JESUS’s Baptism and Temptation..

JESUS and John the Baptist were cousins, and closely related by the circumstances of their birth; yet they had no direct acquaintance with each other. The life of JESUS had been spent at Nazareth in Galilee; that of John, in the wilderness of Judea. Amid widely different surroundings they had no communication with each other. Providence had ordered this. No occasion was to be given for the charge that they had conspired together to support each other’s claims.

John was aquainted with the events that had marked the birth of JESUS. he had heard of the visit to Jerusalem in His boyhood, and what had passed in the school of the rabbis. John knew of JESUS’s sinless life and believed Him to be The Messiah but of this, was not given to John, of any positive assurance.

When JESUS came to be baptized, John recognized in Him a purity of character that he had never before perceived in any man. The very atmosphere of His Presence was Holy and awe-inspiring. Among the multitudes, that had gathered about John, at the Jordan; John had heard dark tales of crime and had met souls bowed down with burdens of myriads of sins. JESUS’s Presence breathed an influence of divineness. John shrank from granting JESUS; The Sinless One His request. Why should HE who needed no repentance submit to a rite that was a confession of guilt to be washed away. As, JESUS asked for baptizm, John drew back, exclaiming, “I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me?” JESUS answered, “suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.” And John yielding, led The Saviour down into the Jordan, and immersed Him beneath the water. “And straightway coming up out of the water,” JESUS “saw the heavens opened, and The Spirit like a dove descending upon Him.”

JESUS did not receive baptism as a confession of guilt on His own account. HE identified Himself with sinners, taking the steps, that we are to take and in doing the work, that we must do. HIS Life of suffering and patient endurance after His Baptism was also an example to us. One of the vast throng at the Jordan, few except John discerned the heavenly vision. From the open heavens a voice was heard saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The Voice from heaven declared Christ to be The Son of The Eternal. As The Glory Of GOD encircled JESUS, and The Voice from heaven was heard. John recognized the token which GOD had promised. John knew that it is the world’s Redeemer whom he had baptized. The Holy Spirit rested upon Him and with an out-stretched hand pointing to JESUS, he cried, “Behold The Lamb Of GOD, which taketh away the sin of the world.” GOD desires to teach that from His own Love comes The Gift which reconciles them to Himself. And The Word that was spoken to JESUS, at the Jordan, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” embraces humanity. GOD spoke to JESUS as our representative. With all our sins and weaknesses, we are not cast aside as worthless. “HE has made us accepted in The Beloved.” Ephesians 1:6. The glory that rested upon Christ is a pledge of The Love Of GOD for us. By sin, earth was cut off from heaven, and alienated from its communion; but JESUS has connected it again with the sphere of Glory. HIS Love has encircled man, and reached the highest heaven. The light which fell from the open portals upon The Head of Our Saviour will fall upon us; as we pray for help to resist temptation. The Voice which spoke to JESUS says to every believing soul, “This is My beloved child, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew Chpt3 & Mark 1:1-12 & Luke 3:1-22.

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The Temptation…

“And JESUS being full of The Holy Spirit returned from Jordan, and was led by The Spirit into the wilderness.” These words of Mark are still more significant. He says, “Immediately The Spirit driveth Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of satan; and was with the wild beasts.” “And in those days He did eat nothing.” When JESUS was led into the wilderness to be tempted. HE was led by The Spirit Of GOD. HE did not invite temptation. HE went to the wilderness to be alone, to contemplate His Mission and His Work. By fasting and prayer He was to brace Himself for the bloodstain path He chose to travel. satan knew of JESUS departure into the wilderness, to try to tempt Him.

Mighty issues for the world were at stake in the conflict between The Prince Of Light and the leader of the kingdom of darkness. After tempting Adam & Eve, placing claim upon this earth as his, and styled himself the prince of this world. Through satan’s control of the majority of mankind, he held dominion over the world. Christ had come to disprove satan’s claim. As The Son of man, Christ would stand loyal to Almighty GOD. Thus, it would be shown that satan would not have total reign or homage from mankind. All who ever would desire freedom from this deceptive satanic power, would be set free in Christ. The dominion that Adam had lost through sin would be recovered. At The Saviour’s Baptism, satan was present, among the witnesses. satan saw The Father’s Glory overshadowing His Son. satan heard The Voice Of JEHOVAH testifying to The Divinity Of JESUS. Ever since Adam’s sin, the human race had been cut off from direct communion with GOD; the intercession between heaven and earth had been through Christ; but now that JESUS had come. “in the likeness of sinful flesh (Roman 8:3), The Father; Himself spoke through Christ; but, now HE spoke humanity in Christ. satan had hoped that humanity would be controlled and lost unto eternal death. JESUS was the connection between GOD and man for the ability for restoration into Eternal Living and LIFE…

When JESUS first entered the wilderness, He was shut in by The Father’s Glory. Absorbed in communion with GOD, He was lifted above human weakness. But, then, The Glory departed, and JESUS was left to battle with temptation. It was pressing upon Him every moment. HIS human nature shrank from the conflict that awaited Him. For forty days He fasted and prayed. Weak and emanciated from hunger, worn from the physical elements. satan came at JESUS weakened state to tempt and intice Him with physical needing. Though he appeared as an angel of light, his first words betrayed his character. “If Thou be The Son Of GOD.” Here is the insinuation of distrust. satan pointed to the stones which strewed the desert, the tempter said, “If Thou be The Son Of GOD, command that these stones be made bread.” satan purpose to shaken Christ’s Faith in trusting in His Father and His Father’s Word . To separate GOD’s Son, from The Deity Of HIS Purpose, through mistrust, doubt and finally to sin. If JESUS had fallen anytime to satan’s wiles He would not of risen after His Crucifixion, to become our Redeemer unto Eternal LIFE… JESUS met satan with the words of Scripture. “It Is Written,” He said. In every temptation the weapon of His warfare was The WORD Of GOD. Christ proclaimed; “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of The Mouth Of GOD,” Deut. 8:2,3. In the wilderness, when all means of sustenance failed, GOD sent His People manna from heaven; and a sufficient and constant supply was given. This provision was to teach them, while they trusted in GOD and walked in HIS Ways; HE would not forsake them. JESUS rested upon The Wisdom and Strength of His Heavenly Father. HE declares, ”The LORD GOD will help Me; therefore shall I not be confounded and I know that I shall not be ashamed. Behold, The LORD GOD will help Me.”

Pointing to His own example, He says to us;” Who is among you, that feareth The LORD; that walketh in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in The Name of The LORD and stay upon His GOD.” Isaiah 50:7-10; Matthew 4:1-4; Mark 1:12,13; Luke 4:1-4.

The VICTORY!

The devil took JESUS up into the holy city, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said to JESUS, “If Thou be The Son Of GOD, cast Thyself down: for it is written,–“HE shall give His Angels charge concerning Thee: And in their hands they shall bear Thee up, Lest at any time Thou dash Thy Foot against a stone.” PSALM 91: 11, 12 These words were also, written by King David, inspired from Almighty GOD. The tempter used GOD’s Word to counternact his deception. Claiming to test the fidelity of Christ and while commending His Steadfastness. As, JESUS has manifested trust in GOD, satan urges Him to give still another evidence of His Faith. But, again the temptation is prefaced with the insinuation of distrust, “If Thou be The Son of GOD.” Christ was tempted to answer the “if;” but, He refrained from the slightest acceptance of doubt. HE would not imperil His Life in order to give evidence to satan. Trying to take advantage of Christ’s humanity and urge Him to presumption. While satan can solicit, he cannot compel to sin. satan said to JESUS, “Cast Thyself down, knowing that Christ was in GOD’S protection. Trying to have JESUS consent in anyway to temptation. Not all of the power of earth or hell could force Him in the slightest degree to depart from His Father’s Will. The tempter can never compel us to do evil. The devil cannot control minds unless they are yielded to his control. The person’s will must consent. Faith must let go of its hold upon the subjected, before satan can gain any control and exercise his power upon them. But, every sinful desire we cherish affords him a foothold. Every divine standard that is not accepted, is an opened door by which the tempter uses to tempt and destroy us. And any failure or occasion to sin gives him the satisfaction to reproach Christ. When JESUS disallowed satan’s second temptation given. JESUS would not force Providence to come to HIS Rescue and thus fail of giving man an example of trust and submission to Almighty GOD.

JESUS declared again, “It Is Written, Thou shall not tempt The Lord Thy GOD.” These words were also spoken by Moses to the children of Israel, when they thirsted in the desert, they demanded that Moses give them water, exclaiming, “Is The Lord among us, or not?” Exodus 17:7. Faith claims GOD’s Promises, and brings forth fruit in obedience. Presumption also, claims promises, but uses them as satan does, to excuse transgression. When GOD brings us into trials, HE has purposed for our own good, in the strength of Faith, in acceptance and endurance. “GOD Is Faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that, ye are able; but will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape, that you will be able to bear it.” HE says, “Offer unto GOD thanksgiving and pay your vows unto The Most High: and call upon ME in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you will Glory Me.” 1Corth 10:13, Psalm 50:14:15. JESUS was victor in the second temptation of matches, satan now manifests himself in his true character. the devil avows himself the leader of rebellion and god of this world. Placing JESUS, upon a high mountain, satan caused the kingdoms of the world, in all their glory, to pass in panoramic view before Him. The view was filled with prosperity beyond measure. Then the tempter’s voice was heard: “All this power will I give Thee, and all the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me, all shall be Thine.”

Christ’s Mission could be fulfilled only through suffering. Before Him was a life of sorrow, hardship, and conflict, and an ignominious (horendously disgraceful; a deprivation of Christ’s Deity) death (hung on a cross as a thief or murderer) would be. HE must bear the sins of the whole world. HE must endure separation from His Father’s Love. Now the tempter offered to yield up the power he claimed he already had. When satan declared that the kingdom and the glory was his. he was given partial dominion over the rulership of deception to humanity. When Adam & Eve betrayed HIS Sovereignty into satan’s hands, Christ still remained the rightful King. Thus the Lord had said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will.” Daniel 4:17. satan can exercise his usurped authority (partial & only when allowed) only as GOD permits.

When the tempter offered to Christ the kingdom and glory of the world, he was proposing that Christ should yield up the real kingship of the world, and hold dominion subject to satan. The curse of sin, with all its woe, rested upon all the world’s nations and peoples. Including Israel. Christ declared to the tempter, “Get thee behind Me, satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship The LORD thy GOD, and HIM only shall thou serve.” JESUS came to establish a kingdom of Righteousness, and HE would not abandon His Purpose. satan presents the falsehoods of pleasures, riches, comfort, honor, intelligence, idealisms, appearances, independance, supremacy; to detour man’s given purpose; in living a complete healthy and loving existence. satan had no authority or power to resist Christ’s command. he was forced to withdraw from the presence of the world’s Redeemer. Christ’s Victory was as complete as had been the failure of Adam & Eve’s. JESUS gained the victory through submission and faith in GOD. “Submit yourself therefore to GOD, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh (near) to GOD, and HE will draw close to you.” James4:7,8. We cannot save ourself from the tempter’s power; he has conquered humanity, and when we try to stand in our own strength, we shall become a prey to his devices; but, “the Name Of The LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runs to JESUS’s Name and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10. After the devil left; the Holy angels administered food and The Loving Comfort Of The Father. Matthew 4:5-11; Luke 4:5-13. JESUS, having left The Throne Of Heaven; HE took the risk of failure and eternal lost for Himself & mankind. Enduring so much in our behalf; so we can have Eternal LIFE; accepting HIS Living Truth as HIS Father Wills..