Temptation of Testing

Temptation of Testing

Luke 4:9 – Then the devil brought him to Jerusalem, had him stand on the highest point of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. 10 – For it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ 11 – and ‘with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

12 – Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.”

Luke saved this one for last. Have you ever tried to force God to prove His existence? Does He need to? Ever look up at the night sky on a clear night? Ever look in the mirror? Ever look at flower, tree, or garden? Ever watch your pets play? I could go on and on. There is overwhelming evidence for God. What was the devil trying to do to Jesus? He was trying to get Jesus to doubt. If the devil really wanted an answer to his question why didn’t he just push Jesus off of the highest point of the temple – but no, that would not have worked the way the devil wanted it to. He wanted Jesus to willingly choose to throw Himself down.

In all three temptations the devil was trying to influence Jesus’s choices. It’s what he did in the garden of Eden with Eve – it’s what he does with you and me. The devil’s questions are all wrong and are designed to get us to doubt God.

The answer Jesus gave was part of a larger verse in Deuteronomy 6:16 – You must not put the LORD your God to the test as you did at Massah. Here’s what happened at Massah – God had brought the Israelites out of Egypt, but they were complaining of thirst – Their complaint was so severe that they began to question why they were brought out of Egypt in the first place – completely forgetting how Egypt and its armies were practically destroyed before their very eyes. Exodus 17:7 said “He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contending of the Israelites and because of their testing the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”

Was God with the Israelites? Of course He was! The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night were constant reminders of His presence. The memory of their deliverance from Egypt should have remained fresh in their minds. But the devil used thirst to get them to doubt. Was God with Jesus? Of course He was! At His baptism Jesus heard the voice of His Father say “You are my one dear Son; in you I take great delight.” The devil was trying to use hunger, gifts, and peril to get Jesus to doubt.

Is Jesus with you? Of course He is! At the end of the gospel of Matthew Jesus said these words “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:20. the devil will use all manner of discomforts and insinuations to get us to doubt Jesus in any way possible. Let’s rest in the promises of God’s Word today and answer the devil’s unfair questions with “It is written.” The devil will continue returning at the worst possible times, but with Jesus, each day can be a day of victory over temptation and sin. Let’s continue believing in Jesus today!