AFTER a time of blessing there comes a time of trial. It was after Israel had come out of Egypt that they were met by Amalek (Exodus 17:8). It is the same in Christian experience. When one has decided for Christ, then begins the conflict with Satan. As long as we are his, he leaves us alone, but as soon as we side with Christ, then he opposes us all he can. Bunyan pictures this in Pilgrim’s Progress. As long as Christian is in the world he is unmolested, but as soon as he seeks to enter the wicket-gate then the arrows of the enemy are shot at him.
The temptation of Christ is threefold, and corresponds to the tempter’s tactics with Eve in the garden of Eden.
* The words “1 Thou art the Son of God,” express something very different from a doubt; this “If” has almost the force of “Since.” “1 Thou art really as it seems,” &c. Satan alludes to God’s salutation at the baptism.-Godet.
* This is no idle offer. Billy Bray used to say of this offer of Satan, “The old rascal, to offer Christ the kingdoms of the world, why he never possessed so much as a tater skin.” But B.B. was wrong, for Satan is called “The prince of this world” (John 12:31); “the god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4); “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2). And these are not meaningless and empty titles, but designations of his power and place.
The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry.
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