"The Rights of God" # 38

Christ and the Rights of the Father (continued)

There are many times we feel as though we are pushed into a corner. Maybe we have taken a position of absolute obedience towards God. We have declared to God that we are willing for His will to be done. It does not take long before we find ourselves in an impossible position. Such a position is basically about nothing less and nothing else but our faithfulness towards God. Are we prepared to die rather than take our life into our own hands and give up our dependency on God, to perish rather than do something which has not told us to do?

In connection with this temptation there is the possibility of a new discovery. We find this in the answer Jesus gives the devil: "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). The enemy could have answered: "Without food you will surely die." But the Lord knows another kind of food. Obedience means life. Jesus did not turn the stones into bread and yet still lived another three and a half years. When the disciples returned to Him when He was sitting on the edge of the well of Samaria and asked Him to eat. He could tell them, from a deeper experience than they could imagine: "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work" (John 4:34). It is manna for us to be faithful to God. There is life in obedience.

The second temptation - The devil set Him on the pinnacle of the temple. "If Thou art the Son of Son, cast Thyself down" (Matt. 4:6). The devil puts himself on the same ground as the Lord. He uses the Word. The temptation becomes therefore more intense. Besides the Lord, probably nobody knows the Word as well as the adversary. Therefore spiritual discernment is needed. This we have in the answer: "it is written: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord Thy God" (Matt. 4:7). - In which context is this Word written? Israel was in trouble. The question arose, whether the Lord was in her midst or not; in other words, a questioning of the faithfulness of God, whether God keeps His Word or not. Is it not significant that the Lord uses exactly this passage to answer the enemy? The devil says in other words: "If You believe that the Father is with You, then try it. If You are really convinced that He is on your side, then do something for once that will show this." A big temptation that our Lord did NOT succumb to. But what must we do? We find ourselves in trouble. Do we believe that God is faithful? Do we consider the possibility that God could deny Himself? When the Lord says: "I am with you," let us believe it. Let us never do anything to put God to the test. The Lord has a right to demand such a position from us. Jesus gave His Father this right. He held fast to the position that he had taken: "Not My will, but Your will be done."

The third temptation. - The devil took Him to a high mountain. "All these things I will give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me." The answer: "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve" (Matt. 4:8-10).

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 39)