In the last devotion, we discussed Yeshua’s first temptation by Satan. This devotional reading looks at the second and third temptations.
Nuggets
- Satan first took Yeshua to the capital city.
- Satan took Yeshua to the highest exposed point of the Temple complex.
- Satan’s premise was that Jehovah would not let anything bad happen to His Son.
- Satan mostly got the Scripture quote right on the second temptation.
- Yeshua again responded with Scripture.
- Scripture doesn’t identify the mountain to which Satan took Yeshua – and we don’t know that they went directly from the Temple pinnacle to this mountain.
- Satan was offering Yeshua the kingdoms of the world.
- Satan is the prince of this world.
- If Satan wants what Jehovah has, he would want the worship that Jehovah has.
- We are specifically told not to worship anyone or anything other than Jehovah.
- These are three temptations, but there were probably more temptations that Yeshua suffered than this.
- The three temptations tell us much about Who Yeshua is and how He understands His mission.
Scripture tells us of three times that Satan tempted Yeshua. We’ve looked at the first temptation.
The second and third temptations have Satan digging deeper to not only undermine Jehovah but to also become His equal.
From these temptations, we learn much of Who Yeshua is.
Let's Put It into Context
To read devotions in The Battle for the Heart theme
Devotions in the The Ministry of John the Baptist series
Is the Messiah the Son of God?
“Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, “He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.”’ Jesus responded, ‘The Scriptures also say, “You must not test the Lord your God”’” (Mt. 4: 5-7 NLT)
“Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, “He will order his angels to protect and guard you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.”’ Jesus responded, ‘The Scriptures also say, “You must not test the Lord your God”’” (Lk. 4: 9-12 NLT)
Took Him to Jerusalem
Satan first took Yeshua to the capital city.
We have to remember that Yeshua went into the Judean Wilderness after His baptism. We know that He came from Nazareth to be baptized in the Jordan.
- “Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River …” (Mt. 3: 13 NLT).
- “One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee … baptized in the Jordan River” (Mk. 1: 10 NLT).
We do have a clue as to where Yeshua’s baptism took place. “This encounter [John’s Someone-is-coming-after-me declaration] took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing” (Jn. 1: 28 NLT).
The next day, Yeshua came for baptism. John may or may not have migrated elsewhere after his discussion around Bethany. I don’t think he went far if he did.
So, if Yeshua’s baptism occurred around Bethany beyond the Jordan, it was 15-20 miles as the crow flies to the Judean Wilderness, where the temptation is believed to have taken place. As the crow flies is probably appropriate because I doubt Satan and Yeshua walked to Jerusalem and back.
The Highest Point
Satan took Yeshua to the highest exposed point of the Temple complex.
We don’t know for sure where exactly Satan took Yeshua. The Greek tells us that it was the pinnacle of the Temple — pterygion tou hierou.
If they were at the southeastern corner (remember, east has a spiritual significance), the view was of the Kidron Valley.
Also on the southeastern side was a substantial vertical drop. Herod had created several substantial vertical drops when he remodeled the Temple. He did this through retaining walls and courts.
A fall from this point would have been spectacular and potentially fatal.
Son of God
Satan’s premise was that Jehovah would not let anything bad happen to His Son.
In the last temptation, we discussed that Satan did know and believe that Yeshua was the Son of God. He wasn’t quibbling with that.
The Complete Jewish Study Bible had some interesting meanings of Son of God. It could mean:
- “… a godly human being;
- “the special one sent by God;
- “the Son of God in flesh;
- “a human whose presence on earth required a special creative act of God, hence either Adam or Yeshua …”
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Well – technically – all of those applied to Yeshua.
For the Scriptures Say
Satan mostly got the Scripture quote right on the second temptation.
Ooo baby. Satan knows Scripture?
Oh, I am sure Satan does. He knows it enough to twist it to make what he says sound believable.
Isn’t it easier to believe a falsehood when it is rooted in truth? That leaves us to pick apart what is factual and what is false.
Satan’s use of Scripture against us is a reason we need to know what God’s Word says.
Satan was quoting from Psalms 91: 11-12. “For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone” (Ps. 91: 11-12 NLT).
It is interesting that Satan left out the part that Jehovah would have His angels “… protect you wherever you go” (Ps. 91: 11 NLT). Why didn’t Satan add that?
Think about it. Wouldn’t Satan want to remind Yeshua of His constant protection? “Do this, and Jehovah won’t let You get hurt.”
Or was that a way to get Yeshua to doubt Jehovah’s protection. “You would really be crossing Him, so maybe that protection wouldn’t be there. You know You can’t trust Him.”
This temptation isn’t just about Yeshua proving Himself to be the Son of God. It is about Him proving He trusts Jehovah.
It is also interesting that Satan quoted the part that says “… you won’t even hurt your foot …” (Mt. 4: 6 NLT). Remember what Jehovah said in the Garden of Eden.
“And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel” (Gen. 3: 15 NLT).
Technically, Satan was right. Jehovah didn’t say he was going to hurt Yeshua’s foot.
Just the heel. The heel is part of the foot.
But at the core of the temptation is determining Jehovah’s presence. Is He there protecting Yeshua like He said He would be?
Jesus Responded
Yeshua again responded with Scripture.
Yeshua didn’t say, “Don’t do something stupid.” He was going deeper than that.
Here is the full verse that Yeshua quoted. “You must not test the Lord your God as you did when you complained at Massah” (Deut. 6: 16 NLT).
Just before saying this, Moses told the Israelites that they shouldn’t worship the false gods of the then-current nations occupying the Promised Land. After that verse, he talked about obeying Jehovah.
The reference to Massah was Moses reminding the Israelites of their complaining during the exodus. At one point they camped at Rephidim. Since there was no water, the people complained.
When they demanded water, Moses accused them of testing Jehovah. They equated lack of water to lack of Jehovah’s presence – even though His presence was in the cloud/pillar that led them.
The Israelites did get their water. “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Walk out in front of the people. Take your staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile, and call some of the elders of Israel to join you. I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.’ So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on” (Ex. 17: 5-7 NLT).
They wanted evidence of Jehovah’s presence. Wasn’t that what Satan was saying?
Yeshua said that he didn’t need to force Jehovah to demonstrate His faithfulness. He was going to trust Jehovah without manipulating Him to prove Himself.
So, Satan went from the first temptation of trying to get Yeshua to prove He was the Son of God to getting Him to prove Jehovah’ protection.
Where would Satan go next?
Who Will the Messiah Serve?
“Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ‘I will give it all to you,’ he said, ‘if you will kneel down and worship me.’ ‘Get out of here, Satan,’ Jesus told him. ‘For the Scriptures say, “You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him”’” (Mt. 4: 8-10 NLT)
“Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ‘I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,’ the devil said, ‘because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.’ Jesus replied, ‘The Scriptures say, “You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him”’” (Lk. 4: 5-8 NLT)
Peak of a Very High Mountain
Scripture doesn’t identify the mountain to which Satan took Yeshua – and we don’t know that they went directly from the Temple pinnacle to this mountain.
If we look at the area between Jerusalem and Bethany across the Jordan, we have a couple of high mountains that would fit the bill.
The first mountain – the one closest to Jerusalem – would be the Mount of Olives. It is immediately east of Jerusalem.
Its central summit is 2,664-2,684 feet (812-818 meters) above sea level. This doesn’t make it the tallest mountain in the ridge. Mount Scopus is taller at 2,710 feet (826 meters).
Well, it doesn’t say it’s the tallest mountain. It just describes it as a very high mountain.
The Mount of Olives would be an appropriate choice. That would be a place where Yeshua would spend time during His ministry. The Garden of Gethsemane is there.
The next highest prominent elevation in the whole Jerusalem-Jordan Valley-Bethany region was Mount Nebo. At 2,330 feet (710 meters) above sea level, it isn’t as tall as those in the ridge that contains the Mount of Olives.
But it, too, has its significance.
All the Kingdoms of the World
Satan was offering Yeshua the kingdoms of the world.
First off, we have to watch how we define the whole world. Is it everything on this planet, or just every known land at the time?
Or was it the whole Jewish nation? Remember, this is the mountain Moses went up to view the Promised Land.
“That very day the Lord spoke to Moses, ‘Go up this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, opposite Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel for a possession. And die on the mountain which you go up, and be gathered to your people …” (Deut. 32: 48-49 ESV).
Does that mean Moses – and Yeshua if this was the mountain – see every inch of the Promised Land? No.
But that isn’t what is meant in covenant language. Instead, it means completeness, totality, or covenant fulfillment.
Would Satan have been talking covenant language? Maybe. Maybe not. He was an angel in the beginning.
Because They Are Mine to Give
Satan is the prince of this world.
We may scratch our heads when Satan says, “Hey, these are mine to give.” Technically, he is correct.
- “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God” (II Cor. 4: 4 NLT).
- “The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out” (Jn. 12: 31 NLT).
- “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 2: 1-2 NLT)
This verse is a good example of having head knowledge about Yeshua. Satan knew He was the Son of Jehovah.
“You must fear the Lord your God and serve him. When you take an oath, you must use only his name” (Duet. 6: 13 NLT).
But Satan didn’t have heart knowledge. He didn’t know that Yeshua was more interested in our spiritual condition than anything this world could offer Him. It was His already.
If You Will Worship Me
If Satan wants what Jehovah has, he would want the worship that Jehovah has.
Satan isn’t Jehovah’s equal, but he thinks he is – or at least, should be. Therefore, though it doesn’t say what that worship was to be, we have a good idea.
- Satan wants the recognition that belongs to Jehovah.
- He wants the honor, splendor, and majesty belonging to Him.
- He believes he has the right to rule.
- He feels he has sovereign rule over creation.
- Satan wants us to carry out his will rather than Jehovah’s.
- He wants our hearts and loyalty directed to him rather than Jehovah.
- He wants our submission by accepting his authority instead of Jehovah’s.
- He wants to be recognized as supreme – not Jehovah.
That makes what Satan offers Yeshua for His worship so interesting.
Worship the Lord Your God and Serve Only Him
We are specifically told not to worship anyone or anything other than Jehovah.
Yeshua was quoting Deuteronomy 6: 13 to respond to Satan. “You must fear the Lord your God and serve him. When you take an oath, you must use only his name” (Deut. 6: 13 NLT).
Some may be more familiar with the second commandment.
“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods …” (Ex. 20: 4-6 NLT).
Jehovah doesn’t want us to worship anyone or anything other than Him. This is especially true of someone who disobeyed Him.
The Tempter Departs
“Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus” (Mt. 4: 11 NLT)
“When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came” (Lk. 4: 13 NLT)
These are three temptations, but there were probably more temptations that Yeshua suffered than this.
I knew that Yeshua had to have been tempted by Satan more than just this one session, but I am this many years old before I realized that it actually says that in God’s Word. I didn’t see Satan giving up until Jesus was dead.
Satan took this opportunity, I think, for a couple of reasons. One reason is because Yeshua was coming off a time of spiritual triumph. Satan may think that we have grown lax or complacent.
The opportunity presented itself now because Yeshua was fasting. His physical condition could have put His spiritual condition in jeopardy. But it didn’t.
For some, the significant time alone would have opened the risk of our resolve to remain obedient to Jehovah being attacked.
What the Temptations Tell Us about Yeshua
The three temptations tell us much about Who Yeshua is and how He understands His mission.
Yeshua refused to use His divine identity for Himself.
Think about it. This temptation occurred immediately after Yeshua’s baptism. At His baptism, He was identified by the voice and the dove as being the Son of God.
Everyone who was present that day heard this identification.
Yet, Yeshua refuses to identify Himself to Satan. He didn’t use His power to satisfy His hunger.
Yeshua’s relationship with Jehovah and obedience to His word took precedence over physical need.
Yeshua didn’t need Jehovah to prove Himself to Him. He wasn’t going to manipulate circumstances to force Jehovah to show Himself.
It is obvious that Yeshua knew that the kingdom already belonged to Him – or at least would after the Plan of Salvation was complete. He didn’t have to take Satan’s route and receive it then.
Yeshua could wait. He wasn’t going to shortcut the path of obedience.
Through His answers, Yeshua showed us
- He trusted Jehovah rather than Himself.
- He trusted Jehovah’s Word rather than circumstances.
- He worshiped Jehovah rather than pursuing power.
Making the Connections #1
We tend to think of Yeshua as, I don’t know, a superhuman. He was perfect because He could be no less.
That is utterly false. Look what Goulburn said. He wrote, “He was as much mixed up with the manifold, humbling, petty details of daily life as any of us.”
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Yes, Yeshua was 100% God. But He was also 100% man.
We don’t know exactly how that can be. That is something we have to put in the UNR book — understanding not required.
Did Yeshua get flashbacks of His time before He came to earth? Maybe. I would say probably.
But Yeshua lived His life on earth as any other human. He woke up, ate, worked, slept, hit, repeat.
Yeshua faced day-to-day challenges. He was tempted by Satan — more than is recorded in the Gospels.
The life Yeshua led here required Him to not only grow physically but to also grow spiritually. Yeah, we would say that happened quickly. “… ‘Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?’” (Lk. 2: 49 NLT).
We can’t say that Yeshua didn’t sin because He was God. If He “physically” couldn’t, then He would not be an appropriate substitute to pay the price for our sins.
Making the Connections #2
Jesus’ temptation is not merely a morality lesson about three things Christians should avoid. It is an encounter between the Son of God and the adversary within the larger biblical story of God’s purposes, human faithfulness, and spiritual opposition.
Heart Check
Think about the battle Yeshua is engaged in for your heart. Ask yourself the following questions.
- When I have a genuine need, do I trust Jehovah to provide, or do I feel I must take matters into my own hands?
- Do I trust Jehovah’s faithfulness, or do I sometimes demand that He prove Himself to me?
- Have I ever deliberately stepped into a situation expecting Jehovah to rescue me rather than simply trusting Him?
- Am I ever tempted to pursue something good in a way that bypasses obedience to Jehovah?
- What has the greatest claim on my heart—Jehovah, or what I believe I can gain by compromising my devotion to Him?
- Am I willing to wait for Jehovah’s purposes to unfold in His way and His time, rather than looking for a shortcut?
How Do We Apply This?
- Trust Jehovah with your needs.
- Trust without demanding proof.
- Don’t confuse faith with presumption.
- Realize that something that looks like an opportunity can still require us to compromise obedience to Jehovah.
- Keep worship at the center.
Father God. We know we will be tempted as Yeshua was. May we trust Jehovah and His Word rather than ourselves and circumstances. We want to worship You instead of trying to rely on our own power. Amen.
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