Who is putting us to the test? How are we made perfect or complete today? How is our being tested related to our being made perfect? Who can we look to for help?
In all that we do we try to pattern ourselves after Christ who came and showed us how we should live and treat people. In the sermon on the Mount Christs teaching emphasized that we need to be acting in a godly manner, as he points out:
Matthew 5:48… YOU must accordingly be perfect, as YOUR heavenly Father is perfect (Strong’s #G5046 mature).
To be made perfect or complete today we have to become mature in our spiritual growth and to pattern our life after Christ, who patterned his life after Gods will.
How was Christ Jesus / Yeshua put to the test and how will knowing that help us?
After receiving the Holy Spirit Christ Jesus was led into the wilderness for 40 days to be tested. The Lord Jesus underwent three tests that were put to him by the devil. As we look at these three tests, we will analyze them to see what we can learn.
Matthew 4:1-4… Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. 3 The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” 4 Christ said in reply, “It is written: ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’”
The devil wanted Christ Jesus to prove that he was a son of God by relying on himself for substance. Christ Jesus retorted the above showing the importance of giving attention to God’s word in our daily lives. Christ Jesus realized the correlation between his being tested the 40 days in the wilderness and the Israelite nation being tested 40 years. So, when he replied to the devil, he quoted Scripture from Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 8:1-6… You must carefully follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase, and may enter and take possession of the land the Lord swore to your fathers. 2 Remember that the Lord your God led you on the entire journey these 40 years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. 3 He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then He gave you manna to eat, which you and your fathers had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothing did not wear out, and your feet did not swell these 40 years. 5 Keep in mind that the Lord your God has been disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. 6 So keep the commands of the Lord your God by walking in His ways and fearing Him.
The test that God allowed showed what was in the heart of the Israelite nation. This particular test was to allow the nation to become hungry, then God fed them bread with very specific instructions on how and when they could eat it.
If we have given our life over to God than he will take care of us, we do not need to unduly worry or try to take care of ourselves. We just need to comply to what he asks of us. We need to trust God with our life.
Matthew 4:5-7… Then the devil took him to the holy city and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ and ‘with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus answered him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’”
How about that, the devil took the point about trusting God with our life and turned it back on to Christ as a test. He even quoted from Scripture to prove it. That is why it’s very important to know all of what God has said because the wicked one will twist the word of God even to the point of misrepresenting God’s word.
Christ Jesus did not forget the lesson that the Israelite nation had to learn in the wilderness, especially with the respect to pushing back against God’s will. It became a test as the nation contended against God. Exodus 17:2-7
Looking at the last test, the devil offers Christ Jesus something he himself had desired from the beginning, that is authority over the earth.
Matthew 4:8-10… Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, 9 and he said to him, “All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.” 10 At this, Jesus said to him, “Get away, Satan! It is written: ‘The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.’
Again, for the third time Christ Jesus makes reference to what Moses told the Israelite nation as they readied themselves for entry into the promised land.
Deuteronomy 6:12-17… be careful not to forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. 13 Fear Yahweh your God, worship Him, and take your oaths in His name. 14 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you, 15 for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God. Otherwise, the Lord your God will become angry with you and wipe you off the face of the earth. 16 Do not test the Lord your God as you tested Him at Massah (Exodus 17:2-7). 17 Carefully observe the commands of the Lord your God, the decrees, and statutes He has commanded you.
Giving undue attention other than to God can become a form of idol worship. To the point that we might forget that the Lord our God watches over us. He requires us to observe his commandments, decrees, and statutes. His word is powerful, and we need to live by it, because it means our lives.
Christ Jesus set a perfect example for us; we can become spiritually mature following his example. We will be able to give a word at the proper time when we are being put to the test. We can call out to him who has been put to the test, yes to Yeshua / Jesus Christ we can call to find help at the right time.
Hebrews 4:12-16… For the word of God is alive and efficient and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any created thing that is not manifested in his presence, but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him of whom we speak. 14 Having, therefore, a great high priest who penetrated the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast this profession of our hope. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of his grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Come Lord you are the blessed one who comes in the name of the Father!
Writingwithlogos.com – Last revised 5/23/24