TRIUMPH OVER THE LUST OF THE EYES

 

 

Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.  And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.  Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”  And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”   (Luke 4:5-8)  

 

The crown rightfully belonged to Christ.  The glory of the world’s kingdoms should have been His to claim.  But, first He would have to wear a crown of suffering before He could wear a crown of sovereignty.  Humiliation would precede exaltation. 

 

Adam had been given dominion over the earth, but forfeited that when he sinned.  Satan claimed the kingdoms of men.  In fact, Jesus called the Devil, “The prince of this world.”  Now, he offers the scepter back to Jesus—and all He must do is worship him.  That is what the angel Lucifer craved that turned him into Satan.  If he could but get Jesus to bow and worship, he would have what he wanted. 

 

Of course, Christ rejected it—and by quoting the Word of God.  That is how you overcome temptation.  The Psalmist said, “Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”  (Ps.119:11)  Each time Satan attacked, Jesus gave the counterthrust with the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

 

All the quotes that Jesus used were from Deuteronomy.  How many of us could recite three verses from that book?  We might argue, “But being God, Jesus was omniscient!”  Indeed, but recall that He had limited Himself in living as a man.  His knowledge of Scripture wasn’t the product of Divine attributes, but of diligent study—the same way we can—and must.

 

Spend time looking into the Word and it will diminish the appeal of the world.  Scripture provides a lens through which we can correctly view how worthless this world is compared to the value of eternity.  That knowledge will aid us in triumph over the lust of the eyes.