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Early Writings
“And the devil, taking Him up into an high mountain, showed
unto Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And
the devil said unto Him, 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. If Thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be Thine.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind Me, Satan:
for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only
shalt thou serve.”
Satan presented before Jesus the kingdoms of the world in the
most attractive light. If Jesus would there worship him, he offered
to relinquish his claims to the possessions of earth. If the plan of
salvation should be carried out, and Jesus should die to redeem
man, Satan knew that his own power must be limited and finally
taken away, and that 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, Satan 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.
Satan exulted when Jesus laid aside His power and glory and
left heaven. He thought that the Son of God was then placed in his
power. The temptation took so easily with the holy pair in Eden that
he hoped by his satanic power and cunning to overthrow even the
Son of God, and thereby save his own life and kingdom. If he could
tempt Jesus to depart from the will of His Father, his object would be
gained. But Jesus met the tempter with the rebuke, “Get thee behind
Me, Satan.” He was to bow only to His Father. Satan claimed the
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kingdom of earth as his and insinuated to Jesus that all His sufferings
might be saved: that He need not die to obtain the kingdoms of this
world; if He would worship him He might have all the possessions
of earth and the glory of reigning over them. But Jesus was steadfast.
He knew that the time was to come when He would by His own
life redeem the kingdom from Satan, and that, after a season, all
in heaven and earth would submit to Him. He chose His life of
suffering and His dreadful death, as the way appointed by His Father
that He might become a lawful heir to the kingdoms of earth and
have them given into His hands as an everlasting possession. Satan