Satan presented Jesus with the third temptation to worship him. Matthew 4:8-10 (CSB) – “…the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. And he said to him, ‘I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus told him, ‘Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’”
Essentially, Satan was telling Jesus that He didn’t need to suffer and die to establish a wonderful kingdom. Satan knew God’s ruling from Eden that “He (Jesus) will strike your head (kill you), and you will strike his heel (crucify Jesus).” Genesis 3:15. He wanted to change God’s plan and entice Jesus with the concept that Jesus did not need to suffer and die to establish the kingdom. It sounded much easier and with no suffering!
What is involved with worshipping Satan? It is using his methods to try to create righteousness. Some of his methods are listed in Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV), – “The acts of the flesh are obvious: …hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions…I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Most of these marchers certainly have good motives. They want justice! We all long for justice. But the way to establish permanent justice is only through Christ’s kingdom. This is the same third temptation presented to Christians again.
Jesus’s command to His followers was “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) 1 Peter 1:15 (NKJV), “…as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,” Jesus did not try to reform the harsh Roman government. Christians are commanded to spread the Gospel and become holy, sanctified as true saints. We are to wait for God’s time to establish the righteous kingdom.
Romans 8:19 (NKJV), “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God (the true saints). For the creation was subjected to futility (can’t establish justice without Christ’s kingdom),…because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now… even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption (our spirit birth in heaven), the redemption of our body.”
“Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait I say on the Lord.” Psalm 27:14.
