When God Says …
“And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.” (Luke 4:12-13 KJV).
The devil has been tempting the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of His hunger and solitude during the course of His forty days in fasting (Luke 4:1–8). He resisted and withstood using quotes from the Holy Scriptures. Had the Lord Jesus succumbed to those tempts, especially the last tempt and jumped, the Father would likely have spared Him, just as God provided for the stubborn Israelites in the wilderness. However, that act would have short-circuited the plan for our salvation (Matthew 16:21). The Lord’s response to the devil’s final tempt was a quote again from the Old Testament passage: "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah." (Deuteronomy 6:16).
The essence of the third temptation of the Lord is akin to Israelites’ stubbornness while being rescued from Egypt. They quarreled with Moses at Massah or Meribah, demanding God do their bidding, rather than submit to God's bidding (Exodus 17:2-7). The Lord Jesus recognized this and made it clear that we are to accept our circumstances with faith that this is for our best, rather than demand God perform for us according to our whims and desires. God had promised to provide for Israel, but they demanded He provide on their time schedule. God is our sovereign provider. Our part is to rest in His grace and the devil flees.
There is haunting and ominous tone in Luke's account of the devil's departure "for a season". While the Lord Jesus won this encounter, Luke wants us to know that the evil one will be lurking nearby for an opportune moment. Defeated this time, the deceiver will choose his time and his methods, as he persist. The devil is a dirty street-fighter who plays by his own rules with only one goal — to destroy all that is good and godly. Hence, as God’s children in Christ Jesus, Scriptures warn us: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:8-11 ESV).
And I say, AMEN!
Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries
When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
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