48
Confrontation
nation was aroused, and He could no longer tolerate his blasphemous
assumption 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.”
Satan, in his pride and arrogance, had declared himself to be the
rightful and permanent ruler of the world, the possessor of all its riches
and glory, claiming homage of all who lived in it, as if 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.” 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 would 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 Son
of God. If the plan of man’s redemption should fail he would retain the
kingdom which he then claimed, and if he should succeed he flattered
himself that he would reign in opposition to the God of heaven.
[54]
When Jesus left heaven, and there left His power and glory, Satan
exulted. He thought that the Son of God was placed in his power. The
temptation took so easily with the holy pair in Eden that he hoped,
with his satanic cunning and power, to overthrow even the Son of God,
and thereby save his life and kingdom. If he could tempt Jesus to
depart from the will of God, as he had done in his temptation with
Adam and Eve, then his object would be gained.
The time was to come when Jesus should redeem the possession
of Satan by giving His own life, and after a season all in heaven and
earth should submit to Him. He was steadfast. He chose this life of
suffering, this ignominious death, and, in the way appointed by His