Please enable Javascript to play audio

The Temptation of Christ - Part 3

February 22, 2009

Matthew 4:8-10 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee ["I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to,” Luke 4:6], if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

The devil is the tempter

Matthew 4:3 And when the tempter came to him…

Avoid temptation when possible

Luke 22:40 When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."

Avoid even the appearance of evil

1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from [avoid] all appearance of evil.

Make no provision for the flesh

Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

No place for the devil to do his work

Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

The devil knows the future prophecies concerning God’s Son

Psalm 2:6-8 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen [the nations] for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

The Son of God is destined to be king

Luke 1:31-33 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

“In a moment of time” He was tempted by what He saw

Luke 4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

Earthly kingdoms have a measure of glory

Esther 1:1,4 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (this was the Ahasuerus who reigned over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India to Ethiopia), 4 when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his excellent majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty days in all.

The glory of Babylon

Isaiah 13:19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

Daniel 5:18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

Was the Devil speaking a lie or a truth?

Luke 4:6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.”

The Devil is the world’s secret ruler

1 John 5:19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

The highest political ruler of this world

John 12:31 "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler [arche – the highest political ruler] of this world will be cast out.

Satan’s domain is on the earth

Job 1:7 And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."

Ultimately God is sovereign over all rulers – even Satan

John 19:10-11 Pilate therefore said to Him, "You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?" 11 Jesus answered, "You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me up to you has the greater sin."

Satan’s kingdom is unified

Matthew 12:25-26 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: 26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

And organized

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Spiritual beings rule over human governments

Daniel 10:13 But the ruler of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days. But lo, Michael, one of the chief rulers, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

This is why this present world is evil

Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

The kings of the kingdoms of this world are “beasts”

Daniel 7:17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

Jesus warned His church “of the leaven of Herod”

Mark 8:15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.

All the earthly rulers are in allegiance to Babylon

Revelation 18:21,23 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. 23 …for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

Satan’s seat of power is the kingdoms of this world

Revelation 2:13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest [in the present evil world], even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

The church is to live separated

Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

Not to be a friend of the world

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Christ’s kingdom is not of this world

John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Jesus refused political office in this age

John 6:15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

Jesus knew there was an appointed time for everything

Ecclesiastes 3:1 For everything there is an appointed time, and an appropriate time for every matter on earth

The kingdom’s becomes Christ’s at the future resurrection - the end of this age

Revelation 11:15, 18 And the seventh angel sounded [“at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed,” 1Cor 15:52]; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

Devil worship is the price for political power in this age

Matthew 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

The antichrist shall accept the devil’s offer

Revelation 13:2-4 Now the beast which I saw …The dragon [“the Devil,” 12:9] gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 …And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"

Jesus refuses the offer

Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence [“Away with you,” NKJ] Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.