In the Wilderness
Luke 4:1-13,
Matthew 4,
Mark 1
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. ...he will also provide a way out ...."
(1 Corinthians 10:13)
Luke's account of Christ's temptation by Satan opens with these words: "Jesus ... was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil." The Judean wilderness where Jesus was taken is foreboding, hot and dangerous. Why would the Spirit bring Him there? And why should He be tempted?
In that desolate place Jesus faced Satan head-on without being able to find His strength in water or food, in others who'd rescue Him, or in His accomplishments (all things we value). However, where He did find His strength to overcome temptation was in listening to God's Truth.
God knew we would all face the same tempter and that he would entice us to follow him, rather than righteousness. If we were going to be able to know victory over Satan, Jesus would need to defeat him completely. By relying on and using the Truth of God's Word, He did. And we can, too! In any temptation we face, our strength comes by listening to God's voice of Truth through the Bible. No other voice will do.
INSIGHT
By listening only to the Father's Truth, Jesus regained what Adam and Eve lost when they listened to Satan's lies: Life.
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Deuteronomy 1-2
Psalm 80
Acts 1
Luke 4:1-13
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted[a] by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
3 The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread."
4 Jesus answered, "It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’[b]"
5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours."
8 Jesus answered, "It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’[c]"
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.’[d]"
12 Jesus answered, "It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[e]"
13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
Footnotes:
a.Luke 4:2 The Greek for tempted can also mean tested.
b.Luke 4:4 Deut. 8:3
c.Luke 4:8 Deut. 6:13
d.Luke 4:11 Psalm 91:11,12
e.Luke 4:12 Deut. 6:16
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