Angels at Christ’s Baptism and in the Wilderness
121
The people stood silently gazing upon Christ. His form was bathed
in the light that ever surrounds the throne of God. His upturned face
was glorified as they had never before seen the face of man. From the
open heavens a voice was heard saying, “This is My beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased.”—
The Desire of Ages, 111, 112
.
The Lord had promised to give John a sign whereby he might know
who was the Messiah, and now as Jesus went up out of the water, the
promised sign was given; for he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit
of God, like a dove of burnished gold, hovered over the head of Christ,
and a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased.”—
The Youth’s Instructor, June 23, 1892
.
[170]
Of the vast throng at the Jordan, few except John discerned the
heavenly vision.—
The Desire of Ages, 112
.
At the Saviour’s baptism, Satan was among the witnesses. He
saw the Father’s glory overshadowing His Son. He heard the voice
of Jehovah testifying to the divinity of Jesus. Ever since Adam’s sin,
the human race had been cut off from direct communion with God;
the intercourse between heaven and earth had been through Christ;
but now that Jesus had come “in the likeness of sinful flesh” (
Romans
8:3
), the Father Himself spoke. He had before communicated with
humanity through Christ; now He communicated with humanity in
Christ. Satan had hoped that God’s abhorrence of evil would bring an
eternal separation between heaven and earth. But now it was manifest
that the connection between God and man had been restored.—
The
Desire of Ages, 116
.
Satan could see through His [Christ’s] humanity the glory and
purity of the One with whom he had been associated in the heavenly
courts. There rose before the tempter a picture of what he himself then
was, a covering cherub, possessing beauty and holiness.—
The Bible
Echo, July 23, 1900
.
Christ’s Threefold Temptation in the Wilderness
Satan had declared to his associate angels that he would overcome
Christ on the point of appetite. He hoped to gain a victory over Him
in His weakness.—
The Signs of the Times, April 4, 1900
.
[171]
Satan saw that he must either conquer or be conquered. The issues
of the conflict involved too much to be entrusted to his confederate