wife Doris died. However, I wrote in my blog on August 16:

“On Friday(Aug 12) God answered my prayer for a Saturday night sermon in October in a wondrous way. I had no heart in me to preach on Jesus’ temptation from Matt 4 that I had started. I had too much going to bother about kingdom, power and glory issues. After searching for the subject of the greatest prayers in the Bible, the related passage of Psalms 91 popped up with the subject “Ten Greatest Psalms,” so I reverted instead to Luke 4 where protection of God is the climax unlike Matt 4. My struggle with Doris death can be addressed!).”