Jesus Teaches About Earnest Prayer and Demon Spirits

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 11:1) And it came to pass that as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had been in the home of Martha and Mary, but apparently had left there, and was later in a different place, praying.  When He had finished praying, one of His disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray, as he said John the Baptist had taught his disciples.

(2) And He said to them, "When you pray, say, 'Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.'"

Jesus then began instructing them on how to pray.  Biblical scholars say that this was at a different time than in Matthew 6:9-13.  I don't know why that has to be.  Luke says only that Jesus was praying in a certain place at some non-specific time, but there are subtle differences in the way Matthew and Luke described Jesus's instruction and prayer.  In Matthew, Jesus had instructed that they pray "after this manner," and proceeded to give them an example of prayer.  If, indeed, this disciple was asking again to be taught how to pray, and adding as John had taught his disciples, perhaps he was asking for a more specific prayer.  Jesus had taught them the manner in which they were to pray, but perhaps they still struggled with the words.  Here in Luke, Jesus says, "Say this...."  This may indicate to us that this is one prayer that we may recite as Jesus did.  In Matthew 6:7, Jesus said they were not to use vain repetitions as the heathens did.  I always took this to mean that we should speak from our hearts and not recite the same prayers all the time, as they did in the Catholic church I attended as a teenager.  However, the rest of Matthew 6:7 states that those heathen think they will be heard because of their many words.  That says to me that they used vain repetitions within one prayer.  They kept repeating themselves so as to give longer wordy prayers.  I now understand Jesus to mean it's always okay to recite His Word, and to also use it as a model of how we should otherwise pray.

First, Jesus said we were to address and acknowledge our Father in heaven.  We recognize and declare that His name is holy and to be given great reverence.  We recognize and declare that God's kingdom has come to earth, and we desire that it be successful, as our prayers should always align with that goal in mind.  We ask that God's will be done here on earth as it is in heaven.  Not our wills, but His will, as He always knows best.  We see short-term, but God sees the future and the big picture, and we should always desire that our prayers align with His perfect will.  Romans 8:26 tells us that the Holy Spirit within us helps us with groanings which are not uttered to make intercession for us according to the will of God, because we don't know how to pray as we should.  James 4:3 tells us that we don't receive what we pray for because we "ask amiss" for our own selfish desires.  We can be thankful that Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit to pray for the best outcome according to God's will.  And we can rest assured that God's will is always better than our short-sighted wills.

(3) "Give us day by day our daily bread."

Jesus continued with His model prayer.  He indicated that it was okay to voice an honest desire for care and maintenance for the day.  However, we should not be anxious about more than that.  In Matthew 6:34, Jesus said not to be anxious about tomorrow, that sufficient for the day is its own troubles.  In Matthew 6:32, He also said that our heavenly Father knew our needs.  We are to seek Him first and all our needs will be given to us.  "Our needs," not necessarily our wants.  It is okay to ask for our needs, but we should trust the Holy Spirit of Father God in heaven to take care of the true desires of our hearts that we may not even recognize, but in the end, we will look back and realize that His will was better than what we could have ever asked for.

(4) "And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

Jesus taught that we should ask for forgiveness for our sins, not just once, but continually in our prayers.  We can ask this because we have also forgiven those who have wronged us.  In Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus went on to add that if we indeed forgave others, our heavenly Father would forgive us.  However, if we did not forgive, neither would God forgive us.  Finally, we ask that God not lead us into temptation.  It's not that God would otherwise lead us there; the sense is that we ask God to lead us away from temptation, and to deliver us from evil.

(5) And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend and shall go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves, (6) For a friend of mine in his journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'"

Jesus began a parable by first asking his disciples a question.  Which of them could relate to the man in his parable?  That man had a friend to whom he went at midnight, a most inconvenient time, to ask for three loaves of bread, because another friend of his had shown up at his door and he had nothing to feed him.

(7) "And he from inside shall answer and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you.'"

Jesus continued with his example which concluded his question about which of them had such a friend who would then reject him and tell him it was too late, he was in bed, and he couldn't get up and help him.

(8) "I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity, he will rise and give him as many as he needs."

Jesus said that mere friendship might not make the man willing to get up at midnight to give food to his friend, but because he persisted in asking, he would get up and give him as much as he needed.  Jesus's point was that we can go boldly to the throne of God and be persistent in asking for something in prayer.  Jesus said in Luke 18:1, "Men ought always to pray and not to faint."  This parable served as an example of prayer.  We may approach God at any time with the same confidence we would have when approaching a friend.  We come in prayer for needful things, as bread is needful, as we know that God gives us our needs, but not necessarily our wants.  We come in prayer for others, not for our own selfish desires, but that we may accomplish our Godly purpose in helping others.  Finally, if God doesn't seem to answer right away, it's okay to be persistent.  More than okay, it's pleasing to God; "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  Jesus implied that God would answer such a prayer.

(9) "And I say to you, ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you."

Indeed, Jesus told them that if they asked as modeled in His parable, it would be given to them.  If they sought something in prayer, like mercy, knowledge, or wisdom, they would find it.  And doors would be opened.

(10) "For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened."

Jesus confirmed that everyone who asked for something would receive it, and those who sought something would find it, and those who knocked would have the door opened.  It's important to remember that we should pray for things within God's will and according to Jesus's model.  Remember James 4:3, "You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss, that you may consume it on your lusts."

(11) "If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?"

As an illustration, Jesus asked if a son asked for bread from a father, and here Jesus personalized it by asking any of them who were fathers to especially consider what He was saying, would they give a stone to their son who asked them for bread?  Would they give something that in no way solved their son's problem?  If their son asked for a fish, would they give him a serpent instead?  Would they give him rather something that would endanger him?

(12) "Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  

Likewise, if a son asked for an egg, would the father give him a scorpion, something that would not help him but would hurt him?

(13) "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them who ask him?"

Therefore, Jesus concluded, since they as flawed sinful fathers knew how to give appropriate gifts to their children, how much more they could expect from the perfect just heavenly Father.  Jesus said their heavenly Father would give the Holy Spirit, the very best gift, from Whom all good gifts would come.  Our heavenly Father gives more than we could ask for, "for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:26-27)  We don't always know what is best in a situation, but the Holy Spirit does know because His mind is aligned with the will of God, and as Romans 8:28 continues, "...all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."  But once again, our Father will not give us our lustful desires that He knows will hurt us; He gives us our needs for a greater end than we can imagine.  Would a father give his son a deadly scorpion just because he asked for it?

(14) And He was casting out a devil and it was mute. And it came to pass when the devil was gone out, the mute spoke, and the people wondered.

At what appears to be another time, Jesus cast a demon out of a mute man.  When the demon had been cast out, the formerly possessed man spoke, and the people who witnessed this miracle marveled.

(15) But some of them said, "He casts out devils through Beelzebub, the chief of the devils."

Some of the people who witnessed this said that Jesus cast out devils by the spirit of Beelzebub, Satan himself.  The account in Matthew said that these were Pharisees who suggested that.  The account in Mark said it was the scribes.  That is, if this is the same account.  I suppose it is possible this happened more than once, and Jesus would have the same answer.

(16) And others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.

Others in the crowd tested Jesus to see in what spirit He operated and wanted to see a sign from heaven.  This was not included in the accounts in Matthew and Mark, so this possibly is another instance where people claimed Jesus must be working through Satan to be able to do such miracles.

(17) But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house against a house falls. (18) If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? Because you say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub."

Although they had not spoken what they thought to Him, Jesus knew what they thought and told them He knew what they thought, and demonstrated to them what an absurd idea it was that He would be doing good through Satan.  Satan's evil kingdom, if working against itself doing good, would fail.  

(19) "And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges."

Additionally, if it was only through the power of Satan that Jesus was able to cast out demons, then He asked them how it was that their own followers cast out demons, as some of the Jews had been able to do.  The actions of these "sons" would stand as judgment against what these people were suggesting.  They certainly weren't professing to cast out demons through Satan, so how could such an absurd accusation be made of Jesus?

(20) "But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God has come upon you."

By saying "the finger of God" Jesus may have been referring to Exodus 8:19, when Pharoah's magicians admitted that their tricks did not nearly measure up with the miracles wrought by Moses "with the finger of God."  Jesus's ease and His immediate perfect result in casting out the demon was likely very superior to any casting out of demons they had ever witnessed and should be considered as it was with Moses against Pharaoh's magicians, only by "the finger of God."  Thus there could be no doubt that the kingdom of God had come to them and they were rejecting it.

(21) "When a strong man armed keeps his palace, his goods are in peace."

Still referring to Satan, Jesus compared him to a strong and armed man who kept his palace and goods safe.

(22) "But when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoils."

When one stronger than the strong man, that is Jesus Christ in this example, comes upon him and overcomes him, as when Jesus cast the demon out of the man, the stronger Jesus also takes from Satan all his power he had over the one he possessed, and He divides his spoils, taking possession of the formerly possessed man's mind and body, and makes him whole again.

(23) "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."

At first glance, "He who is not with Me is against Me" seems at odds with what Jesus said in Mark 9:40, "he who is not against us is on our side."  In Mark 9, the man who was casting out devils in Jesus's name could not be said to be against Jesus and His disciples.  He was doing what he was doing for Jesus and His purpose of bringing souls to salvation.  In this case, those who asserted that Jesus performed miracles through Beelzebub were certainly against Him.  If the man in Mark 9 had been casting out demons in Satan's name, then He would have definitely been against Jesus.  However, he was working in Jesus's name trying to gather souls for salvation.  These people who called Him of the devil were not only not gathering souls, but were scattering souls with their blasphemy against Jesus.

(24) "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'"

Jesus then said that when a demon spirit had gone out of a man, it sought another soul to possess.  Dry desert places to a demon spirit would be places where the Gospel of Christ was preached and accepted; it could certainly find no peace there.  Therefore, it would decide to return to the vessel from which it had left.  

(25) "And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order."

When that demon spirit in Jesus's example came back to its previous home, it found that body empty, as is meant by "swept and in order."  There was nothing else in there, just the empty body, as the account in Matthew 12:44 also added "empty."  In this example of Jesus, the person who had been possessed by a demon, but then cleansed of it, did not seek to fill himself with the spirit of Christ.  A person will be filled with one thing or another; he does not remain an empty vessel.  He who did not accept Jesus and His gospel was against Him, and empty, but not for long.

(26) "Then he goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last of that man is worse than the first."

If that demon found the man not filled with Jesus, then it would come back with seven other demons even more wicked than it was, and they would all inhabit the man.  There have been instances of multiple demons possessing one body in scripture; there was the man possessed by "Legion," so called because there were many demons, and there was Mary Magdalene who had been possessed by seven demons.  The last condition of the man who had been possessed by one demon, but did not seek to fill himself with Jesus, would be much worse when possessed by multiple demons than he was with the one.

(27) And it came to pass, as He spoke these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts which You have nursed."

After Jesus had spoken these things, a woman in the crowd of people listening, raised her voice and declared to Jesus that His mother was blessed to have given birth to and nurtured Him.  She surely meant it as a compliment to Jesus that He did and spoke such great things, that His mother was blessed to have been chosen as His mother.

(28) But He said, "Yea, rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it."

Jesus answered and said to the woman, that yes, His mother was indeed blessed, but much more blessed were those who heard His word and accepted it and kept it.  That was the most important thing, not to be merely associated with Christ, even as His mother, but to fully accept Him and His Gospel, and be counted among the saints in heaven.  Judas Iscariot was one of Jesus's closest associates, but he rejected Jesus.

As this is a rather long chapter, and has had much commentary up to this point, I will end this post for now, and finish chapter 11 in the next post.

Jesus Revealed as the Messiah Discusses His Church with His Disciples

Continuing a study of the Gospels:

(Matthew 16:1) The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and testing desired that He would show them a sign from heaven.

At the end of the last chapter and post, Jesus had just miraculously fed the 4000, and had removed by ship to the coasts of Magdala, which is apparently where this chapter began.  The Pharisees and the Sadducees were two different religious sects, and even though they had opposing views on some things, they were united in their hatred against Christ.  They came to Jesus testing Him, to see if He would show them a sign from heaven.

(2) He answered and said to them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather for the sky is red.' (3) And in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowering.' O you hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky, but can you not discern the signs of the times?"

Jesus answered the Pharisees and Sadducees by telling them how they discerned the signs in the skies to determine a weather forecast.  A red sky in the evening was almost universally considered to mean fair weather.  However, a red sky in the morning, the suns' rays shining through lowering clouds, meant foul weather was coming.  Jesus called them hypocrites for they were so learned as to determine a weather forecast by the signs in the sky, but they failed to see the signs before them on earth, the signs that their anticipated Messiah was here in the person of Jesus. 

(4) "A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall be no sign given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonah." And He left them and departed.

Jesus declared that a wicked and adulterous generation sought a sign.  He called them adulterous because the Jewish people were the chosen bride of Christ but they instead loved the world.  Jesus had already said this same thing to the Pharisees earlier (Matthew 12:30), but it seems they brought the Sadducees along this time to test Him again.  Or perhaps there were Sadducees who had not heard His answer before, and themselves sought a sign.  This account in Mark said that Jesus sighed deeply in His spirit (Mark 8:12) before answering them.  He was apparently greatly affected by their obstinance and spiritual blindness.  It is a sad thing for one to be lost and facing an eternity without God.  Jesus had already in His miracles and preaching shown signs more than sufficient to demonstrate His divine mission and His divinity.  There was only one sign left that had not been shown, and Jesus said He would not show them any more signs, at least not in response to them, until the sign of Jonah.  That, as we learned in Matthew 12:40, was that as Jonah was three days in the belly of the fish, so Jesus would be three days in His grave, but would then rise again.  He didn't bother further explaining what He meant by the sign of Jonah, as He knew no sign or explanation would suffice for them.  He left them and departed from the coasts of Magdala.

(5) And when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.

When Jesus's disciples had come to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, having departed Magdala, it was realized they had forgotten to take bread with them.

(6) Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."

Whether Jesus took that opportunity to teach His disciples because they had forgotten bread, or because it was still fresh on all their minds what had just been said to the Pharisees and the Sadducees, Jesus gave His disciples that advice.  They were to beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

(7) And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have taken no bread."

The disciples reasoned among themselves that Jesus was talking about physical bread and the leaven that it might have, because they had forgotten bread.  Up to this point, "leaven" was not a word used to describe doctrine, so the disciples did not immediately understand what Jesus meant.  There were laws about eating bread made by Gentiles, so the disciples may have supposed that Jesus meant they should not get bread from the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

(8) When Jesus perceived it, He said to them, "O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves, because you have brought no bread?"

Jesus, of course, knew their thoughts or heard them discussing bread, and calling them of little faith, asked why they talked among themselves about having no bread.  Once again, Jesus called them "of little faith," not "no faith;" they certainly had a seed of great faith, but they did not yet understand the limits they had placed on their faith by having just a small amount.

(9) "Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many loaves you took up?"

Jesus asked His disciples if they didn't yet understand what He was talking about.  Did they not remember what He had just done with feeding more than 5000 with only five loaves of bread?  So then how could they possibly concern themselves with bread they left behind?

(10) "Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up?"

Jesus asked if they also remembered when He had fed thousands a second time with only seven loaves, and how much had been left over.

(11) "How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But you should beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

Because they had witnessed both those miracles of feeding thousands with very little, Jesus asked His disciples how it was that they thought He was talking about physical bread.  Why should He be at all concerned about bread, and of course neither should they.  He again told them they should beware the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.  How could they think that He meant leaven in a literal sense?

(12) Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

Indeed, at that point, the disciples understood that Jesus could not have meant literal leaven of bread that they were to beware of, but that it was the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees they were to beware.  Like leaven affects an entire loaf over time, so would the false doctrines of the Pharisees and Sadducees gradually pervade the soul.  That, of course, is why the disciples were to take heed and beware the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and they had come to understand that.

(13) When Jesus came to the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of man, am?"

There were two places called Caesarea, the original on the northeast coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and Caesarea Philippi, named by Herod's son Philip.  This Caesarea Philippi was actually well inland at the foot of Lebanon at the southwestern base of Mount Hermon.  The word that was translated as "coasts" also means "borders."  Jesus had come to the outer borders or region of Caesarea Philippi when He asked His disciples who men said that He was.

(14) And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

The disciples answered that some thought He was John the Baptist risen from the dead, as Herod thought.  They said some thought He was Elijah, and that was because Malachi had prophesied in Malachi 4:5 that an extraordinary person under the name of Elijah was to come before the Messiah; but that was actually John the Baptist as Jesus said in Matthew 11:14.  Some others thought He was Jeremiah or one of the other prophets because of the prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:15 that the Lord would raise up a prophet like unto Himself.

(15) He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

Without any reflection on what they had just told Jesus, He immediately asked His disciples who they thought He was.

(16) And Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Very emphatically, Peter answered that He was the Christ, the much anticipated Messiah; the Son of the living God, the one true God, not one of the dead lifeless idols.

(17) And Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but My Father who is in heaven."

Jesus called Peter, Simon Bar-Jonah, that is Simon, the son of Jonah.  He told him he was blessed because no man could have told him that, but it could have only been revealed to him by His Father in heaven.

(18) "And I say also to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Jesus at that point said that he was to be Peter, not Simon Peter, not Simon Bar-Jonah, but "Peter," the original word "petros" meaning rock.  Jesus said that on that rock He would build His church, and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it.  When Jesus first called Peter to be a disciple, the account in John said that He called him Cephas from the beginning which also meant rock.  This is not to say that Peter alone was the foundation of Jesus's church.  He said on that rock He would build His church.  Jesus was called the foundation stone or the cornerstone in other scriptures, including prophetic ones (Psalm 118:22, Matthew 21:42, et al.).  Jesus was the cornerstone of the church, but that confession of Peter's would be the foundation of believers.  The disciples could be considered foundation stones for the church, as stated in Ephesians 2:20, "having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the cornerstone."  But again, that same verse stated that Jesus was the cornerstone.  Peter himself in his writings spoke of "lively stones (who) built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood" (1 Peter 2:5), but the next verse speaks of Jesus being the chief corner stone.  The gates of hell will not prevail against Christ's church.  Although the workers of spiritual darkness may seem to rule the world, they can never prevail against Christ's church.  Christ conquered death and Satan, and those of His church will also conquer eternal death because of Him.

(19) "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Although Jesus may have been talking to just Peter at the time, it in no way means that Peter alone had the keys to the kingdom of heaven and he alone was the rock upon which the church was founded.  This the Catholics use as their basis for making Peter their first pope and founder of the church.  Jesus gave him the keys to the kingdom, and with these keys, his understanding of the Messiah and His kingdom of heaven on earth, he would open the door of faith to the Jews and even the Gentiles.  The phrases "to bind" and "to loose" were often used by the Jews regarding prohibiting and permitting.  Note Jesus said "whatever" not "whoever;" whatever the apostles taught with regard to laws of the church would be accepted by God in heaven, as they were led by Christ and the Holy Spirit.  Some of the customs of man they would forbid or bind, and some things they would loose or permit, as they, as Jesus did, would be teaching the spirit of the law, not what had become hypocritical legalistic adherence to it.  Once again, these keys were not given to Peter alone, as in a future statement, Jesus would give all His disciples the power to bind and loose (Matthew 18:18).  

(20) Then He charged His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.

Jesus commanded His disciples not to tell anyone He was the Messiah, as it was not yet time for His death and resurrection, and the fact would be all the more proven after His resurrection.

(21) From that time forth Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and raised again the third day.

From the time that Peter had confessed that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, and Jesus told His disciples He would build His church, He began sharing to them more about what He was to go through.  He said that He must go to Jerusalem, the chief city of Israel, where the sanhedrin sat, and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes.  It would not be mere dismissing of Him as before, but with formal, although false, charges, and physical suffering.  He told them He would be killed, but He would rise from the dead on the third day afterward.

(22) Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to you."

Peter, who was of an impetuous spirit, often said and did things on impulse.  He wasn't rebuking Jesus out of any disrespect, but out of deep love and concern, that what Jesus had told them certainly couldn't be allowed to happen.

(23) But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but those of man."

I am sure it was much to Peter's surprise that the Lord turned to him and cried out for Satan to get behind or away from Him.  Christ was not calling Peter, Satan, but was talking to the spirit that had taken advantage of Peter's impetuousness to dissuade Him from His purpose.  "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against...spiritual wickedness..." (Ephesians 6:12)  Jesus may have been speaking to Satan, but certainly Peter's words were an offense to Him, because they were not of God, but of carnal man's desire to save himself, or in this case, to save his loved one.  Peter did not take the time to learn from the Lord that this was His divine purpose, but he rashly asserted himself and sought to interfere with it.

(24) Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

Jesus then went on to tell all His disciples that in order to really follow Him, they would have to deny themselves and be willing to bear any affliction or suffering that might come as a result of it.  Note that the Lord said "If any man will..."  He does not force anyone to go through suffering to follow Him, but if they are willing, they must be willing to do whatever is necessary to persevere.

(25) "For whoever will save his life shall lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."

Jesus told them that whoever fought to save his own life by denying his cross, those afflictions and persecutions that might come his way if he followed Christ, would ultimately lose his eternal life, but whoever denied himself and his own mortal life for Christ's sake would find eternal life.

(26) "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

Jesus posed the question to His disciples about what a man really profited even if he gained power over the entire world, if it meant he would ultimately lose his eternal soul.  What was it that a man was willing to give in exchange for his soul?  That is the very real life question every one of us must ask himself.  And we should have great pity for those who choose the world over Jesus, for we understand the end they have chosen.

(27) "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He shall reward every man according to his works."

The reason a person may save or lose his soul is because Jesus will most assuredly return to judge all people.  He will return in glory with His angels and with full authority of His Father to recompense every man according to his works on earth.

(28) "Verily, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom."

Jesus said that there were some with Him there who would not die until they saw the fruition of Jesus's kingdom on earth, His Christian church.  All except Judas would live to see the Day of Pentecost when His Holy Spirit was poured down in an extraordinary manner, and the Gospel began to be spread throughout the world.  John lived to see the destruction of the temple and the Jewish nation, and the Christian church and its gospel message established throughout the known world.  At the point Jesus was speaking, the "church" was very small and feeble, and not much more than a message, albeit the essential and most important gospel message; but some of His disciples would live to see that all important message grow into a huge religious movement, the Christian church, Christ's kingdom on earth.

In this chapter, we see Jesus's Kingdom on earth expanding.  The disciples had come to realize that Jesus was indeed their anticipated Messiah, and He revealed to them the truth about His coming death and resurrection.  He told them He would build a church against which the gates of hell could not prevail, and that He would give them the keys to that kingdom on earth.  At least some of them would live to see that church grow throughout the known world.  Although Jesus told them that discipleship was costly, they surely were encouraged to know that their employment in the establishment of Christ's kingdom on earth would be successful.

The Temptation of Jesus, and His Ministry Begins

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Matthew 4:1) Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had just been baptized by John the Baptist, and the Holy Spirit of God had descended upon Him like a dove.  Now being full of the Holy Spirit, as Luke 4:1 described it, Jesus was led by that Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  Jesus, the man, was about to endure strong temptation, just as we all do.  This is exactly the way it most often is, when we have received the clearest light and message from the Holy Spirit, that is when Satan shows up strongest to tempt us away from that light.  

(2) And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward hungry.

Jesus spent forty days and forty nights fasting in the wilderness, and was afterward obviously very hungry.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, pointed out that this was intended to show that God's kingdom on earth was to be spiritual and divine, that it should not consist in meat and drink, but in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).  However, being fully human, Jesus was very hungry, and so prepared for the first temptation of the devil.

(3) And when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread."

The tempter is, of course, Satan; his main purpose is to tempt people into denying God and to sin.  God had just declared that Jesus was His Son, and Satan came to make Him doubt that.  After all, if He truly was the Son of God, He could command the stones around Him to become bread and He could satisfy His great hunger.  Jesus was called the second or last Adam in scripture.  Think of the parallels in their temptations.  Adam was tempted by Eve, who had been tempted by the serpent, "Did God really say...?"  

(4) But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’"

Jesus answered by relying on and quoting the settled word of God.  He quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, "...man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD."  Jesus WAS the word (John 1:1).  He could have spoken the mind of God with authority of Himself, but He chose to quote the writings of Moses to give honor to and present as an example for us when dealing with temptation.  The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17) which is the only offensive weapon in the Christian armor as described in Ephesians 6:13-17.  However, to use that weapon, we must know the Word of God!  Satan knows the Word of God, and he will use it to tempt us.  His temptations are always partly true and plausible, and our best defense is our offense of the knowledge of God's Word.  We see here that Jesus did not deny that He had the power to turn those stones to bread, but demonstrated faith in God and His will, knowing that He was able to sustain Him, regardless of His present circumstances.  Abraham showed that kind of faith in God's Word when he offered Isaac, his only son, upon the altar.  God had told him He would make a great nation from his descendants, so he was confident that God would provide whatever was needed in his present circumstance.  

(5) Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, (6) And said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, cast Yourself down, for it is written, 'He shall give His angels charge concerning You,' and 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone.'"

I don't believe the devil physically picked up Jesus and flew Him over to the temple as one commentator I read suggested.  Nor did he do it against His will.  Jesus had been led by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by the devil.  Therefore, the tempter could have just led Him willingly into the holy city of Jerusalem and onto the top of the temple.  Satan once again quoted scripture.  How important is it that we know the Word of God when Satan knows it so well and uses it diabolically against us.  There is always a half or distorted truth to that which the devil uses as temptation.  That is the way he gets away with it, quoting scripture and partial truths draws us in, so we'd better know the whole truth in God's Word so as not to be taken in.  The devil partially quoted Psalm 91:11-12.  The context of the psalmist was that because his refuge was in the Lord, "He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone."  The devil conveniently left out the part about keeping one in all his ways, God's promise to protect and support His servants; God did not promise to always protect them when they walked outside their way, outside their duty within His will.  With his distorted version of scripture, Satan said to Jesus if He were truly the Son of God, then He could throw Himself down and God's angels would lift Him up and protect Him.

(7) Jesus said to him, “It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"

Jesus offered another scripture that supported the context of the one Satan misquoted, Deuteronomy 6:16, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God..."  The rest of that original quotation was "...as you tempted Him in Massah."  The context there was that the people kept requiring more and more evidence of what God had already made plain; when He had always been completely trustworthy and protected and provided for them, they continually had no faith that He would do it again.  In this case against Satan, Jesus meant it would be tempting or testing God to require Him to prove His Word that He would protect and defend Him even if He were to go out of His way to do something dangerous.

(8) Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. (9) And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

It seems the devil thought he must go higher and offer more to make Jesus give into temptation.  He took Him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms below, claiming he would give Him the world and all its glory if He would fall down and worship him.  This was a very vain and silly attempt on the devil's part.  This could only work as a temptation if Satan had proved by His first two temptations that Jesus was not truly the Son of God, which he hadn't.  However, it serves as a valuable lesson to us in how to recognize Satan's lies and how to fight temptation.  It does seem like he uses the same old tactics all the time.  Did God really say that?  (Doubt the Word.)  You surely won't die.  (Doubt judgment and consequences.)  You can be as God.  An entire society has fallen for those tactics.  Did God really say that about homosexuality, etc.?  God surely wouldn't send His beloved children to hell.  Once you eliminate the idea of judgment as a consequence of our disobedience toward God’s commands, then anything goes!  People professing to be wise, having a form of religion, but denying the power and changing the glory of the incorruptible God into an image they have made (Romans 1:22-23, 2 Timothy 3:5).

(10) Then Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”

Jesus answered this temptation with decidedly more indignation and detestation, and commanded Satan to get away.  He still used the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17), quoting Deuteronomy 6:13 and 10:20.  From Jesus's temptation, we learn that no one, no matter how holy, is exempt from temptation when even God in the flesh was tempted.  Temptation in itself, even to the greatest abomination, is not sin, for even Christ was tempted to fall down and worship the devil.  The best way to fight the adversary is with that sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.  We can fight just as Jesus did with knowing the Word, knowing the consequences of sin, and knowing there is only One God, and idolatry of self and the big EGO is still idolatry.  Furthermore, we don't have to face temptation alone, for we have a Savior who has already fought the battle and defeated Satan, and we can call on Him. 

(11) Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.   

The devil indeed left Jesus, and then angels came and ministered to Him, most likely in visible, and possibly even human form, giving Him food and whatever else His human body needed.  What a comfort this can be for us when we resist and conquer temptation!  James 4:7 tells us we can make the devil flee from us, as well, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."  When he does leave us, just as there is a world of wicked and malicious spirits that fight against Christ, His church, and all believers, so there is a world of holy, blessed spirits engaged and employed for them.  Consider the following verses:

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. - Ephesians 6:12

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. - 1 Timothy 4:1

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. - Hebrews 13:2

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? - Hebrews 1:14

...For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father. - Matthew 18:10b

(12) Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee.

According to the other Gospels, this was not immediately after Christ was tempted, but regardless, the fact is that when He heard John the Baptist had been put in prison, He went to Galilee.

(13) And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is on the sea coast, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali.

According to other Gospel accounts, Jesus had gone to Nazareth some time after His temptations.  Now He left Nazareth and went first to Capernaum by the sea on His way to Galilee.  Capernaum was within the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali, two tribes of the children of Israel which were located in that part of the land of Canaan.

(14) That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, (15) "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; (16) The people who sat in darkness saw great light; and to them who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned."

Jesus going to Capernaum fulfilled a prophecy by Isaiah, who said in Isaiah 9:1-2, "...the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali...by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; they who dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined."  Galilee was divided into upper and lower Galilee.  Upper Galilee was called Galilee of the Gentiles, because it was occupied mainly by Gentiles.  The word “Gentiles” included all who were not Jews; it meant the same as the pagan nations.  The prophecy spoke of Upper Galilee where the people walked in spiritual darkness and ignorance, and then they saw the great light of Christ.

(17) From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

"From that time" refers to from the time Jesus was tempted by the devil.  It can't be said of from the time he was in Capernaum, because according to accounts in Luke 4, He had preached in Nazareth before He went to Capernaum.  It can't mean from the time that John was cast into prison, because according to John 3 and 4, He had preached and made and baptized disciples before John's imprisonment.  As soon as His combat with Satan was over, He immediately went to Galilee (Luke 4:14), and began preaching and calling disciples.  The words Jesus used are the same ones with which John the Baptist began his ministry (Matthew 3:2) which shows the complete agreement between them.

(18) And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.  

Capernaum was on the sea coast, and while Jesus was walking there, he saw two fishermen casting a net into the sea.  They were brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew.  The name "Peter" means a rock or stone, and is the same as "Cephas," seen elsewhere.  According to John 1:40-42, the brothers had had an acquaintance with Jesus before.

(19) And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Peter and Andrew were poor fishermen, probably unlearned men, in that part of Galilee.  Jesus didn't walk through the city looking for more cultivated and refined men of knowledge and means.  The Lord does not see men as men see men, and often chooses the foolish and base things of this world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27-28).  He told the brothers to follow Him and He would make them fishers of men, obviously an allusion to their former calling.  Matthew Henry suggested it was to let them not be too prideful of the new honor bestowed on them, as they were still fishers; likewise not to be afraid of the new work to which they had been called, as they were still fishers, a job with which they were very familiar.  Likewise, David was called from shepherding sheep to shepherding Israel.  In order to take on this new work, the brothers had to follow Jesus, a complete diligent attendance with Him.  To preach Christ and be fishers of souls, they had to know Christ; to be able to continue His work after Him, they needed an intimate relationship with Him. 

(20) And they immediately left their nets and followed Him.  

According to John 1:37, they had followed Jesus before, but it had been as ordinary disciples, following His preaching, but still employed in their trade or calling.  Jesus was now calling them to a close and constant attendance, and they would have to leave their trade.  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  Because the brothers had been disciples of John the Baptist, and had met Jesus, they were probably more receptive to following Him.  That is symbolic of how Christ often calls us, by degrees.  He often softens and prepares our hearts before we ultimately embrace Him.

(21) And going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them.

Going on from where He called Peter and Andrew, He saw two other brothers, James and John, in a boat with their father, Zebedee.  They were also fishermen, mending their nets, getting them ready to use.  Jesus called them to follow Him.

(22) And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed Him.

James and John also immediately left all behind, including their father, and followed Jesus.  Every Christian must love Christ more than he or she loves anything or anyone.  James and John may have also followed Jesus before as ordinary disciples, but were now being called to follow Him wholeheartedly, devoted to the ministry of Christ.

(23) And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Jesus went about through all of Galilee.  He didn't summon and wait for people to come to Him, but went to the people in their synagogues, to teach them and preach about the good news for lost sinners that grace and glory were available to them through the Messiah who had come.  He healed all manner of sickness and disease, serving to confirm His doctrine, to demonstrate that the Son of Man came to save people and not destroy them, and to strengthen faith in their heavenly Father's love for them.

(24) And His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were possessed with devils, those who were lunatic, and those who had palsy, and He healed them.

Evidently, the exact boundaries of Syria during the time of Christ is not exactly known, but I believe the sense here is that the fame of Jesus went far and wide beyond the Holy Land and the Jews.  The people both near and from these far away places brought all sorts of diseased people, and those with torments, like demon-possession, insanity, and paralysis, and Jesus healed them.

(25) And great multitudes of people followed Him, from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

Great multitudes of people followed Jesus who had heard Him and seen His miracles, or had heard of Him and His message and miracles.  People from Galilee followed Him, as well as from other regions.  Decapolis was a region east of the Jordan River named for ten cities within it.  People from there, Jerusalem, Judea, and even beyond the Jordan River followed Him.  

In summary, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the last chapter, and God's Spirit descended on Him and He proclaimed Him His son.  Immediately afterward, He was tempted by the devil, and conquering him, He began His ministry.  He gathered four disciples and went all about Galilee, teaching, preaching, and healing the sick and tormented.  His fame went far and wide.

Can God Bless America?

After the re-election of Obama, I emotionally checked out of this country.  If the majority of this country actually wants to continue down this destructive, immoral, and Godless path, then I want no part of it!  I have come to realize that all the wicked laws are not what is going to bring God's judgment on our country, but rather we accept all the wicked laws because we have rejected God.  Fighting political battles is not going to change hearts and save lives and change our country's destructive course.  There is only One Way to save this country, but this country, as a whole, has rejected Him.

I had recently changed the purpose of my blog.  Oh, my purpose was always to share the truth, but I was originally more politically based.  Then I came to realize if people just knew the real Truth, if they truly sought the Lord their God with all their hearts, He would show them the Truth and the Way, and give them wisdom.  There is absolutely no wisdom apart from God, and it is so apparent when you see the insanity of what goes on in this country.  Evil is called good, and good is evil, just as the Bible says it would be.  It is so ridiculous that it is almost laughable that we are so foolish except that it really is so incredibly sad.  For the most part, I just share the Word of God and my study of it in my blog now.  Occasionally, I can't help but note how it plays in our present culture, hoping someone might see and investigate for themselves.  That is how I came to be really saved and born-again.  It began with my soon-to-be husband scaring me with Biblical prophecy.  I remember running around the block, crying, truly scared of what I did not know.  I then decided I would read and study my Bible and find out for myself the truth.  I truly began to search God's Word; I was seeking Him with all my heart and as He said, He would be found if I did that.  So that is my wish for others, that they might seek Him in His Word, and they will come to see the Truth, too.  I guess I appear to place more importance on the Word of God first because that is tangible black and white proof of what God said.  Of course, prayer and a relationship with our Lord and Savior is essential, but without knowing exactly what God said, people can be led astray by deceiving spirits, because the Bible tells us that even Satan can appear as an angel of light.  We have to know what God said so that if some charming preacher or dream or feeling tells us something that seems right, we know if it really lines up with what God says is right.  So often people will talk about what their God would do or not do, but there is only One God and He is true only to Himself and not to what we think is right!  We know by reading Biblical prophecy, that there will come a time when the majority of the people will be deceived by the anti-Christ, and I can't help but believe that time is quickly approaching, so we must be armed with the Truth so we won't be deceived.

I came to realize I had to change the icon of the title banner of my blog.  It said, "God Bless America".  It had a vintage look, and I do believe that God has blessed America immensely since its founding.  It's because the founders looked to God to form the greatest nation in history.  However, over the years, our nation has turned from God.  We decided there was no place for Him in our schools.  We decided He might be offensive to others in the public square and we must get rid of every symbol of Him.  We've allowed ourselves to believe there must be a separation of church and state.  How else could we allow ourselves to believe it is okay to murder millions of babies, the very most innocent human life?  How else could we take something God called an abomination and hail it as "marriage equality"?  How else could we support a man who was the worst of the worst on life issues and even went so far to vote three times to kill (by intentional neglect) born alive babies who had the misfortune of surviving botched abortions?  How else could we support that same man who went further than any other president ever has to elevate homosexual "rights", to the point of ignoring our laws, the very laws he has sworn to uphold?  How else could we believe it was okay that this man had to cover up a symbol of Christ before he could speak on the same stage?  How else could we vote for the party who rejected God and Israel and wanted them out of their party platform?  How could we actually support such open and blatant Godlessness?  The only way is to ignore God and pretend that we can still be good Christians in our private lives while supporting Godless acts in our public lives. When we try to do that, we are attempting to make a little god in our own image and place him in a little box and put him in his own place, and we are following a false god, because that is not the One True God of the Bible!

I have to admit I am beginning to no longer believe that God can bless America.  I want to believe that 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says, "If my people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land," means that Christians are the only responsible parties and that if we were to change our wicked ways, God could bless this country again, with or without the Godless people.  However, I just can't see God blessing a country that kills millions of babies and celebrates such an immoral culture.  It's not that I don't believe something God said.  Perhaps a part of Christians' evil ways is that they have completely missed the boat in sharing the news of Jesus Christ and changing lives.  I know God will continue to bless His people who follow Him and He will continue to draw His lost sheep to Him, even in the midst of a fallen country, and He can heal those personal lands, but I just can't believe that He will truly bless America again until America changes her wicked ways.  Once again, it is probably the fault of Christians and churches not doing their jobs that has led to this country's state and that is what must change, but for the time being, I just can't continue to display the banner, "God Bless America".

Because this blog is now about the study of God's Word, and because I have a love for the vintage, I looked for images of studying the Bible in old paintings.  I found many beautiful old images.  The one used in my banner above is from a painting by Hermann Kaulbach (1846-1909), entitled "Reading the Bible".  The image at the top of the right column is from "The Orphans, Reading the Bible", 1845, by Hughes Merle.  Below is Vincent Van Gogh's "Still Life with Open Bible," 1885:

This is "Old Woman Reading a Bible", 1630, by Gerrit Dou:

Another painting I found while I was searching is one I will not show here, but I found it very interesting.  It was the posting of a man whose wife had found a painting on eBay called "Proof Reader", depicting the devil reading the Bible, by Todd Hamilton.  Although I have no idea what the artist's intentions were, I found what I saw depicted in the painting to be very true.  The devil knows the Bible quite well, as evident in the way he quoted scripture to Jesus when he tempted Him:

And he (Satan) brought Him (Jesus) to Jerusalem, and set Him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, cast Yourself down from here, for it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'"  And Jesus answering said to him, "It is said, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'". - Luke 4:9-12

We have to know the entire Word of God in context to know when Satan tries to deceive us with scripture out of context.  I realize we can never know everything about the nature of God or everything in His Word with 100% accuracy, but if we truly seek Him, He will guide us in His Word and by His Holy Spirit, and with the very Author guiding us, we will come as close as we humanly can in this world!

Job Wishes He Had Never Been Born

(Job 2:1) Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. (2) And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" And Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down in it."

As in the last study of the first chapter of Job, once again we have a rather matter-of-fact conversation between God and Satan, as Satan has been given power over the world, and walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, as we see here.

(3) And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a pious and an upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you moved Me against him, to destroy him without cause."

Note here that although it was Satan who was given permission to destroy all that Job had, God takes full responsibility for it, as Satan could do nothing without the consent of God.

(4) And Satan answered the LORD, and said, "Skin for skin, yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. (5) But put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse You to Your face!"

Satan seeks to do more to Job in an effort to turn him from God, but can only do what God allows him to do.

(6) And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life."

God allows Satan to do whatever he wants to Job's body, but he cannot kill him.

(7) So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. (8) And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself and he sat down among the ashes. (9) Then his wife said to him, "Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!" (10) But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. What? Shall we receive good from the hand of God, and shall we not accept evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Note that Satan did not kill Job's wife, even though he had been allowed to. There is probably a very good reason and a very good lesson in that. Often Satan uses those who are close to us to tempt us. Job's wife was surely a good woman as Job points out she is talking like a foolish woman, indicating she probably knows better.

(11) Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, each one came from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. (12) And when they lifted up their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted up their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. (13) So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

There are other scriptures that indicate that seven days may have been a usual time of mourning. Job's friends sat in silent mourning with him and allowed him to be the first to speak.

(Job 3:1) After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. (2) And Job spoke, and said, (3) "Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night on which it was said, 'A male child is conceived.' (4) Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it."

"Perish the day I was born! Let that day be blotted out of history." Job laments that he was ever born.

(5) "Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it. (6) As for that night, let darkness seize it; let it not be joined to the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months."

Job wishes the day he was born had never happened.

(7) "Lo, let that night be desolate; let no joyful voice come into it."

This is a good time to point out that I generally use just the King James Version of the Bible in my transcription notes. There is good reason for that, as I have written before in Which Version of the Truth Will You Use? I guess you could say I also use a little of the New King James version to replace some of the "thee's" and "thou's" of the 1600's Old English with more modern easier-to-understand language. However, I also make it a point to look at the original meaning of the words in the Hebrew and Greek. Sometimes, as I did above, I use a different word, based on the original meaning of the word, than either the KJV or the NKJV. My transcriptions of Bible scriptures are not meant to be a new version of the Bible; they are simply my notes of scriptures rewritten to help me best understand them, and I share these notes on this blog.

I say all that to explain that I have used the word "desolate" in verse 7. It was translated as "solitary" in the KJV, and "barren" in the NKJV. The original word "galmud" can mean sterile, desolate, or solitary. KJV translated it correctly, but that word didn't exactly express the idea well to me, and as I sometimes do, I felt the NKJV may have changed the meaning a little with their word. "Desolate" gave me a better impression of the meaning of Job's statement.

(8) "Let them curse it who curse the day, those who are ready to raise up Leviathan."

The last word was translated as "mourning" in the KJV. The original word is actually "livyathan", or our English "leviathan", and since that word is used in other places in the Bible where it is not translated as "mourning", I saw no reason to try to interpret it as that here. However, as with all the Leviathan scriptures, it's a little difficult to know exactly what Job means here. Leviathan seems to have been a big and terrible and formidable creature, so perhaps the meaning here is to equate the day with some mark of infamy.

(9) "Let the stars of its twilight be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day; (10) Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hide sorrow from my eyes. (11) Why did I not die from the womb? Why did I not perish when I came out of the belly? (12) Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse? (13) For now I should have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept; then I would have been at rest,"

Death in scripture is often called sleep. If Job had died at birth, he imagines that he would now be at rest and not suffering so.

(14) "With kings and counselors of the earth, who built desolate places for themselves;"

I believe Job means here that he would have been laid at rest with kings and counselors and people of like great distinction, in great sepulchres built for themselves. I don't think he's referring to the vanity of building things that do not last, for he seems to continue with the thought that it would be a good thing if he were at rest with all the others who would be at rest, too.

(15) "Or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver; (16) Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like infants who never saw light? (17) There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest. (18) There the prisoners rest together; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor. (19) The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master."

Even the prisoners and the servants may rest there, small and great alike may rest, and that sounds good to Job in his misery.

(20) "Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, (21) Who long for death, but it does not come, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures; (22) Who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave? (23) Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?"

Why are light and life given to those in misery, those hedged in with no way of escape, those whom Job supposes just want to die?

(24) "For my sighing comes before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters. (25) For the thing which I greatly feared has come upon me, and that which I was afraid of has come upon me. (26) I was not in safety, neither had I rest, nor was I quiet; yet trouble came."

This could be a small interesting insight into the life of Job. Job was a good and pious man, but did he have an inner fear? There is a slight indication of this when he worried that his children might have sinned and therefore offered burnt offerings for them. We are told repeatedly in scripture to "fear not". Fearing not in the face of adversity is having faith in God, and even in this terrible tragedy of Job's, God is in complete control. Perhaps a better explanation for so pious a man is that this is part of the reverential fear that Job had for God. He knew that everything he had was in God's hands and could be taken away at any time: "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away."

Why Does God Allow Bad Things to Happen?

The genealogical introduction to Abraham in the last study, chronologically ordered by a Skip Andrews study, brought us to about 2000 BC. Job probably lived about the same time.

(Job 1:1) There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. (2) And there were born to him seven sons and three daughters. (3) His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. (4) And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day, and sent and called their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

Most of the early commentaries suggest feasting "every one his day" probably meant on their appointed days, perhaps birthdays, and the fact that they always invited all their sisters indicate much family harmony and good will. It should not be reasoned that these were drunken rebel-rousing type parties because they would have never invited their sisters to such events.

(5) And so it was, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all, for Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.

There was no indication that his children did anything wrong in their celebrations, but when the cycle of feasts were done, Job, being the pious man that he was, did these things just in case they had sinned or blasphemed God in their festivity.

(6) Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

The sons of God here are generally understood to mean angels by all the early commentaries.

(7) And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down in it."

Notice that this seems to be a rather matter-of-fact question and answer, as God does not become angry with Satan, but continues the discourse. Remember that Satan is the god of this world and that he continually walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, as Peter tells us in the New Testament.

(8) And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a pious and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" (9) Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? (10) Have You not made a hedge around him, around his house, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. (11) But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has, and he will curse You to Your face." (12) And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

There are people who believe this was either the act of a cruel God, or must be only a story because how could a loving God allow Satan to destroy such a good man? The old taunt of Satan's to get us to question God, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Once again Satan is the god of this world. When God told Satan that all that Job had was in his, Satan's, power, once again he was stating a matter of fact. But Satan can only do what God allows him to do, and in this instance, He did not allow Satan to touch Job's body.

Why has Satan been allowed to do all that he wants to do to us? Therein lies our choice. Do we willingly CHOOSE God or do we choose the world, and therefore Satan? If God never allowed evil and therefore evil choices, if we all lived in the Garden of Eden with no serpent ever tempting us with anything, what choice is there? We would merely be God's dolls and robots.

(13) And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house; (14) And a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, (15) When the Sabeans descended upon them and took them away; indeed, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (16) While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (17) While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (18) While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, (19) And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you." (20) Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and fell down on the ground and worshiped.

These were actions of grief, but he did not blame God, but instead worshiped Him.

(21) And he said, "Naked I came out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

I believe this is my favorite memory scripture in all the Bible. The Lord is still the Lord and He has given us salvation, true eternal life; anything else is just frill that comes and goes. The true blessing of the Lord still stands, and He is to be blessed INDEED!

(22) In all this Job did not sin, nor charge God foolishly.

Once again the question might be asked, why did Job have to suffer so much loss in so short a time? Once again the answer lies in the fact that Satan is the god of this world. Some times more bad may happen to good people because Satan thinks it takes more to drive them away from God. With some, it doesn't take much. Satan is all about keeping us from the Truth and our salvation. But why does God allow Satan to do so much? I already said I believe giving us a true choice is one reason. Another thing to remember is that God sees a much bigger picture than we do. He wants us ALL to be saved. If by allowing an example to be made of Job, more people are brought to salvation, then that is a good thing in God's eyes. And we should be willing to do God's will. Think of a parent who would willingly give his life to save his child's life. We like to think of it as being the parent's choice, like standing in the line of bullet fire to protect the child. But what if it is not the parent's choice, but it is his or her faith through a trial like death by cancer? Suppose through that child's witness of that faith or by their own grief bringing them back to the Lord, the child is saved as a result of that parent's death. Is that not a good and wonderful thing? We humans have a very different idea of what good and evil are. Although Satan does bring the evil things in our lives, God allows them because He uses them for good as we are told in the following scriptures:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. - Romans 8:28

But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. - Genesis 50:20

Blessed be the name of the LORD!

Satan Still Tempts in the Same Way Today as in the Garden of Eden

A study of Genesis Chapter 3 shows that things haven't changed in 6000+ years. Satan works in the exact same way he did back in the Garden of Eden, and people still fall for it.

Because my Bible study is following a chronological order based on "A Chronological Bible Reading Schedule" by Skip Andrews, I will begin with a genealogical preface:

(1 Chronicles 1:1) Adam, Sheth, Enosh, (2) Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, (3) Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech, (4) Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

(Genesis 3:1) Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"

Scheme #1 of Satan is to question God's Word. "Did He really say that?" No book in the history of mankind has been questioned more than the Bible!

(2) And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; (3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat of it; neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" (4) And the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die."

Satan's big lie: "You won't die." Is that not the real reason people don't come to Christ for salvation, because they don't really believe they will die an eternal death without Him? If people truly believed the Bible, everyone would be saved!

(5) "For God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."

Is this line not straight out of New Age doctrine? Your eyes will be opened; you can be as God; you will have knowledge!

(6) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

Although it began with Satan's temptation and lie, the ego and human pleasure plays a huge part. As it is now, Eve wanted pleasant things, and she wanted to feel wise, and she wanted someone to go along with her. That always makes us feel better about doing something wrong, knowing that everyone else does it!

(7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (8) And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (9) And the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" (10) And he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself." (11) And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?" (12) And the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."

This part always amuses me. We always want to blame someone else; it's not MY fault. But in this case, Adam even insinuates that it's GOD's fault: "It's that woman YOU gave me!" That excuse is used even now, like the argument that God made homosexuals the way they are. "Homosexual" is an adjective describing an ACT; it is not a person!

(13) And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Eve passes the blame, too, as people still want to today. When we can't pass it back any further, then it's because of how we were raised or that Satan made us do it. But we each have a responsibility for our own actions. Sure, it may be more difficult because of how we were raised. Sure, homosexual tendencies may be stronger in some, but just as a kleptomaniac has a stronger desire to steal, we all have temptations to overcome and do not have to act on them.

(14) And the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. (15) And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

And certainly the snake is no longer a friendly familiar being to people, but slithering on the ground, striking at the heels of man, and one of the most hated creatures being frequently struck on the head to kill it. This scripture is also a prophetic reference to Christ: The woman's seed, a descendant, would ultimately trample Satan, although Satan would bruise His human form to the point of death.

(16) To the woman He said, "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; and your desire shall be to your husband, and he shall rule over you."

John Wesley explained the woman's "sentence", as he called it, succinctly: "she is condemned to a state of sorrow and a state of subjection". The pain she experiences is not only in childbirth, but in sorrow and worry, she raises her children. Now rather than an equal helper to Adam, she is now put in subjection to him. "Your desire shall be to your husband". I have wondered if that meant your natural desire is to serve him, or whether you desire what your husband has, but he rules over you. Either way, it is subjection, and I suppose both could be true. The woman traditionally serves her husband, but the modern culture has made the woman very dissatisfied with that role, as she seeks to be "equal" to men.

(17) And unto Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it', cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. (18) Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. (19) In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return."

Man is sentenced to a life of toil and trouble. As I read this again, I am reminded of how we used to say as kids (and maybe as adults, too), "It's not fair!". Our parents told us life isn't fair. I've even heard, "Life's not fair, and then you die". Is that not the exact lot of mankind after Adam's sin: You WILL have toil and trouble all your life and then you'll return to the ground.

(20) And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. (21) Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (22) And the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever; (23) Therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. (24) So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

I believe rather than interpreting that Adam had become as God, which is what a New Age religion would have us believe that we can be God, this is better interpreted that only in the knowledge of both good and evil, has man become like God. First he knew only good, all the good things God gave to him freely in the garden. Then when he was tempted and sinned by disobeying God, he came to know evil. Then, because he sinned, he lost eternal life, and was forever separated from the tree of life, and sent to his life of toil.

These are the decisions with consequences we make in daily life. Will we accept God's way and obey Him and enjoy His blessings, or will we believe the lie of Satan that we can be as God and in the end die forever separated from God?

How Can We Really Know the Truth of What Is Going on Today?

In this day when you can no longer trust news media to be actual news, when big money and big agendas can rewrite science and history, how can you really know the truth? There really is a way. There is The Way, and He is the Truth and the Life! Jesus Christ!

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6

When we make Jesus our Lord and Savior, and follow Him, and look to His Word for guidance, we can also know truth! Jesus Christ IS The Word!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. - John 1:1-4

He is the Word and He is the Truth, and we can only have life through that Word. God really wants us to know the way, to know truth, and to have life! He sent Jesus to us, but He has also given us His Written Word, as well, and He sends us His Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. - John 15:26

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. - John 16:13

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. - John 14:16-17

Note in the last example above, that not everyone can receive the Truth. Those without Jesus as their Lord and Savior cannot have or know Truth.

We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. - 1 John 4:6

We can discern truth from error when we are of God. We can only be truly of God when we accept Jesus's sacrifice for our sins, as that is the ONLY WAY to God. We are sinful creatures, filthy rags, and cannot come before the Almighty God of the universe, except by the Way He made for us, covered by the blood of the perfect sacrifice. There is no other way. There is NO OTHER path to God!

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6

God gives us the Spirit of Truth, and He gives us wisdom through His Word. Wisdom ONLY comes from God!

For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. - Proverbs 2:6

There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD. - Proverbs 21:30

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. - Proverbs 9:10

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—
- 1 Corinthians 1:30

Those without God, meaning also those without Jesus, as that is the only way to God, cannot have wisdom.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness." - 1 Corinthians 3:19

Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools. - Romans 1:21-22

There is a good reason why we often cannot reason with those without Jesus Christ. It seems they just can't see what seems to us "common sense". It's because God has given us that wisdom, and those without God can't hear it. It used to drive me crazy because I was unable to understand why otherwise intelligent people seem to have no common sense! In a way, it does add comfort to understand why there seems to be such a wide gap between the world views today. On one hand, we have the biblical Christian world view and on the other, the world's view. The latter are led by the god of this world.

They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. - 1 John 4:5-6

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. = John 14:30

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. - 2 Corinthians 4:4

You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. - John 8:44

In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, - Ephesians 2:2

We either follow the God of the Bible or the god of the world, Satan. One thing that we must always remember is that we cannot follow two gods; it is not possible!

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. - Matthew 6:24

No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. - Luke 16:13

Many people are unknowingly following Satan because they believe that they can do good and believe in God, but still take into consideration the changing times and culture. They may say that they themselves believe in Jesus and are Christians, but then say that there are many ways to God. They actually think that they can be Christians, but disregard what God's Word said about life, sexual morality, and homosexuality. Jesus said you cannot do it! You are going to be loyal to one or the other, and if you find yourself looking to the world and its customs and culture for your world view, then you are choosing to serve the god of this world, Satan.

Most people following the world's view would get highly offended at the suggestion they were following Satan. But we've read the scriptures showing it is true! God says you can only follow one and there is only one way to Him. Additionally, the god of this world is a liar who is active every day in trying to blind the eyes of the world away from Jesus Christ! Satan may appear as an angel of light, but remember that he is out to destroy.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. - 1 Peter 5:8

The devil can appear as an angel and he knows scripture quite well. That is one of his best weapons; he can twist scripture out of context and trick people into following him, people who think they are actually doing good and following God. Since the Garden of Eden, Satan has been twisting God's words to deceive us:

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" - Genesis 3:1

Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." - Genesis 3:4-5

Note the devil's technique above. It is exactly the same today. First he gets you to question God's word. Is that really what God meant? Then he strokes your ego by telling you things you like to hear. You won't die! You can be as God! Is that not what New Age religion and liberal denominations tell us today? God's laws are constantly questioned or taken out of context. Universalists say all will go to heaven. The religion of Oprah says we are our own gods! Satan's techniques haven't changed a bit, and people still fall for the lies.

Jesus gave us a perfect example of how to fight Satan's deceits:

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'" Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. - Matthew 4:1-11

Jesus used the Word of God against the devil. Satan himself tried to use God's Word to trick Jesus, but it was taken out of context, and because Jesus knew God's Word thoroughly, He was able to completely refute Satan.

Think about it! How on earth can people expect to be able to recognize and resist the devil if he knows the word of God better than they do? I don't believe they can. They may think they can, but they are victims of Satan's lies and are "wise in their own eyes". The Bible says those people are fools. The first chapter of Romans details people who become wise in their own eyes, exchange God's truth for what their futile minds think to be true, and the process by which they will destroy themselves and God will turn them over to their debased minds and vile passions. People who do not know God's truth are fools and will fall for a lie that will ultimately destroy them.

We are fools without God's Word, but we are given wisdom in it. We can really know the truth of what is going on in the world today if we truly know the Word of God! That takes more than reading the Bible through one time. It takes a continual daily study of God's Word, and testing everything against scripture.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. - 1 John 4:1

These (the Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. - Acts 17:11