Turn with me to Matthew’s  gospel in Chapter 4 verses 1-11

This is the story of the temptations faced by Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus begins to show his Messianic powers as he challenges the devil. This is the last preparation before His Ministry begins.   This follows His baptism, in which He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he would be about thirty years old.

The Holy Spirit had empowered Jesus in His earthly life and provides a pattern for the followers of Jesus. God will never tempt anyone to do evil, He does in some circumstances tests a person’s character.

The forty days is  reminiscent of the period faced by Moses forty years in the wilderness with the people of Israel, who, were led into the desert to be tested and humbled, to prove to God that they were able to keep God’s commands.

 Here at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry He is subjected to a similar testing, and will show He will obey every word that comes from God and be faithful.

When we read ‘the devil said to Jesus’. or the devil took Jesus, we are to understand that in a vision, Jesus had these temptations put into His mind.  It is through our innermost thoughts and desires, that the tempter come to us, and his attack is launched in our minds.  To some people the devil can appear very real. 

In verse 2, we read that Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights, so would be extremely hungry.  Jesus endured the his testing obediently.  Forty days are the longest a person can fast without causing bodily harm.  The Israelites with Moses also fasted forty days in the wilderness.

In verse 3 we come to the first temptation. Jesus is asked if he was the Son of God, and of course he was, but was not ging to be tricked into using his divine powers  to make things easier for himself, when Jesus is tempted to turn the stones into bread.

Th desert in which Jesus was, lay between  Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, and called the place of devastation.  It was an area 35 miles by 15, an area of yellow sand and crumbling limestone.  There could be no lonelier a place.  The desert would be littered with little round pieces of lime stone, each of which was exactly like a loaf of bread,  so for someone in a starving state,  Jesus could have turned the stones into bread.                                                                  

There is always the temptation to use powers. God has given us for special reason.  God has given us all gifts, and we have to ask, not what I can make for myself out of them, but what can I do for others. 

In verse 4, it is written, then He quoted Scripture.  In this case He said that we live not only by bread, material food, but also by spiritual food, God’s Word.  This is why we are called to know the Scriptures, that we may be able to answer questions and temptations we may face.

In verse 5 Jesus is at the holy city of Jerusalem at the pinnacle of the Temple.  Jesus is asked to throw himself down, with angles waiting to prevent Jesus from being hurt. Jesus answers him by telling him not to put the Lord God to the test.

In verse 6  the devil’s quotation from the Bible in Psalm 91 is a misuse of Scripture. But Jesus again tells that the devil cannot put God to a test.

A final test is in verse 8. Jesus was on a high mountain when tested to worship the devil, and in return would be given power over all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus exchanged the love of his Father to worship the devil.

The devil left Jesus, who was ministered to by angels.

One sure way to get a following, is to offer people something for free, but Jesus did not come to bribe people, and nor should His Church ever think of doing so. 

Jesus called people to give, and not just to get to feed the hunger in the heart.

 

Praise the Lord Jesus Christ and may God be Glorified.