Matthew 4

After the baptism of Jesus, He was led into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Beforehand, going to the wilderness, Jesus prayed for strength to face the wily foe in the wilderness on the banks of the Jordan. As Jesus fasted for forty days with no food, the devil appeared unto Him as a angel of light. In the book Story of Redemption it says Jesus was tempted for forty days of Satan and also with the wild beast. When Satan tempted Him what also kept Jesus were the words heard at his baptism "Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased" Luke 3:22 this was sufficient to sustain Jesus and the scriptures through His sufferings. Christ is the example for all Christians. When they are tempted, or their rights are disputed, they should bear it patiently. SR 199-200 They should not feel that they have a right to call upon the Lord to display His power that they may obtain a victory over their enemies, unless God can be directly honored and glorified thereby.

First temptation - Matthew 4:3 appetite has been one of the strongest holds on humanity since the fall. The indulgence of appetite has been increasing with each generation until men have no power to overcome in their own strength. Christ began His ministry just where the ruin began. Con 36 in mam’s behalf He must show self-denial, perseverance, and firmness of principle paramount to the gnawing pangs of hunger. He must show a power of control stronger than his ne’er and even death. Con 37 Christ entered upon the very test that Adam failed to endure. Jesus had the power to relieve himself from hunger and this was a great temptation to Him. Satan tried several real things to get Christ to doubt what He heard at His baptism.

Satan appears as an angel of light
Satan told Him he came to relieve Christ from the blood stained path
Satan told him he kept Abraham’s from killing Isaac and he came to do the same.
Satan tried to insinuate doubt and cause Christ to work a miracle to feed himself.

Christ did not cherished for a moment any of the temptations of Satan. He did not doubt His heavenly Father’s Love, although He was bowed down with inexpressible anguish. Jesus was able to distinguish that it was Satan because he used the word "if" when Satan was speaking to Him. Th Father has already confirm that He was the Son of God and the only weapon Jesus used was the Word. Why a stone into bread? Satan knew Jesus was hunger and he also knew he was the Son of God, but Jesus had the power to do it, but He could not use it to relieve Himself and we as human beings cannot turn a stone into bread. So Jesus quoted a scripture to show that we live by the word of God. Jesus was there because we failed through appetite and Jesus had to overcome we Adam failed. The word of God should be our food and our strength more than anything else in life. This should be our meditation day and night. The victory Christ gained was to make it possible for man to also overcome in Christ’s name.

The true fasting which should be recommended to all, is abstinence from every stimulating kind of food, and the proper use of wholesome, simple food, which God has provided in abundance. Men need to think less about what they shall eat and drink of temporal food, and much more in regard to the food from heaven, that will give tone and vitality to the whole religious experience. CD 188-CD 188.3

All the fasting in the world will not take the place of simple trust in the word of God. "Ask," He says, "and ye shall receive." ... You are not called upon to fast forty days. The Lord bore that fast for you in the wilderness of temptation. There would be no virtue in such a fast; but there is virtue in the blood of Christ.—Letter 206, 1908

The spirit of true fasting and pray is the spirit which yields mind, heart, and will to God.—Manuscript 28, 1900 CD 189.1-CD 189.2

The number 40 is also significant in the Bible. Moses was on the mount with God for forty days and forty nights. Exodus 34:28 and Elijah eat food that last hm forty days and forty nights 1 Kings 19:8. But this was of course different for Jesus. Those men were sustained by God. The children of Israel wondered in the wilderness for forty years, longer than expected.

The second temptation Satan also said "if" and that Jesus should cast himself down and Satan quotes scripture as well but he leaves a part out of it and twisted it. Here Satan is insinuating presumptuous. Although, the Father can protect Jesus but that will tempt God to do something that was no true part of His will. Jesus quotes the scriptures again. The sin of presumptuous is close to faith and it doesn’t take much to be on either side. We must know God’s will and have a firm trust and unwavering confidence in God and in all trials and perils.

The third temptation is regarding worship. Satan tried to allure Christ to worship him by showing him all the kingdoms of the world in a vision. Satan disguises his purposes for the first two temptations and then removed his disguise for this last temptation Con 52-53. He tried to get Christ to submit to him. But Christ refused and was not pleased with this temptation by His words He said "Get thee hence, Satan" before He said it is written but now He made it clear to leave him alone and also quoted scripture. This aroused the indignation of Christ and He exercised His divine authority to rebuke the evil one. The Lord thy God shall thou worship and him only shalt thou serve. The exact words are not in scripture but the idea is there when Jesus quoted this passage from Deuteronomy 6:13 or 10:20. Jesus said "worship" instead of "fear" and it reminds me of Revelation 14:7 "Fear God" or it can say "Worship God" and give glory to Him.

Psalm 96:9 (KJV)
O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

Exodus 34:14 (KJV)
For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name [is] Jealous, [is] a jealous God:

1 Chronicles 16:29 (KJV)
Give unto the LORD the glory [due] unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Psalms 5:7 (KJV) But as for me, I will come [into] thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: [and] in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

Psalms 5:7 (KJV) But as for me, I will come [into] thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: [and] in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

Revelation 15:4 (KJV)
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for [thou] only [art] holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

In verses 8-9 of Matthew 4, the devil said he will give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if He will fall down and worship him. When you sin or fall you give worship to the devil. Jesus stood firm and refuted it with scripture. This is why repentance and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ is important Acts 20:21. Romans 6:16 whoever you yield too is who you will obey. God wants us to obey from the heart vs 17.

After this , the devil left Jesus and angels were sent to minister to him. Jesus overcame each temptation with scripture and complete reliability on the Father. Even if it cost him his life Hebrews 12:4, 9-11

What did Jesus do after his baptism? Jesus did pray for what he was about to go through in the wilderness. Matthew, Mark, and Luke says He went to the wilderness, but John says the next day two disciples followed Him. In the desire of ages, it gives us a clue on the timing. Jesus went to the wilderness after his baptism.

When he beheld Jesus among the throng on His return from the desert, he confidently looked for Him to give the people some sign of His true character. Almost impatiently he waited to hear the Saviour declare His mission; but no word was spoken, no sign given. Jesus did not respond to the Baptist's announcement of Him, but mingled with the disciples of John, giving no outward evidence of His special work, and taking no measures to bring Himself to notice. . DA 136.4

After his fast, John and Jesus were baptizing people, but most people were going to Jesus John 3:26 and this is where John said that Jesus must increase and he must decrease. Later, John was put in prison. After the wilderness experience, the prophet Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would come to the borders of Zebulon and Naphtali. Jesus started to call his disciples and preach saying "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Jesus also healed all manner of sickness and disease among the people. Part of his ministry was also healing. Matthew 4:24

These are insights from Harold Sykes - Stepping stones or Stumbling Blocks

Jesus temptation in the wilderness were three and the Revelation 14 has three angels.

Christ frist 30 years of life - Overcoming self

Public ministry of Christ - Overcoming corrupt religion

At His death - Overcoming the kingdom of the world (John 19:10-11)

We have to also go through this experience of overcoming self and then the corruption of religion will turn on those who are faithful which will bring us to the attention of world

Once you have overcome self you will overcome the other two. If you come to the second one and have not overcome self, you make shipwreck of your faith 1 Timothy 1:19

Revelation 14:6-12 is to overcome self. Deny self - Matthew 16:24; Galatians 5:24; 1 Corinthians 9:25-27

Revelation 14:8 - a corrupt religious systems

Revelation 14:9-11 The kingdoms of the world enforces a law to worship.

Stones of bread - overcoming self

Stones of temples - overcoming the corrupt religions

Stones of the mountains - overcoming the kingdom of the work

Christ - overcame self

Public ministry - overcame corrupt religion

Death of Christ - Overcame the kingdom of the world

Matthew 13:3-7

We too also have to follow in the foot steps of Christ. 1 Peter 2:21-24

In Matthew 4 there are several occasions where "up" and then "down" is mentioned. God is using temptations to help you overcome or step up and Satan is using them as a stumbling block and it is up to us to make choice to have faith and to step up in humility of Christ.