WWUTT 2293 Satan Departs from Jesus (Luke 4:5-13)

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Satan confronts Jesus with three temptations. And in all three of these temptations,

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Jesus resists him by referencing the word of God. It's important for us to know how to do this too when we understand the text.

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This is When We Understand The Text, a daily Bible teaching podcast that we may be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the

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Lord. Tell your friends about our ministry at www .utt .com. Here once again is

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Pastor Gabe. Thank you, Becky. In our study of the gospel of Luke, we are in chapter four and continuing this exchange between Jesus and Satan in the wilderness.

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Let me pick up reading once again, verses one through 13. Hear the word of the Lord. And Jesus, full of the

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Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for 40 days, being tempted by the devil.

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And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, if you are the son of God, command this stone to become bread.

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And Jesus answered him, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone.

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And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time and said to him, to you,

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I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me and I give it to whom

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I will. If you then will worship me, it will all be yours. And Jesus answered him, it is written, you shall worship the

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Lord your God and him only shall you serve. And he took him to Jerusalem and 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 will command his angels concerning you to guard you.

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And on their hands, they will bear you up lest you strike your foot against a stone. And Jesus answered him, it is said, you shall not put the

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Lord your God to the test. And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

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Now here we have Satan described as the devil. That's the word that's used here to define him.

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It's different than say Job chapter one where he's referred to as Satan. In Hebrew, it is

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Hasatan. It means the accuser. In Greek, it's the word Diablos, which is translated in English devil, but they both mean the same thing.

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They mean the accuser or the slanderer. This is the one who opposes.

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Now there are theories that the devil or Satan is not really one singular person, but rather he's something of an entity.

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He might be occupied by any number of demons or spiritual opposition.

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Michael Heizer is one that proposed this view in the unseen realm, wrote about it also in his books on angels and demons.

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And I think there are others that have kind of been influenced by Heizer that have espoused the same thing. There's not really a singular fallen angel being named

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Satan but it could be any number of spirits that are standing in opposition to Jesus here.

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Just like when you read about in the book of Job, Satan singling out Job and talking to God about him, it could have been some other spiritual entity that's not the same person that's confronting

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Jesus here. But that's really not founded in anything but speculation. There's nothing in the text that lends itself to that theory.

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It's pretty obvious here that the text is referring to one person, not they, not them.

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It's not like the demons that were possessing the men in the tombs in the

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Gadarenes. And when Jesus had confronted them, they said, we are legion for we are many.

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That was obviously a completely different kind of encounter than what Jesus is facing here with the devil confronting him in the wilderness and attempting to tempt him.

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This is Satan. It is the one who was cast out of heaven.

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It is the same one who had spoken to Eve in the garden of Eden, the same one that had a council with God in the book of Job, the same one that is now trying to influence the son of God as he is in the wilderness.

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We read of his first temptation yesterday, the devil saying to him, if you are the son of God, command this stone to become bread.

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As if he is getting Jesus to question, am I really the son of God? There were all those people that heard the voice from heaven,

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Jesus himself familiar with the scriptures. And we had it in Luke chapter three with Jesus teaching in the temple.

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Was that Luke three or was that Luke two? Yeah, that was Luke two. John the Baptist prepares the way. It was

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John the Baptist ministry in chapter three. So we had the 12 year old Jesus in the temple teaching, obviously knew the scriptures.

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So Jesus knows the scriptures that are speaking of him. We're gonna get to that in the next part of Luke.

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As a matter of fact, next week when we come back to Luke chapter three, Jesus reads from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue in Nazareth and says that it's talking about him.

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So he knows the scriptures concerning the Messiah. Satan is trying to get

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Jesus to doubt this if it were at all possible by saying, if you are the son of God, same sort of question that Satan asked of Eve in the garden of Eden, did

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God really say? So this is that same kind of thing. Did God really say that you're the son of God?

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Well, if you are, command this stone to become bread and surely it will because you have that kind of power.

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But Jesus responds to him with scripture. It is written, man shall not live by bread alone.

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And it is a lesson to us that we would store the word of God in our hearts and be equipped with that to face

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Satan and any temptation that may come our way. In verse five, here's the second temptation.

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The devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

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That's a bizarre phrasing. Strange that it says that he showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

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So was this kingdoms past, present and future? Was it just the kingdoms that existed at that time?

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And Satan is able to show him from a certain vantage point all those kingdoms at once, not just Jerusalem, because if they were to go up high on a mountain at that particular spot, that would pretty much be the largest city that they would be able to see.

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So how is it that Satan takes him to this high place and is able to show him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time?

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So was it all the kingdoms at that moment? And he just happened to be able to show him all the kingdoms kind of gathered together in one place from whatever vantage point they were looking at this.

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Or does it mean that Satan was able to show him kingdoms that even had not yet come into existence, at least not known to the people during that time.

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And Satan able to show him even these kingdoms that have yet to exist will belong to you because they have been given to me and I can give them to whoever

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I wish. Now, it's not as if Satan has the power to time travel. It's not like he can jump into the past and influence or change events there, like in a sci -fi film or something like that.

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It's not like he can jump into the future and affect events that have yet to occur. But we are given kind of a hint of this idea that from heaven in the spiritual realm, time doesn't work the same way that it works here.

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We don't exist on a linear timeline like we do here in the physical world.

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And so it's likely that from a spiritual, from a heavenly vantage point, we're able to see into the past or future.

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That's completely different than being able to step into those events or like go back into the past and change things.

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It wouldn't be something like that. It's just being able to see from a particular vantage point in a way that we cannot see right now.

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And maybe it's that. Maybe that's the way that Satan is showing Jesus all the kingdoms of the world.

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They're stepping into a spiritual realm. And Satan is able from that vantage point to show him multiple kingdoms at one time in a moment of time.

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And that's just speculation on my part. I don't know that that's exactly what that means. It's just some odd phrasing that it would be worded like that.

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The devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. That's not just unique to the

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English Standard Version, which is what I'm reading from here. The legacy also says in Luke 4, 5, if he led him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

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And the devil then said to him, to you, I will give all this authority and their glory for it has been delivered to me and I give it to whom

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I will. If you then will worship me, it will all be yours. Now, here's the thing.

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Is that true? Was Satan telling him the truth there? We know that Satan is the father of lies.

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So was he lying to Jesus or did he really have authority over all of this and could give it to whomever he wills?

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It does say in 2 Corinthians 4, 4 that Satan is the

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God of this world. He has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God.

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Jesus has said, we read this previously when we were in Mark 3, no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man, then indeed he may plunder his house.

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And this is in reference to the fact that Jesus has bound Satan and is now plundering his house, is taking away from Satan that which previously belonged to him.

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So where Satan could blind the eyes of the world from being able to see God, now, since Christ has died on the cross and he has canceled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands, that's in Colossians 2, 14.

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And then the next verse, he disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them in him.

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So Christ has triumphed over the rulers and authorities in the spiritual places. And he's now made it that the gospel of Christ can go into all the world so that all may hear and all may know the truth of Christ, come to faith in Jesus Christ, he's turning from their sin and by faith in him, they will live.

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The wrath of God that is burning against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness of man, it has been satisfied by the death of Christ on the cross so that the gospel can spread throughout the world.

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Jesus has bound the strong man and he's plundering the strong man's house. When Jesus spoke of the church to his disciples, he said,

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I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. It's not that the gates of hell are advancing anywhere, gates don't advance, they stay in the same spot.

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We're advancing against hell. The gates of hell will not prevail against the mission of the church.

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As we reach into hell itself and rescue people from the flames.

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This is talked about in Jude verses 22 and 23, on some who are doubting have mercy and for others save snatching them out of the fire and on others have mercy with fear, hating even the tunic polluted by the flesh.

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So the thing that Jude is talking about there, very same thing that Jesus had said to his disciples about the church advancing against hell, the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

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We could even reach into the flames and snatch someone out because Christ has conquered the ruling authorities.

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So at least in that sense here, where the devil says to him, all of this authority has been given to me and I can give it to whomever

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I wish. It's true that he has authority over the kingdoms of the world, but can he give it to whomever he wills?

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Probably not. God has allowed him to have this rule and authority over these kingdoms, but it's not like those kingdoms belong to Satan that he can do with them whatever he wills.

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And so he's saying to Jesus here, well, if you'll just bow down and worship me, it will all be yours. But Jesus answers him, it is written, you shall worship the

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Lord your God and him only shall you serve. Another reference back to the law once again.

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So Satan doesn't really possess these things to be able to pass them onto something or to someone else.

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Surely Jesus knows that. So what really is the temptation that is given here? Jesus is going to inherit these kingdoms anyway, but he must do it the right way.

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He must do it the father's way, to put it in that perspective. This is the father's will that these things would happen as the son would do what the father desires.

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And so when the son does all that the father wills, the father will give him everything.

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And this is talked about in Colossians chapter one, that he is the firstborn of all creation, that all things belong to him, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him.

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He is before all things and in him, all things hold together. It all belongs to Christ.

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God has given it to him because Christ was obedient to the father, because he accomplished all, that the father willed of the son was obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross as talked about in Philippians chapter two.

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Therefore, God has given him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth.

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And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God, the father, because Jesus was obedient to the father.

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So Jesus was going to inherit these things anyway, but it must be according to the father's will, not how

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Satan would do it, or not the way Satan would will, or not to tell Jesus, you don't even have to do any of this stuff.

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Why are you here? Aren't you the son of God? Remember, that's the question from the very beginning.

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If you're the son of God, why are you even messing around with these people? Bow down and worship me, and all these kingdoms belong to you.

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And that would have been doing it Satan's way instead of being in submission to the will of the father.

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And so Jesus says, you shall worship the Lord, your God, and him only shall you serve.

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He was gonna remain faithful to the father's plan. So now the third temptation, he took 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 will command his angels concerning you to guard you.

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And on their hands, they will bear you up lest you strike your foot against the stone. It's almost like Satan here is saying, okay, fine.

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You wanna play with the scriptures. You wanna keep pointing back to what is written. Well, I know the scriptures too. And here's what the scriptures say.

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It says that God will concern his angels concerning you. So let's go up to the top of the temple here.

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You throw yourself down, and those angels are gonna come along and scoop you right up. It's similar to the first challenge where the devil says, if you are the son of God, command this stone to become bread.

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So in that temptation, Satan was trying to get Jesus to distrust the providence of God.

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And here in this temptation, he wants Jesus to presume upon it. In other words, assume it.

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Believe that if you throw yourself down off of this temple, God's angels will come and rescue you up.

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Before it was just doubting the word of God. So I can turn this stone into bread and I can eat it.

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Well, here it's now presuming upon it. Do something that forces God to have to send his angels to bear you up.

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And then it will be a demonstration to everybody that you are the son of God. Hence why Satan takes him to the temple to do this.

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This is a very public place. There's people around all over the place. Now, whether the people could have seen them standing up there or not, it's not really given to us.

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But this would have been the point that Jesus would have been there in view of all the people. He throws himself down, angels come and rescue him.

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And the people are looking and seeing this marvelous sight. The angels of God are now presenting the son of God, but it would have undone everything that the father had sent the son of God to do.

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It would have been contrary to the purpose. It would have undone the entire plan if Jesus had done this.

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And what better place for Satan to tempt Jesus with this than right there at the temple, the very place where it was believed that God dwelled.

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We're going to undo God's whole plan at God's house. That's Satan's attempt there.

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But of course, Jesus doesn't fall for it. No pun intended, sorry. Just, I couldn't help myself there.

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And after he quotes these passages, which come from the Psalms, Jesus answered him, it is said, you shall not put the

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Lord your God to the test. Again, Jesus is saying, I trust

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God's word. I don't need to turn this stone into bread. I don't need to throw myself off of the temple.

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I trust his word. And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

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And as I've been sharing with you since yesterday, this is how we need to contest with temptation.

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We need to be filled with God's word. We need to be armed with it. Remember that the word of God is described as a sword.

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It is the sword of the spirit in the armor of God as described in Ephesians chapter six.

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It is the very thing that is coming from the mouth of Jesus in Revelation chapter one.

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He has a sharp two edged sword coming out of his mouth. Why? Because his word is like a sword that cuts through the person, right down to the very core of themselves that searches the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

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Christ's word cuts to the very center of us. And so likewise, we can use that word to cut through the schemes of Satan and not fall for it.

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Even the very temptations of our own flesh, which is itself the devil's work, that we would resist temptation or the ways of this world by swinging that sword that cannot be countered.

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As James 4 .7 says, "'Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.

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Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double -minded.

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Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

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Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you."

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Now at that point in James 4 .8, where it says, "'Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.'

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How do we draw near to God? Well, one of the first and greatest ways we do that is reading his word, praying, prayer and reading the

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Bible. That draws us near to God and he will draw near to us. Yep, if we store up his word in our hearts, his

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Holy Spirit uses that word to shape our conscience, to conform us to Christ.

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As Jesus said to his disciples, "'Abide in me and I will abide in you.'

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And then we have every strength, every tool, every ability to resist the devil's schemes, drawing near to God and the devil will flee from us."

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This is what Jesus does repeatedly here in this occasion in Luke 4, where Satan is tempting him and he is countering every temptation with the word of God.

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He is drawing near to God and Satan flees from him.

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When the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

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Same sort of thing with us too, when we resist the temptations of Satan. He'll flee from us until another opportune time.

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We're gonna continue fighting that battle until we're done with this body and lifted from this world to dwell with God forever in his eternal kingdom.

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Until that day, arm yourself with God's word. Fill it up in your mind and in your heart that your thoughts would be conformed to Christ, that your heart would be after what he desires, that you would resist the devil and draw near to God.

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Heavenly Father, we thank you for what we've read. Great reminder for us of the importance of the word, of memorizing scripture, that we might store it up.

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And may we resist Satan's wiles with what God's word has said to us, the promises that are given here.

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Whatever Satan could promise us, all the kingdoms of the world, don't even compare to the kingdom of God that has been promised us in Christ Jesus.

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Let that be the thing that our heart desires. As said in Colossians chapter three, seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

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It's in Jesus' name that we pray, amen. You've been listening to When We Understand the

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Text with Pastor Gabe Hughes. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, Gabe will be going through a New Testament study.

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Then on Thursday, we look at an Old Testament book. On Friday, we take questions from the listeners and viewers.