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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4b
his own power and claims. He does not generally do this openly and
boldly. He is artful, and knows that the most effectual way for him
to accomplish his work, is to come to poor fallen man in the form of
an angel of light. Satan came to Christ in the wilderness in the form
of a beautiful young man—more like a monarch than a fallen angel.
He came with scripture in his mouth. Said he, “It is written,” &c.
Our suffering Saviour meets him with scripture, saying, “It is written.”
Satan takes advantage of the weak, suffering condition of Christ, who
had taken upon him our human nature.
Read
Matthew 4:8-11
. “Again the Devil taketh him up into an
exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the
world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I
give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto
him, Get thee hence, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the
Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the Devil leaveth
him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”
[84]
Here Satan spread the world before Christ in the most attractive
light, and intimates to him that he need not endure so much suffering
to obtain the kingdoms of earth. He will yield all his claims if he will
but worship him. Satan’s dissatisfaction first commenced in Heaven
because he could not be first and highest in command—equal with
God, exalted above Christ. He rebelled and lost his estate, and he, and
those who sympathized with him were turned out of Heaven. In the
wilderness he hoped to gain advantage through the weak and suffering
condition of Christ, and obtain from him that homage he could not
obtain in Heaven. Jesus, even in his faint and exhausted condition,
yields not to the temptation of Satan for a moment, but shows his
superiority and exercises his authority by bidding Satan, “Get thee
hence”—or, depart from me. Satan was baffled, and then studied how
he could accomplish his purpose and receive the honor from the human
race which was refused him in Heaven, and by Jesus upon earth. Could
he have succeeded in tempting Jesus Christ, then the plan of salvation
would have failed, and he would have succeeded in bringing hopeless
misery upon mankind. That which Satan failed to effect in coming to
Christ, he has accomplished in coming to man.
If Satan can so befog and deceive the human mind, and lead mortals
to think there is an inherent power in themselves to accomplish great
and good works, they cease to rely upon God to do that for them which