Welcome back. Today we will stop at the Mount of Temptation.
I’m so enjoying finding out more about each one of the sites we visit. Here’s more info from wikipedia:
The Mount of Temptation is said to be the hill in the Judaean Desert where Jesus was tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:8). The exact location is unknown and impossible to determine. It is generally identified with Mount Quarantania, Arabic name: Jabal al-Qarantal, a mountain approximately 366 metres (1,201 ft) high, towering from the northwest over the town of Jericho in the West Bank. According to the public domain Catholic Encyclopedia (1907-1914), Quarantania is “a limestone peak on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho”.
The Mount of Temptation is the place where the redemptive plan of God began to unfold. I love how Jesus Christ was completely dependent on God. He said in John 5:30, “I can do nothing on my own initiative.” Jesus’ ultimate test came after a 40-day fast. By the Holy Spirit’s leading, Jesus was directed to the wilderness, it was here at the Mount of Temptation, Satan tempted him with this: “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” (Matt. 4:3) Satan’s plan for Jesus was for Jesus to use His divine power to save himself independently of His Heavenly Father. Jesus fought by his use of scripture in his reply: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4:4)
Did you know God has a plan for your life? Of course, we do. Furthermore; we believe God’s plan is better than any we could dream up for ourselves. But did you know that Satan also has a plan for your life? Satan’s plans usually look enticing in the beginning, often they seem like the best option at the time. In my experience at the fork in the road, I’ve taken the shortcut, the easy way out, picked the well-trodden, safe path. Looking back, I realized this was not God’s way.
Isaiah 48:17-18 “This is what the Lord says, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.”
Jesus’ example of using God’s word as our defensive weapon is the only way we can conquer our defeated foe. As we practice allowing God’s Word to speak to us, we invite God to confirm our next step with His peace; we bravely turn our back on the enemy as we confidently follow directions given to us by our Heavenly Father. Jesus modeled a life totally dependent on God. Jennifer Kennedy Dean calls it “A Praying Life—not a person who sometimes prays, but a lifestyle of prayer.” Jesus gave credit to His dependence in John 17:7, “Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you.” This, my friends, is how God’s glory is revealed to those around us. God’s promise and purpose is revealed in Isaiah 48:10,11 “See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another.” Praise Him now, for the glory God will receive through our obedience. Halleluiah!
Don’t miss tomorrow: Megiddo and The Plain of Armageddon
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