11: The devil had no options left. He had to run. Obviously, the time of testing that the Spirit had led Christ into was now over. This is why the angels came to him. Personal Journal Entry #12129Prayer Journal Entry #12129Daily Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 15:1-16:43Praise Journal Entry #12089: Heavenly Father, thank You for always…

10: Of course, Satan’s mission is to leave God out of the picture altogether. This was obvious to Christ. No matter what power the devil might try to give him, Almighty God would have nothing to do with it. The second Jesus began to worship the devil, he would become, like the rest of the…

9: Much confusion has arisen over this verse. This is due to Satan’s claim to have the right to give Jesus the kingdoms of the world. Satan speaks as if, as he is recorded in Luke’s gospel, he has complete right to dispose of these as he will. However, just as Satan’s presentation of the…

8: In this verse we have two seemingly impossible circumstances. First, as we see here in Matthew, all the kingdoms of the world were shown from the top of one mountain. This is not as impossible as one might think. All of the kingdoms of note in that time were in mostly the same part…

7: Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:16 as a response to the devil’s second attempt. By this verse Jesus shows that it is wrong to try to use God’s power for one’s own personal gain. Personal Journal Entry #12125Prayer Journal Entry #12125Daily Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 6:1-81Praise Journal Entry #12085: Heavenly Father, help us to honor You…

6: This temptation was based upon a misquotation of Scripture. The devil pulled it out of context and omitted a reference to the ways of the one the passage is speaking to. It is found in Psalm 91:11-12. Satan knows the Word of God, but he seeks to use it for his own ends. To do…

5: This is the temple in Jerusalem. It is best to take this literally. Jesus was literally taken to this spot. It need not be supposed that Satan, by his own power alone, took him to this place. Satan does not normally have licence to move people about in this manner. Thus, it should be seen as…

4: Jesus’ quote from Deuteronomy 8:3 immediately renders Satan’s trap useless. It shows it for the lie that it is. If God had not provided material food at that moment, it did not at all mean that Jesus was not his Son. God’s purposes, and the Word of God that goes with them, are to be the…

3: The devil always begins by casting doubt upon the situation. He questions facts that God has already stated. Remember, the Father had just said that Jesus was his beloved Son. Now the devil questions that.The second element of the temptation is also among the tempter’s chief practices. He hit Jesus’ weakest point. Jesus was…

2: This situation was specifically selected by the Father. The Spirit led Christ into this forty-day fast to show it as a time of testing. The number forty is sometimes associated with testing in Scripture. Also, fasting is a spiritual activity, which illustrates one’s focus on God as our source of strength. Forty days of…