the desire of ages-第17章

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Not　without　hindrance　was　the　Commander　of　heaven　to　win　the　souls　of　men　to　His　kingdom。　From　the　time　when　He　was　a　babe　in　Bethlehem；　He　was　continually　assailed　by　the　evil　one。　The　image　of　God　was　manifest　in　Christ；　and　in　the　councils　of　Satan　it　was　determined　that　He　should　be　overcome。　No　human　being　had　come　into　the　world　and　escaped　the　power　of　the　deceiver。　The　forces　of　the　confederacy　of　evil　were　set　upon　His　track　to　engage　in　warfare　against　Him；　and　if　possible　to　prevail　over　Him。

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〃　（Rom。　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。

Satan　saw　that　he　must　either　conquer　or　be　conquered。　The　issues　of　the　conflict　involved　too　much　to　be　entrusted　to　his　confederate　angels。　He　must　personally　conduct　the　warfare。　All　the　energies　of　apostasy　were　rallied　against　the　Son　of　God。　Christ　was　made　the　mark　of　every　weapon　of　hell。

Many　look　on　this　conflict　between　Christ　and　Satan　as　having　no　special　bearing　on　their　own　life；　and　for　them　it　has　little　interest。　But　within　the　domain　of　every　human　heart　this　controversy　is　repeated。　Never　does　one　leave　the　ranks　of　evil　for　the　service　of　God　without　encountering　the　assaults　of　Satan。　The　enticements　which　Christ　resisted　were　those　that　we　find　it　so　difficult　to　withstand。　They　were　urged　upon　Him　in　as　much　greater　degree　as　His　character　is　superior　to　ours。　With　the　terrible　weight　of　the　sins　of　the　world　upon　Him；　Christ　withstood　the　test　upon　appetite；　upon　the　love　of　the　world；　and　upon　that　love　of　display　which　leads　to　presumption。　These　were　the

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temptations　that　overcame　Adam　and　Eve；　and　that　so　readily　overcome　us。

Satan　had　pointed　to　Adam's　sin　as　proof　that　God's　law　was　unjust；　and　could　not　be　obeyed。　In　our　humanity；　Christ　was　to　redeem　Adam's　failure。　But　when　Adam　was　assailed　by　the　tempter；　none　of　the　effects　of　sin　were　upon　him。　He　stood　in　the　strength　of　perfect　manhood；　possessing　the　full　vigor　of　mind　and　body。　He　was　surrounded　with　the　glories　of　Eden；　and　was　in　daily　communion　with　heavenly　beings。　It　was　not　thus　with　Jesus　when　He　entered　the　wilderness　to　cope　with　Satan。　For　four　thousand　years　the　race　had　been　decreasing　in　physical　strength；　in　mental　power；　and　in　moral　worth；　and　Christ　took　upon　Him　the　infirmities　of　degenerate　humanity。　Only　thus　could　He　rescue　man　from　the　lowest　depths　of　his　degradation。

Many　claim　that　it　was　impossible　for　Christ　to　be　overcome　by　temptation。　Then　He　could　not　have　been　placed　in　Adam's　position；　He　could　not　have　gained　the　victory　that　Adam　failed　to　gain。　If　we　have　in　any　sense　a　more　trying　conflict　than　had　Christ；　then　He　would　not　be　able　to　succor　us。　But　our　Saviour　took　humanity；　with　all　its　liabilities。　He　took　the　nature　of　man；　with　the　possibility　of　yielding　to　temptation。　We　have　nothing　to　bear　which　He　has　not　endured。

With　Christ；　as　with　the　holy　pair　in　Eden；　appetite　was　the　ground　of　the　first　great　temptation。　Just　where　the　ruin　began；　the　work　of　our　redemption　must　begin。　As　by　the　indulgence　of　appetite　Adam　fell；　so　by　the　denial　of　appetite　Christ　must　overcome。　〃And　when　He　had　fasted　forty　days　and　forty　nights；　He　was　afterward　an　hungred。　And　when　the　tempter　came　to　Him；　he　said；　If　Thou　be　the　Son　of　God；　command　that　these　stones　be　made　bread。　But　He　answered　and　said；　It　is　written；　Man　shall　not　live　by　bread　alone；　but　by　every　word　that　proceedeth　out　of　the　mouth　of　God。〃

From　the　time　of　Adam　to　that　of　Christ；　self…indulgence　had　increased　the　power　of　the　appetites　and　passions；　until　they　had　almost　unlimited　control。　Thus　men　had　become　debased　and　diseased；　and　of　themselves　it　was　impossible　for　them　to　overcome。　In　man's　behalf；　Christ　conquered　by　enduring　the　severest　test。　For　our　sake　He　exercised　a　self…control　stronger　than　hunger　or　death。　And　in　this　first　victory　were　involved　other　issues　that　enter　into　all　our　conflicts　with　the　powers　of　darkness。

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When　Jesus　entered　the　wilderness；　He　was　shut　in　by　the　Father's　glory。　Absorbed　in　communion　with　God；　He　was　lifted　above　human　weakness。　But　the　glory　departed；　and　He　was　left　to　battle　with　temptation。　It　was　pressing　upon　Him　every　moment。　His　human　nature　shrank　from　the　conflict　that　awaited　Him。　For　forty　days　He　fasted　and　prayed。　Weak　and　emaciated　from　hunger；　worn　and　haggard　with　mental　agony；　〃His　visage　was　so　marred　more　than　any　man；　and　His　form　more　than　the　sons　of　men。〃　Isa。　52：14。　Now　was　Satan's　opportunity。　Now　he　supposed　that　he　could　overcome　Christ。

There　came　to　the　Saviour；　as　if　in　answer　to　His　prayers；　one　in　the　guise　of　an　angel　from　heaven。　He　claimed　to　have　a　commission　from　God　to　declare　that　Christ's　fast　was　at　an　end。　As　God　had　sent　an　angel　to　stay　the　hand　of　Abraham　from　offering　Isaac；　so；　satisfied　with　Christ's　willingness　to　enter　the　bloodstained　path；　the　Father　had　sent　an　angel　to　deliver　Him；　this　was　the　message　brought　to　Jesus。　The　Saviour　was　faint　from　hunger；　He　was　craving　for　food；　when　Satan　came　suddenly　upon　Him。　Pointing　to　the　stones　which　strewed　the　desert；　and　which　had　the　appearance　of　loaves；　the　tempter　said；　〃If　Thou　be　the　Son　of　God；　command　that　these　stones　be　made　bread。〃

Though　he　appears　as　an　angel　of　light；　these　first　words　betray　his　character。　〃If　Thou　be　the　Son　of　God。〃　Here　is　the　insinuation　of　distrust。　Should　Jesus　do　what　Satan　suggests；　it　would　be　an　acceptance　of　the　doubt。　The　tempter　plans　to　overthrow　Christ　by　the　same　means　that　were　so　successful　with　the　human　race　in　the　beginning。　How　artfully　had　Satan　approached　Eve　in　Eden！　〃Yea；　hath　God　said；　Ye　shall　not　eat　of　every　tree　of　the　garden？〃　Gen　3：1。　Thus　far　the　tempter's　words　were　truth；　but　in　his　manner　of　speaking　them　there　was　a　disguised　contempt　for　the　words　of　God。　There　was　a　covert　negative；　a　doubt　of　the　divine　truthfulness。　Satan　sought　to　instill　into　the　mind　of　Eve　the　thought　that　God　would　not　do　as　He　had　said；　that　the　withholding　of　such　beautiful　fruit　was　a　contradiction　of　His　love　and　compassion　for　man。　So　now　the　tempter　seeks　to　inspire　Christ　with　his　own　sentiments。　〃If　Thou　be　the　Son　of　God。〃　The　words　rankle　with　bitterness　in　his　mind。　In　the　tones　of　his　voice　is　an　expression　of　utter　incredulity。　Would　God　treat　His　own　Son　thus？　Would　He　leave　Him　in　the　desert　with　wild　beasts；　without　food；　without　companions；　without　comfort？　He　insinuates　that　God　never　meant　His　Son　to　be　in　such　a　state　as　this。　〃If　Thou　be　the　Son　of　God；〃　show　Thy　power　by

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relieving　Thyself　of　this　pressing　hunger。　Command　that　this　stone　be　made　bread。

The　words　from　heaven；　〃This　is　My　beloved　Son；　in　whom　I　am　well　pleased〃　（Matt。　3：17）；　were　still　sounding　in　the　ears　of　Satan。　But　he　was　determined　to　make　Christ　disbelieve　this　testimony。　The　word　of　God　was　Christ's　assurance　of　His　divine　mission。　He　had　come　to　live　as　a　man　among　men；　and　it　was　the　word　that　declared　His　connection　with　heaven。　It　was　Satan's　purpose　to　cause　Him　to　doubt　that　word。　If　Christ's　confidence　in　God　could　be　shaken；　Satan　knew　that　the　victory　in　the　whole　controversy　would　be　his。　He　could　overcome　Jesus。　He　hoped　that　under　the　force　of　despondency　and　extreme　hunger；　Christ　would　lose　faith　in　His　Father；　and　work　a　miracle　in　His　own　behalf。　Had　He　done　this；　the　plan　of　salvation　would　have　been　broken。

When　Satan　and　the　Son　of　God　first　met　in　conflict；　Christ　was　the　commander　of　the　heavenly　hosts；　and　Satan；　the　leader　of　revolt　in　heaven；　was　cast　out。　Now　their　condition　is　apparently　reversed；　and　Satan　makes　the　most　of　his　supposed　advantage。　One　of　the　most　powerful　of　the　angels；　he　says；　has　been　banished　from　heaven。　The　appearance　of　Jesus　indicates　that　He　is　that　fallen　angel；　forsaken　by　God；　and　deserted　by　man。　A　divine　being　would　be　able　to　sustain　his　claim　by　working　a　miracle；　〃if　Thou　be　the　Son　of　God；　command　this　stone　that　it　be　made　bread。〃　Such　an　act　of　creative　power；　urges　the　tempter；　would　be　conclusive　evidence　of　divinity。　It　would　bring　the　controversy　to　an　end。

Not　without　a　struggle　could　Jesus　listen　in　silence　to　the　arch…deceiver。　But　the　Son　of　God　was　not　to　prove　His　divinity　to　Satan；　or　to　explain　the　reason　of　His　humiliation。　By　conceding　to　the　demands　of　the　rebel；　nothing　for　the　good　of　man　or　the　glory　of　God　would　be　gained。　Had　Christ　complied　with　the　suggestion　of　the　enemy；　Satan　would　still　have　said；　Show　me　a　sign　that　I　may　believe　you　to　be　the　Son　of　God。　Evidence　would　have　been　worthless　to　break　the　power　of　rebellion　in　his　heart。　And　Christ　was　not　to　exercise　divine　power　for　His　own　benefit。　He　had　come　to　bear　trial　as　we　must　do；　leaving　us　an　example　of　faith　and　submission。　Neither　here　nor　at　any　subsequent　time　in　His　earthly　life　did　He　work　a　miracle　in　His　own　behalf。　His　wonderful　works　were　all　for　the　good　of　others。　Though　Jesus　recognized　Satan　from　the　beginning；　He　was　not　provoked　to　enter　into　controversy　with　him。　Strengthened　with　the　memory　of　the　voice

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from　heaven；　He　rested　in　His　Father's　love。　He　would　not　parley　with　temptation。

Jesus　met　Satan　with　the　words　of　Scripture。　〃It　is　written；〃　He　said。　In　every　temptation　the　weapon　of　His　warfare　was　the　word　of　God。　Satan　demanded　of　Christ　a　miracle　as　a　sign　of　His　divinity。　But　that　which　is　greater　than　all　miracles；　a　firm　reliance　upon　a　〃Thus　saith　the　Lord；〃　was　a　sign　that　could　not　be　controverted。　So　long　as　Christ　held　to　this　position；　the　tempter　could　gain　no　advantage。

It　was　in　the　time　of　greatest　weakness　that　Christ　was　assailed　by　the　fiercest　temptations。　Thus　Satan　thought　to　prevail。　By　this　policy　he　had　gained　the　victory　over　men。　When　strength　failed；　and　the　will　power　weakened；　and　faith　ceased　to　repose　in　God；　then　those　who　had　stood　long　and　valiantly　for　the　right　were　overcome。　Moses　was　wearied　with　the　forty　years'　wandering　of　Israel；　when　for　the　moment　his　faith　let　go　its　hold　upon　infinite　power。　He　failed　just　upon　the　borders　of　the　Promised　Land。　So　with　Elijah；　who　had　stood　undaunted　before　King　Ahab；　who　had　faced　the　whole　nation　of　Israel；　with　the　four　hundred　and　fifty　prophets　of　Baal　at　their　head。　After　that　terrible　day　upon　Carmel；　when　the　false　prophets　had　been　slain；　and　the　people　had　declared　their　allegiance　to　God；　Elijah　fled　for　his　life　before　the　threats　of　the　idolatrous　Jezebel。　Thus　Satan　has　taken　advantage　of