TRIUMPH OVER THE PRIDE OF LIFE

 

Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.  For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”  And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’ ” Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.  Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.  And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.”  (Luke 4:9-15) 

 

Here was a shortcut to being acclaimed as the Messiah.  He could make a grand entrance and have the applause of the masses in the place of prayer below.   It was a temptation to the pride of life. 

 

The Devil even quotes Scripture as an incentive to take “the leap of faith,” which was really not faith, but presumption! 

 

The sly speech of the serpent, however, is taken out of context.   This is what false religion does.  Let’s examine the original quote and see how Satan amended it:

 

For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.  In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.  You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. (Psalm 91:11-13)

 

I think we can see why the Devil left out a significant part.  First, he ended the phrase, “For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you” and omitted, “in all your ways.”  His ways were ever the Father’s ways, as He did not come to do His own will, but to glorify the Father’s name by doing His work.  It is even more apparent why Satan would not quote verse thirteen, “You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.”  This predicted the Devil’s demise!  It is the very thing Christ was doing in the desert—overcoming Satan who goes about as a roaring lion (1 Pet.5:8) and stomping the Old Serpent’s head underfoot (Gen.3:15).

 

Satan whimpers off like a scolded puppy.  James 4:7 says, “Therefore submit to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  But he won’t go far, and won’t stay long.  As with Jesus, Satan will watch for an opportunity later to assail us again.  He is nothing, if not persistent!

 

Jesus proved His impeccable credentials and was now ready to embark on His mission with great power.  He was tested and triumphant.  God’s voice had spoken His approval from heaven at His baptism and now His victory had given the assurance of holiness in His temptation. 

 

May God help us to be tried and true—His tool to do our task for Him.