Wilderness Temptation

Recap

John the Baptist, called to prepare the way was the central personality of our last Bible study. During which we observed that John followed the three principles of our wilderness process to learn from:

Humility - John wore camel’s hair and a leather belt, with a diet of locust and wild honey. (MATT 3:4) (Lev 11:22) actually permitted locusts to be eaten

Proved the abundance in his heart - He spoke out against wrong with a disregard for his personal safety, speaking out against the king and his illegitimate marriage according the Jewish law. (Mark 6:18)

Follow God’s direction, by putting Him first. In-spite of his popularity, once Christ showed up on the scene, John immediately pointed and declared the one that comes to take away the sins of the world. (John 1:29)

Background

Matthew 50-60 AD NOTE: Matthew didn’t tell of every person in the link, instead he focused on 3 sets of 14. Matthew never tried to hide the fact that he was a tax collector before following Christ, and because of that, written within the genealogies of Christ found in his gospel opening showcased some unusual personalities. He highlighted 5 women, 7 people famous for their immorality, and more than one unfaithful king. Writing in his transparency of the messy human experience of our Savior’s past, Matthew demonstrated that although have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God, he still choses to use us.

The winnowing fork

Matthew 3:12 “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Jesus Teaches Survival in the Wilderness

Matthew 4:1–4 “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

Matthew 4:5–7 “Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

Matthew 4:8–11 “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.”

He endured every trial to which we are subject. And He exercised in His own behalf no power that is not freely offered to us. As man, He met temptation, and overcame in the strength given Him from God.

Ellen Gould White