The Desire of Ages Audiobook Chapter 12: The Temptation

Summary

The video script from 'The Desire of Ages, Chapter 12: The Temptation,' explores Jesus' encounter with temptation in the wilderness, led by the Holy Spirit. It delves into the spiritual battle between good and evil, highlighting Christ's resistance to Satan's enticements and his reliance on God's word for strength. The narrative underscores the significance of self-control, faith, and the power of scripture in overcoming worldly temptations, offering a timeless lesson on the path to redemption and spiritual victory.

Takeaways

• 📜 The script discusses the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness as described in 'The Desire of Ages', emphasizing the spiritual battle between good and evil.
• 🌟 It highlights that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, not seeking temptation but rather solitude for contemplation and preparation for His mission.
• 🔥 The narrative underscores the significance of the conflict between Jesus, the Prince of Light, and Satan, the leader of darkness, which had profound implications for the world.
• 🛡️ Jesus' mission was to disprove Satan's claim over the world and humanity, showing that not all of mankind was under Satan's control and offering deliverance to those who sought it.
• 🕊️ The script refers to the prophecy in Genesis, indicating that Satan's dominion was to be challenged by the 'seed of the woman', prefiguring Jesus' role in the redemption of humanity.
• 👶 It describes Satan's awareness and fear of Jesus' divine mission from the moment of His birth, recognizing the threat Jesus posed to his dominion.
• 🗣️ The temptation of Jesus is depicted as a spiritual warfare where Satan uses every weapon at his disposal, aiming to overcome the Son of God.
• 🙏 The script illustrates Jesus' use of Scripture as His weapon against temptation, demonstrating the power of God's word in resisting the devil's advances.
• 🍞 A key temptation mentioned is the suggestion to turn stones into bread, to which Jesus responds with a quote from Deuteronomy, asserting that humans live not by bread alone, but by every word of God.
• 💪 The importance of self-control and the denial of appetites as a means of overcoming temptation is emphasized, showing Jesus' victory in this area as a model for believers.
• 🌱 The script concludes with the message that through faith in Jesus and the power of God's word, believers can overcome temptation and achieve spiritual victory, just as Jesus did.

Q & A

Why did Jesus go into the wilderness after His baptism?

Jesus went into the wilderness to be alone, to contemplate His mission, and to prepare Himself for the challenges ahead through fasting and prayer.

What was the purpose of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness?

The purpose of Jesus' temptation was to demonstrate His loyalty to God and to disprove Satan's claim over the world, showing that not all of humanity was under Satan's control.

How did Satan view his dominion over the world after tempting Adam and Eve?

Satan claimed the earth as his own and styled himself the prince of this world, believing he had established his empire through the control of men after they conformed to his nature.

What was the significance of the prophecy in Genesis 3:15 for Satan?

The prophecy in Genesis 3:15 revealed to Satan that he did not hold absolute sway over the world, as there was a power that withstood his dominion, seen in the sacrifices offered by Adam and his sons.

How did Satan attempt to intercept the communion between earth and heaven?

Satan misrepresented God and misinterpreted the rites that pointed to the Saviour, leading men to fear God as one who delighted in their destruction.

What was Satan's reaction to the angel's message attesting to the authority of the newborn King?

Satan trembled at the angel's message, recognizing the divine commission of Jesus and feeling both amazement and apprehension, as he could not understand the love behind such a sacrifice.

Why was it important for Jesus to resist the temptations in the wilderness?

It was important for Jesus to resist the temptations to demonstrate His ability to overcome the same trials that humans face, thereby proving that He could redeem humanity from sin.

How did Jesus respond to Satan's temptation to turn stones into bread?

Jesus responded with a quote from Scripture, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God,' showing His reliance on God's word.

What lesson does the script imply about the control of appetites and passions?

The script implies that controlling appetites and passions is crucial for resisting temptation and maintaining a close relationship with God, as self-indulgence can lead to corruption and degradation.

How does the script describe the role of God's word in overcoming temptation?

The script describes God's word as the weapon of warfare against temptation, emphasizing that a firm reliance on Scripture is a sign of faith that cannot be controverted.

What promise does the script offer to those who remain obedient to God during times of trial?

The script offers the promise that the obedient will be protected and provided for by God, even in times of famine and distress, as they trust in His word and commandments.

Outlines

00:00

📜 The Divine Temptation in the Wilderness

This paragraph delves into the spiritual journey of Jesus into the wilderness, where He was led by the Holy Spirit to face temptation by Satan. It emphasizes that Jesus did not seek out this confrontation but went to the wilderness for solitude and contemplation of His mission. The narrative highlights the significance of this event as a cosmic battle between good and evil, with Jesus standing as the Son of Man, loyal to God, and challenging Satan's claim over the world. The paragraph also touches on the historical context of Satan's influence since the fall of man in Eden and his attempts to mislead humanity and obscure the prophecies of the Messiah's coming. Jesus' time in the wilderness is portrayed as a pivotal moment in the redemption of humanity and the recovery of dominion lost through Adam's sin.

05:01

🛡 The Battle of Faith at the Saviour's Baptism

The second paragraph describes the spiritual warfare that ensued after Jesus' baptism, where Satan, witnessing the divine affirmation of Jesus' divinity, resolved to personally challenge Jesus. It discusses the broader implications of this conflict, suggesting that every individual's struggle against evil mirrors this divine confrontation. The summary underscores the parallels between the temptations faced by Jesus and those encountered by humans, especially in resisting self-indulgence and the allure of power. It also contrasts Jesus' weakened state, bearing the infirmities of humanity, with Adam's strength in the Garden of Eden, highlighting the profundity of Jesus' victory over temptation and its redemptive significance for humanity.

10:06

🌌 The Tempter's Deception and Christ's Divine Response

This paragraph narrates the moment when Satan, capitalizing on Jesus' vulnerability after a prolonged fast, attempts to deceive Him into questioning His divine sonship and the support of God. It details Satan's strategy to mimic an angelic figure, suggesting that Jesus' ordeal was over, and his hunger could be alleviated by miraculously transforming stones into bread. The summary captures the essence of Jesus' response, rooted in divine scripture, which reaffirms His trust in God's word over the temptation to perform a miraculous act for self-preservation. The paragraph also reflects on the broader theme of how faith in divine guidance is a bulwark against the tempter's schemes, both for Jesus and for believers facing their own trials.

15:08

📖 The Word of God: Our Immutable Anchor

The fourth paragraph explores the significance of scripture as the unassailable weapon against the tempter's influence, as exemplified by Jesus' steadfast reliance on God's word during His temptation. It recounts the biblical account of God's provision of manna in the wilderness to the Israelites, drawing a parallel to Jesus' situation and emphasizing the spiritual sustenance derived from divine guidance over physical sustenance. The summary highlights the enduring truth that obedience to God's commandments and trust in His promises are the foundation of spiritual victory, even in the face of severe trials and material scarcity.

20:11

🌪 The Looming Shadow of Temptation and the Assurance of Divine Provision

This paragraph discusses the end times, where the faithful will face extreme trials, including the loss of worldly support and the threat of death for their adherence to God's law. It draws upon biblical prophecies to illustrate the certainty of divine sustenance and protection for the righteous, even amidst global calamity and persecution. The summary conveys the message of hope and resilience, anchored in the promise of God's unwavering support for those who remain obedient to Him, and the ultimate triumph of faith over the tempter's dominion.

25:13

🛑 The Mastery of Appetites: A Lesson from Christ's Fast

The sixth paragraph examines the critical lesson of controlling appetites and passions, drawing a connection between Christ's fast and the moral challenges of the last days. It describes the world's impending state of moral decay and the importance of Christ's example in resisting temptation. The summary emphasizes the power of Christ's victory over physical and spiritual trials and how His example empowers believers to overcome their own battles with indulgence. It concludes with an exhortation to trust in God's strength and the transformative power of His word in achieving moral and spiritual victory.

Keywords

💡Holy Ghost

The Holy Ghost, also known as the Holy Spirit, is a term used in Christian theology to describe the third person of the Holy Trinity. In the context of this video script, the Holy Ghost is depicted as the guiding force that leads Jesus into the wilderness for His temptation. It signifies the divine influence and power that supports Jesus throughout His spiritual journey and struggle against temptation.

💡Wilderness

The wilderness in the script symbolizes a place of isolation and testing. It is where Jesus goes to be alone, to fast and pray, and to prepare for His mission. The wilderness represents a challenging environment where one's faith and resolve are tested, as it was for Jesus during His forty days of temptation by Satan.

💡Temptation

Temptation, as discussed in the script, refers to the allure or enticement to sin or to deviate from a moral or spiritual path. In the script, Jesus faces temptation in the wilderness, presented by Satan, which He resists by relying on the word of God. The concept of temptation is central to the narrative, illustrating the spiritual battle between good and evil.

💡Satan

Satan is portrayed in the script as the adversary of Christ and humanity, a figure representing evil and the source of temptation. He seeks to undermine Jesus' mission and claims over the world. The script describes Satan's attempts to tempt Jesus and his broader role in trying to exert dominion over the world and humanity.

💡Fasting

Fasting in the script is a form of spiritual discipline practiced by Jesus in preparation for His confrontation with Satan. It symbolizes self-denial and devotion to a higher purpose, as Jesus braces Himself for the challenges ahead. Fasting is depicted as a means to strengthen one's spiritual resolve and focus.

💡Redemption

Redemption in the script refers to the act of saving or being saved from sin and its consequences. It is tied to the mission of Jesus Christ, who, as the Son of Man, comes to Earth to counter Satan's claim over the world and to offer deliverance to humanity from the power of evil. The concept of redemption is central to the Christian understanding of salvation.

💡Divine Mission

The divine mission of Jesus, as described in the script, is His purpose to fulfill God's plan of salvation for humanity. It involves demonstrating loyalty to God, resisting Satan's temptations, and ultimately, providing a path for humanity to be freed from sin and its consequences. The divine mission is the overarching theme that drives the narrative of Jesus' actions and decisions.

💡Self-Control

Self-control is highlighted in the script as a critical virtue demonstrated by Jesus during His temptation. It is the ability to resist immediate desires and impulses, especially in the face of temptation. Jesus' self-control, as depicted in the script, is a testament to His commitment to God's will and serves as an example for believers to follow.

💡Word of God

The word of God in the script represents divine guidance and truth, as found in sacred texts such as the Bible. Jesus uses the word of God to resist Satan's temptations, emphasizing the importance of scripture in providing strength and direction in times of spiritual testing. The word of God is portrayed as a powerful tool for overcoming evil and upholding faith.

💡Salvation

Salvation in the script is the ultimate goal of Jesus' mission and the Christian faith. It refers to the deliverance from sin and its eternal consequences through faith in Jesus Christ. The concept of salvation is intricately linked to the themes of redemption, divine mission, and the triumph over temptation.

💡Divine Nature

The divine nature, as discussed in the script, refers to the inherent qualities and attributes of God, which believers can partake in through faith in Jesus Christ. It is the essence of God's character that can be reflected in humanity, enabling them to overcome sin and achieve spiritual growth. The script suggests that by adhering to the word of God and emulating Christ's example, individuals can attain a likeness to the divine nature.

Highlights

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to face temptation, not seeking it out, but preparing for His mission through fasting and prayer.

Satan's claim to the world was challenged by Christ's loyalty to God, aiming to demonstrate that not all of humanity was under Satan's control.

The prophecy in Genesis 3:15 hinted at a power resisting Satan's dominion, which he observed with interest in the sacrifices offered by Adam and his sons.

Satan's strategy was to misrepresent God and misinterpret the rites pointing to the Saviour, leading men to fear God as one who delighted in their destruction.

Satan attempted to blind people to the prophecies of the Saviour's advent, working across generations to ensure they would reject Christ.

At Jesus' birth, Satan recognized the divine commission of the newborn King, which threatened his dominion.

Satan was determined to find revenge by causing others to undervalue heavenly things and focus on earthly matters.

Christ's baptism was a moment of divine affirmation, where Satan witnessed the Father's glory and heard the voice of Jehovah testifying to Jesus' divinity.

Satan saw the need to personally conduct the warfare against Christ, rallying all the energies of apostasy against Him.

The conflict between Christ and Satan is a recurring theme within every human heart, where one must resist the assaults of Satan to serve God.

Christ's temptations were greater than ours, as His character is superior, and He withstood them while bearing the weight of the world's sins.

Christ took on the infirmities of humanity to rescue man from the depths of degradation, enduring the effects of sin's history.

Christ's victory over temptation began with the denial of appetite, a crucial step in redemption, as it was through indulgence that Adam fell.

Christ's humanity was tested to the extreme, with hunger and mental agony, yet He overcame by relying on the word of God.

Satan's temptations aimed to make Christ doubt God's word and His mission, but Christ resisted by quoting Scripture.

Christ's reliance on God's word is a model for believers, showing that faith and obedience to God's command are essential in overcoming temptation.

The ultimate victory over Satan is achieved not by miracles but by a firm trust in God's promises and living by His word.

In the end times, the faithful will face severe trials, but God's promises ensure their sustenance and protection.

The control of appetites and passions is crucial for spiritual health, as Christ demonstrated in His temptation and throughout His ministry.

Christ's victory over temptation is available to believers through faith, as He has overcome the world and shares His victory with those who trust in Him.

The divine nature is accessible to believers through Christ, who has shown us the way to overcome by the word of God and faith in His promises.

Transcripts

The Desire of Ages

Chapter 12: The Temptation

"And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost  returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit  

into the wilderness." The words of Mark are still  more significant. He says, "Immediately the Spirit  

driveth Him into the wilderness. And He was there  in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan;  

and was with the wild beasts." "And  in those days He did eat nothing." 

When Jesus was led into the wilderness to  be tempted, He was led by the Spirit of God.  

He did not invite temptation. He went to the  wilderness to be alone, to contemplate His mission  

and work. By fasting and prayer He was to brace  Himself for the bloodstained path He must travel.  

But Satan knew that the Saviour had gone  into the wilderness, and he thought this  

the best time to approach Him. Mighty issues for the world were  

at stake in the conflict between the Prince of  light and the leader of the kingdom of darkness.  

After tempting man to sin, Satan claimed the  earth as his, and styled himself the prince of  

this world. Having conformed to his own nature  the father and mother of our race, he thought  

to establish here his empire. He declared  that men had chosen him as their sovereign.  

Through his control of men,  he held dominion over the world.  

Christ had come to disprove Satan's claim.  As the Son of man, Christ would stand loyal  

to God. Thus it would be shown that Satan had  not gained complete control of the human race,  

and that his claim to the world was false.  All who desired deliverance from his power  

would be set free. The dominion that Adam  had lost through sin would be recovered. 

Since the announcement to the serpent in Eden,  "I will put enmity between thee and the woman,  

and between thy seed and her seed" (Genesis 3:15),  Satan had known that he did not hold absolute  

sway over the world. There was seen in men the  working of a power that withstood his dominion.  

With intense interest he watched the  sacrifices offered by Adam and his sons.  

In these ceremonies he discerned a symbol  of communion between earth and heaven.  

He set himself to intercept this communion. He  misrepresented God, and misinterpreted the rites  

that pointed to the Saviour. Men were led to fear  God as one who delighted in their destruction.  

The sacrifices that should have revealed His love  were offered only to appease His wrath. Satan  

excited the evil passions of men, in order to  fasten his rule upon them. When God's written word  

was given, Satan studied the prophecies of the  Saviour's advent. From generation to generation  

he worked to blind the people to these prophecies,  that they might reject Christ at His coming. 

At the birth of Jesus, Satan knew that  One had come with a divine commission to  

dispute his dominion. He trembled at the angel's  message attesting the authority of the newborn  

King. Satan well knew the position that Christ had  held in heaven as the Beloved of the Father. That  

the Son of God should come to this earth as a man  filled him with amazement and with apprehension.  

He could not fathom the mystery of this great  sacrifice. His selfish soul could not understand  

such love for the deceived race.  The glory and peace of heaven,  

and the joy of communion with God,  were but dimly comprehended by men;  

but they were well known to Lucifer,  the covering cherub. Since he had lost heaven,  

he was determined to find revenge by causing  others to share his fall. This he would do by  

causing them to undervalue heavenly things,  and to set the heart upon things of earth. 

Not without hindrance was the Commander of  heaven to win the souls of men to His kingdom.  

From the time when He was a babe in Bethlehem,  He was continually assailed by the evil one.  

The image of God was manifest in Christ, and in  the councils of Satan it was determined that He  

should be overcome. No human being had come into  the world and escaped the power of the deceiver.  

The forces of the confederacy of evil were set  upon His track to engage in warfare against Him,  

and if possible to prevail over Him. At the Saviour's baptism, Satan was among the  

witnesses. He saw the Father's glory overshadowing  His Son. He heard the voice of Jehovah testifying  

to the divinity of Jesus. Ever since Adam's  sin, the human race had been cut off from  

direct communion with God; the intercourse between  heaven and earth had been through Christ; but now  

that Jesus had come "in the likeness of sinful  flesh" (Romans 8:3), the Father Himself spoke.  

He had before communicated with humanity through  Christ; now He communicated with humanity  

in Christ. Satan had hoped that God's abhorrence  of evil would bring an eternal separation between  

heaven and earth. But now it was manifest that the  connection between God and man had been restored. 

Satan saw that he must either conquer or be  conquered. The issues of the conflict involved  

too much to be entrusted to his confederate  angels. He must personally conduct the warfare.  

All the energies of apostasy were  rallied against the Son of God.  

Christ was made the mark of every weapon of hell. Many look on this conflict between Christ and  

Satan as having no special bearing on their  own life; and for them it has little interest.  

But within the domain of every human heart  this controversy is repeated. Never does  

one leave the ranks of evil for the service of  God without encountering the assaults of Satan.  

The enticements which Christ resisted  were those that we find it so difficult to  

withstand. They were urged upon Him in as much  greater degree as His character is superior to  

ours. With the terrible weight of the sins of the  world upon Him, Christ withstood the test upon  

Satan had pointed to Adam's sin as proof that  God's law was unjust, and could not be obeyed.  

In our humanity, Christ was  to redeem Adam's failure.  

But when Adam was assailed by the tempter,  none of the effects of sin were upon him.  

He stood in the strength of perfect manhood,  possessing the full vigor of mind and body.  

He was surrounded with the glories of Eden, and  was in daily communion with heavenly beings.  

It was not thus with Jesus when He  entered the wilderness to cope with Satan.  

For four thousand years the race had been  decreasing in physical strength, in mental power,  

and in moral worth; and Christ took upon  Him the infirmities of degenerate humanity.  

Only thus could He rescue man from  the lowest depths of his degradation. 

Many claim that it was impossible for Christ  to be overcome by temptation. Then He could not  

have been placed in Adam's position; He could not  have gained the victory that Adam failed to gain.  

If we have in any sense a more  trying conflict than had Christ,  

then He would not be able to succor us. But our  Saviour took humanity, with all its liabilities.  

He took the nature of man, with the possibility  of yielding to temptation. We have nothing to bear  

which He has not endured. With Christ, as with the holy pair in Eden,  

appetite was the ground of the first great  temptation. Just where the ruin began,  

the work of our redemption must begin. As by  the indulgence of appetite Adam fell, so by  

the denial of appetite Christ must overcome. "And  when He had fasted forty days and forty nights,  

He was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter  came to Him, he said, If Thou be the Son of God,  

command that these stones be made bread.  But He answered and said, It is written,  

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every  word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." 

From the time of Adam to that of Christ,  self-indulgence had increased the power  

of the appetites and passions, until they had  almost unlimited control. Thus men had become  

debased and diseased, and of themselves it was  impossible for them to overcome. In man's behalf,  

Christ conquered by enduring the severest test.  For our sake He exercised a self-control stronger  

than hunger or death. And in this first victory  were involved other issues that enter into all  

our conflicts with the powers of darkness. When Jesus entered the wilderness, He was shut  

in by the Father's glory. Absorbed in communion  with God, He was lifted above human weakness. But  

the glory departed, and He was left to battle with  temptation. It was pressing upon Him every moment.  

His human nature shrank from the conflict that  awaited Him. For forty days He fasted and prayed.  

Weak and emaciated from hunger, worn and haggard  with mental agony, "His visage was so marred more  

than any man, and His form more than the sons of  men." Isaiah 52:14. Now was Satan's opportunity.  

Now he supposed that he could overcome Christ. There came to the Saviour, as if in answer to  

His prayers, one in the guise of an angel from  heaven. He claimed to have a commission from God  

to declare that Christ's fast was at an end. As  God had sent an angel to stay the hand of Abraham  

from offering Isaac, so, satisfied with Christ's  willingness to enter the bloodstained path,  

the Father had sent an angel to deliver  Him; this was the message brought to Jesus.  

The Saviour was faint from hunger, He was  craving for food, when Satan came suddenly  

upon Him. Pointing to the stones which strewed the  desert, and which had the appearance of loaves,  

the tempter said, "If Thou be the Son of God,  command that these stones be made bread." 

Though he appears as an angel of light, these  first words betray his character. "If Thou be  

the Son of God." Here is the insinuation of  distrust. Should Jesus do what Satan suggests, it  

would be an acceptance of the doubt. The tempter  plans to overthrow Christ by the same means that  

were so successful with the human race in the  beginning. How artfully had Satan approached Eve  

in Eden! "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of  every tree of the garden?" Genesis 3:1. Thus far  

the tempter's words were truth; but in his manner  of speaking them there was a disguised contempt  

for the words of God. There was a covert  negative, a doubt of the divine truthfulness.  

Satan sought to instill into the mind of Eve the  thought that God would not do as He had said;  

that the withholding of such beautiful fruit was a  contradiction of His love and compassion for man.  

So now the tempter seeks to inspire Christ with  his own sentiments. "If Thou be the Son of God."  

The words rankle with bitterness in his  mind. In the tones of his voice is an  

expression of utter incredulity.  Would God treat His own Son thus?  

Would He leave Him in the desert with wild beasts,  without food, without companions, without comfort?  

He insinuates that God never meant  His Son to be in such a state as this.  

"If Thou be the Son of God," show Thy  power by relieving Thyself of this  

pressing hunger. Command that  this stone be made bread. 

The words from heaven, "This is My beloved  Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17),  

were still sounding in the ears of Satan.  But he was determined to make Christ  

disbelieve this testimony. The word of God  was Christ's assurance of His divine mission.  

He had come to live as a man among men, and it was  the word that declared His connection with heaven.  

It was Satan's purpose to cause Him to doubt  that word. If Christ's confidence in God could be  

shaken, Satan knew that the victory in the whole  controversy would be his. He could overcome Jesus.  

He hoped that under the force of  despondency and extreme hunger,  

Christ would lose faith in His Father, and work  a miracle in His own behalf. Had He done this,  

the plan of salvation would have been broken. 

When Satan and the Son of God first met in  conflict, Christ was the commander of the  

heavenly hosts; and Satan, the leader  of revolt in heaven, was cast out.  

Now their condition is apparently reversed, and  Satan makes the most of his supposed advantage.  

One of the most powerful of the angels, he says,  has been banished from heaven. The appearance  

of Jesus indicates that He is that fallen  angel, forsaken by God, and deserted by man.  

A divine being would be able to sustain his claim  by working a miracle; "if Thou be the Son of God,  

command this stone that it be made bread." Such  an act of creative power, urges the tempter,  

would be conclusive evidence of divinity.  It would bring the controversy to an end. 

Not without a struggle could Jesus listen in  silence to the arch-deceiver. But the Son of  

God was not to prove His divinity to Satan,  or to explain the reason of His humiliation.  

By conceding to the demands of the  rebel, nothing for the good of man  

or the glory of God would be gained. Had Christ  complied with the suggestion of the enemy,  

Satan would still have said, Show me a sign  that I may believe you to be the Son of God.  

Evidence would have been worthless to break the  power of rebellion in his heart. And Christ was  

not to exercise divine power for His own benefit.  He had come to bear trial as we must do, leaving  

us an example of faith and submission. Neither  here nor at any subsequent time in His earthly  

life did He work a miracle in His own behalf. His  wonderful works were all for the good of others.  

Though Jesus recognized Satan from the beginning,  He was not provoked to enter into controversy with  

him. Strengthened with the memory of the voice  from heaven, He rested in His Father's love.  

He would not parley with temptation. Jesus met Satan with the words of Scripture.  

"It is written," He said. In every temptation  the weapon of His warfare was the word of God.  

Satan demanded of Christ a miracle as a sign of  His divinity. But that which is greater than all  

miracles, a firm reliance upon a "Thus saith the  Lord," was a sign that could not be controverted.  

So long as Christ held to this position,  the tempter could gain no advantage. 

It was in the time of greatest weakness  that Christ was assailed by the fiercest  

temptations. Thus Satan thought to prevail. By  this policy he had gained the victory over men.  

When strength failed, and the will power  weakened, and faith ceased to repose in God,  

then those who had stood long and valiantly  for the right were overcome. Moses was wearied  

with the forty years' wandering of Israel, when  for the moment his faith let go its hold upon  

infinite power. He failed just upon the  borders of the Promised Land. So with Elijah,  

who had stood undaunted before King Ahab,  who had faced the whole nation of Israel,  

with the four hundred and fifty prophets  of Baal at their head. After that terrible  

day upon Carmel, when the false prophets had  been slain, and the people had declared their  

allegiance to God, Elijah fled for his life  before the threats of the idolatrous Jezebel.  

Thus Satan has taken advantage of the weakness of  humanity. And he will still work in the same way.  

Whenever one is encompassed with clouds,  perplexed by circumstances, or afflicted by  

poverty or distress, Satan is at hand to tempt and  annoy. He attacks our weak points of character.  

He seeks to shake our confidence in God, who  suffers such a condition of things to exist.  

We are tempted to distrust God, to question His  love. Often the tempter comes to us as he came  

to Christ, arraying before us our weakness  and infirmities. He hopes to discourage the soul,  

and to break our hold on God.  Then he is sure of his prey.  

If we would meet him as Jesus did, we should  escape many a defeat. By parleying with the enemy,  

we give him an advantage. When Christ said to the tempter,  

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every  word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God,"  

He repeated the words that, more than fourteen  hundred years before, He had spoken to Israel:  

"The Lord thy God led thee these forty years  in the wilderness. . . . And He humbled thee,  

and suffered thee to hunger, and fed  thee with manna, which thou knewest not,  

neither did thy fathers know; that He might make  thee know that man doth not live by bread only,  

but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth  of the Lord doth man live." Deuteronomy 8:2, 3.  

In the wilderness, when all means of sustenance  failed, God sent His people manna from heaven;  

and a sufficient and constant supply was given.  This provision was to teach them that while they  

trusted in God and walked in His ways He would  not forsake them. The Saviour now practiced the  

lesson He had taught to Israel. By the word of  God succor had been given to the Hebrew host,  

and by the same word it would be given to  Jesus. He awaited God's time to bring relief.  

He was in the wilderness in obedience to God,  and He would not obtain food by following the  

suggestions of Satan. In the presence of the  witnessing universe, He testified that it is a  

less calamity to suffer whatever may befall than  to depart in any manner from the will of God. 

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by  every word of God." Often the follower of  

Christ is brought where he cannot serve God  and carry forward his worldly enterprises.  

Perhaps it appears that obedience to some plain  requirement of God will cut off his means of  

support. Satan would make him believe that he  must sacrifice his conscientious convictions.  

But the only thing in our world upon which we  can rely is the word of God. "Seek ye first  

the kingdom of God, and His righteousness;  and all these things shall be added unto  

you." Matthew 6:33. Even in this life it is  not for our good to depart from the will of our  

Father in heaven. When we learn the power of His  word, we shall not follow the suggestions of Satan  

in order to obtain food or to save our lives. Our  only questions will be, What is God's command?  

and what His promise? Knowing these, we  shall obey the one, and trust the other. 

In the last great conflict of the controversy with  Satan those who are loyal to God will see every  

earthly support cut off. Because they refuse   to break His law in obedience to earthly powers,  

they will be forbidden to buy or sell. It  will finally be decreed that they shall be put  

to death. See Revelation 13:11-17. But to the  obedient is given the promise, "He shall dwell  

on high: his place of defense shall be the  munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him;  

his waters shall be sure." Isaiah 33:16. By  this promise the children of God will live.  

When the earth shall be wasted with famine, they  shall be fed. "They shall not be ashamed in the  

evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be  satisfied." Psalm 37:19. To that time of distress  

the prophet Habakkuk looked forward, and  his words express the faith of the church:  

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom,  neither shall fruit be in the vines;  

the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields  shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off  

from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the  stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy  

in the God of my salvation." Habakkuk 3:17, 18. Of all the lessons to be learned from our  

Lord's first great temptation none is more  important than that bearing upon the control  

of the appetites and passions. In all ages,  temptations appealing to the physical nature  

have been most effectual in corrupting and  degrading mankind. Through intemperance,  

Satan works to destroy the mental and moral powers  that God gave to man as a priceless endowment.  

Thus it becomes impossible for men to  appreciate things of eternal worth.  

Through sensual indulgence, Satan seeks to blot  from the soul every trace of likeness to God. 

The uncontrolled indulgence and consequent  disease and degradation that existed at  

Christ's first advent will again exist, with  intensity of evil, before His second coming.  

Christ declares that the condition of the world  will be as in the days before the Flood, and as  

in Sodom and Gomorrah. Every imagination of the  thoughts of the heart will be evil continually.  

Upon the very verge of that fearful time we are  now living, and to us should come home the lesson  

of the Saviour's fast. Only by the inexpressible  anguish which Christ endured can we estimate the  

evil of unrestrained indulgence. His example  declares that our only hope of eternal life  

is through bringing the appetites and  passions into subjection to the will of God. 

In our own strength it is impossible for us  to deny the clamors of our fallen nature.  

Through this channel Satan  will bring temptation upon us.  

Christ knew that the enemy would come to every  human being, to take advantage of hereditary  

weakness, and by his false insinuations  to ensnare all whose trust is not in God.  

And by passing over the ground which man  must travel, our Lord has prepared the way for  

us to overcome. It is not His will that we should  be placed at a disadvantage in the conflict with  

Satan. He would not have us intimidated and  discouraged by the assaults of the serpent.  

"Be of good cheer," He says; "I have  overcome the world." John 16:33. 

Let him who is struggling against the power of  appetite look to the Saviour in the wilderness  

of temptation. See Him in His agony upon  the cross, as He exclaimed, "I thirst."  

He has endured all that it is possible  for us to bear. His victory is ours. 

Jesus rested upon the wisdom and strength  of His heavenly Father. He declares,  

"The Lord God will help Me; therefore shall I not  be confounded: . . . and I know that I shall not  

be ashamed. . . . Behold, the Lord God will help  Me." Pointing to His own example, He says to us,  

"Who is among you that feareth the Lord, . .  . that walketh in darkness, and hath no light?  

let him trust in the name of the Lord,  and stay upon his God." Isaiah 50:7-10. 

"The prince of this world cometh," said Jesus,  

"and hath nothing in Me." John 14:30. There was in  Him nothing that responded to Satan's sophistry.  

He did not consent to sin. Not even by a thought  did He yield to temptation. So it may be with us.  

Christ's humanity was united with  divinity; He was fitted for the conflict  

by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And He  came to make us partakers of the divine nature.  

So long as we are united to Him by  faith, sin has no more dominion over us.  

God reaches for the hand of faith in us to direct  it to lay fast hold upon the divinity of Christ,  

that we may attain to perfection of character. And how this is accomplished, Christ has shown us.  

By what means did He overcome in the conflict  with Satan? By the word of God. Only by the word  

could He resist temptation. "It is written,"  He said. And unto us are given "exceeding  

great and precious promises: that by these  ye might be partakers of the divine nature,  

having escaped the corruption that is  in the world through lust." 2 Peter 1:4.  

Every promise in God's word is ours. "By every  word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God"  

are we to live. When assailed by temptation,  look not to circumstances or to the weakness  

of self, but to the power of the  word. All its strength is yours.  

"Thy word," says the psalmist, "have I hid in  mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee."  

"By the word of Thy lips I have kept me from  the paths of the destroyer." Psalm 119:11; 17:4.