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Chapter 4
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trying positions to test their faith and confidence in His love and
power. The life of Christ was a perfect pattern. He was ever, by His
example and precept, teaching man that God was his dependence,
and that in God should be his faith and firm trust (
The Review and
Herald, August 18, 1874
).
1-11 (
Mark 1:12, 13
;
Luke 4:1-13
; see
EGW comment on
John 2:1, 2
). The Whole Energies of Apostasy Rallied
—In the
councils of Satan it was determined that He [Christ] must be over-
come. No human being had come into the world and escaped the
power of the deceiver. The whole forces of the confederacy of evil
were set upon His track to engage in warfare against Him, and if
possible to prevail over Him. The fiercest and most inveterate enmity
was put between the seed of the woman and the serpent. The serpent
himself made Christ the mark of every weapon of hell....
The life of Christ was a perpetual warfare against satanic agen-
cies. Satan rallied the whole energies of apostasy against the Son
of God. The conflict increased in fierceness and malignity, as again
and again the prey was taken out of his hands. Satan assailed Christ
through every conceivable form of temptation (
The Review and
Herald, October 29, 1895
).
No Failure on Even One Point
—Christ passed from this scene
of glory [His baptism] to one of the greatest temptation. He went
into the wilderness, and there Satan met Him, and tempted Him
on the very points where man will be tempted. Our Substitute and
Surety passed over the ground where Adam stumbled and fell. And
[1081]
the question was, Will He stumble and fall as Adam did over God’s
commandments? He met Satan’s attacks again and again with, “It is
written,” and Satan left the field of conflict a conquered foe. Christ
has redeemed Adam’s disgraceful fall, and has perfected a character
of perfect obedience, and left an example for the human family, that
they may imitate the Pattern. Had He failed on one point in reference
to the law of God, He would not have been a perfect offering; for it
was on one point only that Adam failed (
The Review and Herald,
June 10, 1890
).
Satan’s Lies to Christ
—Satan told Christ that He was only to
set His feet in the blood-stained path, but not to travel it. Like
Abraham He was tested to show His perfect obedience. He also
stated that he was the angel that stayed the hand of Abraham as the