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Selected Messages Book 1
the prince of the power of the air. He bore Jesus to the top of an
exceeding high mountain, and then in a panoramic view presented
before Him all the kingdoms of the world that had been so long under
his dominion, and offered them to Him in one great gift. He told Christ
He could come into possession of the kingdoms of the world without
suffering or peril on His part. Satan promises to yield his scepter and
dominion, and Christ shall be rightful ruler for one favor from Him.
All he requires in return for making over to Him the kingdoms of
the world that day presented before Him, is, that Christ shall do him
homage as to a superior.
The eye of Jesus for a moment rested upon the glory presented
before Him; but He turned away and refused to look upon the en-
trancing spectacle. He would not endanger His steadfast integrity by
dallying with the tempter. When Satan solicited homage, Christ’s
divine indignation was aroused, and He could no longer tolerate the
blasphemous assumption of Satan, or even permit him to remain in His
presence. Here Christ exercised His divine authority, and commanded
Satan to desist. “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (
Matthew
4:10
). Satan, in his pride and arrogance, had declared himself to be
the rightful and permanent ruler of the world, the possessor of all its
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riches and glory, claiming homage of all who lived in it, as though
he had created the world and all things that were therein. Said he to
Christ: “All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that
is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it” (
Luke 4:6
).
He endeavored to make a special contract with Christ, to make over to
Him at once the whole of his claim, if He would worship him.
This insult to the Creator moved the indignation of the Son of
God to rebuke and dismiss him. Satan had flattered himself in his
first temptation that he had so well concealed his true character and
purposes that Christ did not recognize him as the fallen rebel chief
whom He had conquered and expelled from heaven. The words of
dismissal from Christ, “Get thee hence, Satan,” evidenced that he
was known from the first, and that all his deceptive arts had been
unsuccessful upon the Son of God. Satan knew that if Jesus should die
to redeem man, his power must end after a season, and he would be
destroyed. Therefore, it was his studied plan to prevent, if possible,
the completion of the great work which had been commenced by the