These are core attacks that Satan uses against us in this world (I briefly touched on the enemy's tactics in my post on Genesis 2:16-17, 3:1-4). The term “world” refers to the systems, created by man and controlled by Satan, that lead us away from God. We fall captive to these systems when we love the world and the things in the world too much—the things that satisfy our flesh, our eyes, and our desire for power. Jesus was not exempt from these same obstacles because He was fully man and fully God. He was tempted just as we are when He was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit where He was tested by Satan (Matthew 4:1). Jesus had fasted for forty days and forty nights when the tempter came to Him (Matthew 4:2). What we see in Matthew 4:3-10 is a conversation very similar to the one we saw in Genesis 3:1-4 that follows the formula of 1 John 2:15-16:
LUST OF FLESH (VERSE 3)
The tempter says, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
REJECTION (VERSE 4)
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
PRIDE OF LIFE (VERSE 5-6)
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
REJECTION (VERSE 7)
Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
LUST OF EYES (VERSE 8-9)
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
REJECTION (VERSE 10)
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
Today, we especially feel and see these attacks from Satan to a larger degree. Jesus said that “because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold…As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:12, 37). The coming end times will be like it was in the times of Noah. Consumerism in conjunction with the pleasure filling desire of humanity will tempt us to jump at any opportunity to fulfill these lusts. When these lusts work together they spark a wildfire of passions and desires that are outside of God’s boundaries for humankind.
Even Christians abuse the freedom that Christ offers them by relying on the grace of God and His forgiveness when they decide to join together God and the world. Light and darkness don’t mix. There is only one throne in the hearts of mankind—we cannot love both God and the world. Why is it so hard for us to choose between the fleeting shadows and the everlasting God? What do we love that the world offers? What are we attracted to in the world? This sinful world and the Heavenly Father are diametrically opposed. We cannot love two opposing things—one evil and the other good. We cannot serve both God and the world—no one can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24) that’s why we are called to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33).
These are attacks that Satan uses against us in this world. The term “world” refers to the systems, created by man and controlled by Satan, that lead us away from God. We fall captive to them when we love the world/the things that satisfy our flesh, our eyes, and our desire for power. Jesus was not exempt from these temptations. Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights when Satan came to Him (Matthew 4:1-2). Matthew 4:3-10 and Genesis 3:1-4 follow the formula of 1 John 2:15-16:
- Lust of flesh: The tempter says, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
- Rejection: Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
- Pride of life: Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
- Rejection: Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
- Lust of eyes: Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
- Rejection: Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
Jesus said the end times will be like it was in the times of Noah (Matthew 24:12, 37). Consumerism in conjunction with pleasure-filling desires tempt us to jump at any opportunity to fulfill these lusts outside of God’s boundaries for us. Even “Christians” abuse the freedom that Christ offers them by relying on the grace of God when they decide to join together God and the world. Why is it so hard for us to choose between the fleeting shadows and the everlasting God? What do we love that the world offers? Light and dark don’t mix. There is only one throne in our hearts. We cannot love two opposing things—one evil and the other good. We cannot serve both God and the world (Matthew 6:24).
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