Mary and Joseph
Elizabeth Luke 1:39-45
The angels Luke 2:14
The shepherds in the location of His birth ( they found the baby) Luke 2:16
The wise men or magis ( there were not three but three significant gifts signifying the purpose of His life) gold- royalty /kingship; frankincense- His deity; myrrh- His death. They didn’t find a baby. He wasn’t in the stable but in a house. Matthew 2:11
Anna the prophetess Luke 2:36-38
Simeon Luke 2:25-35
The name Jesus was a common name during Jesus’ day as were the names Mary and Joseph. Jesus’ life story during his boyhood was unknown, until the age of 12 when He was found in the temple asking and answering questions but performing no miracles. So at this point He was like any other Jewish boy except for how He commanded the attention of the educated scholars in the temple. You
could say He wowed them.
He was not yet at the age when Jewish
boys were bar mitzvahed or come to the age of manhood. At 13 is when they would be in the temple answering questions from the Torah. God orchestrated by design this encounter in the temple, His Son, the answer to mankind’s sin problem, still hidden in plain sight. Then silence for
another 17 years.
God hid His Son in plain sight by the earthly name He chose to give Him. A common name with an exalted purpose. He will save His people from their sins. See Luke 1. And now we understand why after the birth of Jesus;
Satan stirred up Herod to kill all boys 2 and under. He couldn’t identify Him by simply using the name.
THE TEMPTATION
So at the temptation in Matthew 4 and Luke 4 (I’m using both accounts for impact) Satan wasn’t sure if this was the Messiah Jesus. We understand that Jesus didn’t wander into the wilderness, He was LED there for a specific reason. To be tempted by the devil, but why temptation?
Sin came through temptation and would be defeated by temptation. Satan’s tricks are only old tricks warmed up. He wanted proof so the plan was:
1. To get Jesus to identify Himself as the son of God by doing two things: Commanding stones to be bread and hurling Himself off the pinnacle in Jerusalem to receive fame by His own means.
In Genesis 3 Eve doubted God’s Word and walked in willful disobedience and pride. She was tricked into believing she would gain a higher wisdom.
Eve wasn’t hungry when she ate the fruit, Jesus was hungry from fasting yet refused to feed His hunger by dishonoring His Father.
Satan showed Jesus all the fame He could have by testing God’s Word to send angels to keep Him from harm.
Satan showed Eve what she could gain by eating the forbidden fruit. One fell for it -the other resisted.
In all instances Jesus responded with the Word, repeating what God had said. Short and to the point. In the Genesis account, Eve responded with God’s word but added to it, opening the door to doubt.
Jesus used the Word. Satan used it but twisted it to suit his purpose. This is why we need to know the Word accurately and never take it out of context like Satan did in invoking Psalm 91.
In the first two temptations, Jesus never identified the tempter by name but in the last one something shifted. And I believe this was when Satan found his answer. Is this the Messiah? Is this the Christ? The Alpha and Omega? The One who saw God kick me out of heaven when I wanted to ascend the throne!!!
SEEKING WORSHIP
I believe when Satan asked to be worshipped that was the first time they locked eyes. This was the first time that Jesus actually called him by name.(Matthew 4:10) I believe by the Holy Spirit that Satan saw and heard a different authority in Jesus’ response because the Bible says that’s when the temptation stopped and Satan left to go plan his next encounter. Gethsemane.
Worship is still what Satan’s after. It started in the garden, continued in the wilderness and is being pursued today. Unsuspecting people are giving it to him against their will. I said in previous teachings that you don’t need to identify as a satanist to be called one. All one needs to do is act like him. Jesus told the Pharisees they were like their father the devil, (John 8) when they refused to believe in Him. Willful disobedience is Satan worship. It’s one thing to not know that what you’re doing is wrong, it’s another thing completely when you know but continue doing it. John 9:41
Luke 6:46 (read)
Jesus’ wilderness experience was more about overcoming temptation and less about the temptation itself. We’re all tempted, but we give in where Jesus did not. Hebrews 4:15
He did that as man -not Christ- Showing us that if we are grounded in our knowledge of God’s Word we too can, through submission to God, overcome temptation, James 4:7 Ephesians 6:17 and deprive Satan of the worship he craves.
WE CAN OVERCOME
The first Adam succumbed to temptation the last Adam overcame temptation. Romans 5:19 1 Corinthians 10:13
We too have the God-given ability to be victorious over sin. These are the things that keep us from being successful at it.
Appetite (greed, lust)
Pride
Selfishness
What made Jesus a success?
He emptied Himself - Philippians 2:7
In this one verse He showed us how to be successful at overcoming temptation. When we’re serving others in humility- those three areas are out of the enemy’s control. (John 13) Jesus was completely submitted to His Father’s will and was committed to bringing Him glory. When we empty ourselves in that way, we too will bring Him glory.
It’s time to pray 🙏 Pray to understand the significance of the birth and life of Jesus. Pray to get a revelation of who He is. He’s not a baby in a manger, He’s the King of kings, Lord of lords and our soon returning Lion of the tribe of Judah. He may have had a common name, but through what He suffered, God has exalted that Name. He is the Holy and anointed One. Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Do you know His significance?
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
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