Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Always finding something new in the Bible! (Temptation of Jesus)

This past Sunday night we were looking at the passage where Satan tempts Jesus in the wilderness. I caught something that I had never observed before! Here is the passage:

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' " 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' " 7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' " 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' " 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. Matthew 4:1-11 (NIV)

Each time that Jesus is tempted, He quotes Scripture. Not only that, He quotes from the Old Testament Law (the book of Deuteronomy). Even Satan quotes from Scripture (Psalm 91:11-12)! This is something I know and have taught on. BUT the thing I caught this time was based on Satan's use of Scripture...

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:11-12

Well, sounds great and it is quoted pretty good; but what if we kept reading in the chapter?

You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. Psalm 91:13

If Satan knows the Scripture well enough to quote it; he knows what comes in verse 13! He was calling Jesus out in this passage. He was up for a "boxing match" with Jesus. He was challenging Jesus to make His move to fulfill Scripture at the pinnacle of the temple...Jesus could have easily quoted back verse 13 of Psalms and easily overcame Satan at this point; but He would have left the plan of the Father to redeem man! Instead, Jesus responds back to Satan by quoting Deuteronomy "Do not put the Lord God to the test." Jesus knew the plan, was in connection with the Father, and was going to continue to make His way to the cross! After his death on the cross He came back to life; and guess what? Verse 13 was achieved! Just like when a defeated enemy of the old was put to submission under the foot of the victor; Satan found himself under the foot of Jesus through victory of the cross!

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