8 May 2026 We are proceeding to study the SERMON of YESHUA on the MOUNT…
THE GOSPELS, Matthew 4:1-1, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-2a The Temptation of Yeshua the Messiah
11 April 2025
We are studying Mathew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13 and Luke 4:1-13 about THE TEMPTATION of YESHUA THE MESSIAH in the WILDERNESS. And today we are going to focus on Matthew 4:1 studying WHO exactly the ADVERSARY is who TEMPTED YESHUA our MESSIAH in the WILDERNESS in order for us to KNOW OUR ENEMY and in the EXAMPLE of our MESSIAH learn how to RESIST him and use the WORD as a SWORD against him.
We are mainly reading from the Complete Jewish Study Bible – insight for Jews and Christians. And use the Hebrew names of God, YHVH (Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh) where the word LORD in English are indicated in capital letters in the Scriptures and use the Hebrew Name Yeshua the Messiah instead of the English Name Jesus Christ translated from the Greek.
We read in Matthew 4:1 “Then the (capital letter) SPIRIT led Yeshua up into the WILDERNESS TO BE TEMPTED BY THE ADVERSARY (opponent, challenger, enemy).” The Mark 1:12-13 version says it stronger: “Immediately the SPIRIT drove Him out into the WILDERNESS, and He was in the wilderness FORTY DAYS being TEMPTED by the ADVERSARY. He was with the WILD ANIMALS, and the ANGELS TOOK CARE OF HIM.” The Luke 4:1-2a version says it best “Then YESHUA FILLED with the RUACH HaKodesh (the HOLY SPIRIT), returned from the Jordan (where He was baptized by John), and was LED by the SPIRIT in the WILDERNESS for FORTY DAYS of TESTING by the ADVERSARY.”
The Jewish Study Bible explains: The ADVERSARY (Satan) is a CREATED BEING and NOT equal to YHVH, HIS CREATOR. The GREEK DIABOLOS (usually translated “devil”) appears 30 time in the NEW TESTAMENT.
Satan translated from the Hebrew word HaSatan meaning “adversary, opponent and rebel” appears more than 50 times in the NEW TESTAMENT. The Hebrew root word for ADVERSARY is ACCUSER (challenger, criticizer). And in REVELATION 12:9-10 John identifies the DRAGON as the ANCIENT SERPENT (ha-nachash in Hebrew), and the SERPENT in the GARDEN of EDEN, THE DEVIL, the SLANDERER (the backbiter) and ACCUSER, SATAN, the ADVERSARY, the DECIEVER of the WHOLE WORLD (Revelation 20:2-3) and the ACCUSER of BELIEVERS. In the Book of JOB, Satan is presented as a PERSONAL PRESENCE, not yet cast from heaven but as an ACCUSER of the RIGHTEOUSS SERVANTS of GOD. He is presented as a PROSECUTING ATTORNEY among the HEAVENLY COURT. This is also confirmed in the BOOK of REVELATION in chapter 12:7-10 saying: “…there was a battle in heaven – Mikha-el and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough to win, so that there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The great dragon was thrown out, that ancient serpent, also known as the Devil and Satan (the Adversary), the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying, “Now have come GOD’s VICTORY, POWER and KINGSHIP, and the AUTHORITY of HIS MESSIAH; because the accuser of our brothers (fellow believers), who accuses them day and night before GOD (the Father) has been thrown out! So here we see Satan was cast out of heaven as Yeshua stated in Luke 10:18 saying: “…I saw Satan fall like lighting from heaven.” So Satan must have been cast out from heaven somewhere between Job (estimated to be written 2000 to 1800 years before the Messiah) and Luke (written 60 years after the Messiah). Possibly during the encounter of Genesis 6:1-2 when the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were attractive and took them, for themselves as explained in 2nd Peter 2:4 and Jude 1:6 saying: “God did not spare the angels who sinned. They did not keep within their original authority, but abandoned their proper sphere (domain, territory)…” They are also called the NEPHILIM in Hebrew meaning “fallen angels”. And in the Book of Enoch, written by Enoch a decedent of Seth, the third child of Adam and Eve from which the Messiah came who walked with God and did not die but was taken away by YHVH at 365 years of age (read Genesis 5:1-24), Enoch called them WATCHERS who defiled themselves with women and caused great defilement (violation, ruin, harm, destruction, damage) on the earth.
The Nelson Foundational Dictionary confirms this when saying that Satan is the chief of the fallen spirits. And it is generally believed that the SIN of PRIDE caused him to FALL from his former state (read Isaiah 14:12-14). Also read 1st Timothy 3:6.
He was the TEMPTER of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:1-15) also mentioned by Paul in 2nd Corinthians 11:3. He is a MURDERER and LIAR (John 8:44 and Revelation 20:10) and Peter presents him as a DEVOURING lion in 1st Peter 5:8.
Satan is the PERSONIFICATION of EVIL in this world and he is the great enemy of God, His people and all that is GOOD. His character is vile and evil and he is portrayed as the GREAT DECEIVER (liar, fraud, cheat). So sly is Satan in his deception that he sometimes transforms himself into an angel of light (read 2 Corinthians 11:14). He has a continued ambition to replace God and have others WORSHIP him as we see in Matthew 4:8-9. He constantly TEMPS people to try to entice them INTO SIN. (1st Thessalonians 3:5). The names and titles used for Satan in the New Testament throws further light on his character: Beelzebub, ruler (or prince) of demons (Matthew 12:24), the wicked one (Matthew 13:19), the enemy (Matthew 13:39) ruler of this world (John 12:31 and 14:30), (small letter) god of this age (2nd Corinthians 4:4), Belial an Old Testament term meaning wickedness or ungodliness (read 2 Samuel 23:6 as well as in the New Testament in 2nd Corinthians 6:15). The prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), ruler of darkness (Ephesians 6:12), the king of death (Hebrews 2:14), angel of the bottomless pit, named Abaddon and meaning DESTRUCTION, and APOLLYON meaning DESTROYER (Revelation 9:11).
His character is further cunning (sneaky, devious, deceitful, dishonest, and untrustworthy), Genesis 3:1 and 2nd Corinthians 11:3. He is fierce (violent, brutal, aggressive, angry) Luke 8:29 and cowardly (James 4:7), He HAS POWER OVER THE WICKED. THEY ARE HIS CHILDREN (Acts 13:10 and 1st John 3:10); THEY DO his WILL (John 8:44). They are PUNISHED with him (Matthew 25:41).
He possess (Luke 22:3), blinds (2 Corinthians 4:4), deceives (Revelation 20:7-8) and ensnares (catch and trap) people (1 Timothy 3:7).
Throughout the Word we see that Satan’s aims are malicious, hateful, spiteful, wicked, nasty, mean, unkind, vindictive, destructive and harmful.
WE HOWEVER MUST UNDERSTAND God also sometimes grant Satan power over His people to TEMPT them, like we see in the case of Matthew 4:1 where the HOLY SPIRIT led Yeshua the Messiah to the WILDERNESS to BE TEMPTED with the purpose of TESTING HIM before He commenced with HIS MINSTRY (also read 1st Chronicles 21:1) As well as to AFFLICT (like Job in chapter 2:7), OPPOSE (like Joshua the high priest in Zechariah 3:1), SIFT (like Peter in Luke 22:31), DECEIVE (like the Corinthians in 2nd Corinthians 11:3), and to DISGUISE himself (as an angel of light as indicated in 2nd Corinthians 11:14-15).
He is the enemy of God and the divine order according to Matthew 13:38-39 and Revelation 12:17. He PERSECUTES and makes war against the people of God who KEEP GOD’s COMMANDMENTS and BEAR WITNESS of Yeshua the Messiah.
BELIEVERS are NOT POWERLESS, they are GIVEN AUTHORITY by YESHUA the MESSIAH over all the Enemy’s forces (Luke 10:19). And BELIEVERS are taught in the WORD of GOD to WATCH out for Satan (2nd Corinthians 2:10-11), FIGHT AGAINST him with the ARMOUR and WEAPONS of GOD (Ephesians 6:11-16), RESIST him and put him to flight as explained by James 4:7 and 1 Peter 5:9 and we will clearly see in the rest of Matthew chapter 4 in the TEMPTATION of YESHUA the MESSIAH in the WILDERNESS.
And we know Yeshua came to DESTROY his works in accordance to Genesis 3:15 and confirmed in 1st John 3:8 and He TRIUMPHED over Satan. This was PREDICTED (Genesis 3:15), PORTRAYED (Matthew 4:1-11), PROCLAIMED (Luke 10:18) and PERFECTED (Mark 3:22-28) and therefore BELIEVERS can OVERCOME him (also read 1st John 2:13 and Revelation 12:10-11).
So let’s talk in SUMMARY about the THREE ENEMIES that are constantly trying to defeat the BELIEVER’s TESTIMONY and SPIRITUAL SUCCESS and which have to be OVERCOME by each BELIEVER.
- THE WORLD
The KEY of CONQUERING the WORLD is the LOVE OF THE FATHER. Realizing that HE IS LOVE (1st John 4:16), that HE LOVES us so much that He was willing to DIE for us in the form of HIS SON YESHUA the MESSIAH (John 3:16). UNDERSTANDING that HIS LAWS, WAYS and INSTRUCTIONS in HIS WORD is called His LAW OF LOVE – to LOVE HIM ABOVE ALL ELSE and TO LOVE OTHER PEOPLE AS WE LOVE OURSELVES (Matthew 22:34-40 and Romans 13:8-10) and it is MEANT to KEEP US SAFE and PROTECTED. And KNOWING that although our SIN can SEPARATE us from HIS PRESENCE since HE IS a HOLY GOD that requires us to LIVE HOLY LIVES to be in HIS PRESENCE and to REMIAN there, we know FOR SURE, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers, neither what exists nor what is coming, neither powers above nor powers below, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the LOVE of GOD which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua (Romans 8:37-39).
The GREEK word for WORLD is KOSMOS. The root word meaning “order” or “arrangement”. The main meaning of the word KOSMOS is the ORGANIZED SYSTEM under the devil’s CONTROL and leaves out God the Father and Yeshua the Son. KOSMOS is a major New Testament word with over half of its occurrence in John’s Gospel with the verdict in 1 John 5:19 “…the WHOLE WORLD lies under the SWAY (power, influence, control, authority, command, rule) of the wicked one.”
Two related words are KOSMIKOS (translated to English as COSMIC) meaning “WORDLY” or “pertaining to the earth.” And the word: KOSMOSKRATOR meaning “WORDLY” in an EVIL SENSE being LUSTS or STRONG DESIRES that Paul teaches us to DENY (Titus 2:12). The KOSMOSKRATOR, COSMOCRATS in ENGLISH are the word for RULERS used in Ephesians 6:12 – EVIL FORCES the BELIEVER has to contend with. Though they are DEMONIC, they work through FLESH-AND-BLOOD (that is HUMAN) ENEMIES.
- THE FLESH
VICTORY over the FLESH is THROUGH the HOLY SPIRIT. Paul tells us in Romans chapter 8:13 “For if you live according to your OLD NATURE, you will CERTAINLY DIE; but if, BY THE SPIRIT, you KEEP PUTTING TO DEATH the practices of the BODY, YOU WILL LIVE.”
The LITERAL meaning of FLESH is found in the EXPRESIONS like “FLESH and BLOOD” and “FLESH and BONES” and refers to the HUMAN BODY. And we know David describes the HUMAN BODY in Psalm 139:14 as AWESOMELY as WONDERFULLY made. The HUMAN BODY is therefore created by GOD and in NO WAY EVIL but IT CAN BE USED FOR EVIL. As a DESTRUCTIVE INFLUENCE the FLESH (NOT referring to the HUMAN BODY, but meaning the FALLEN SINFUL NATURE), can be our most INSIDIOUS (sinister, deceptive, devious) ENEMY because it is INSIDE A BELIEVER and EVER PRESENT with its DEPRAVED (immoral, corrupt, evil) CRAVINGS. Even sincere and devout BELIEVERS (including the apostle PAUL), can have TREMENDOUS STRUGLES with the FLESH. One should not think that you are not a TRUE BELIEVER because of such TEMPTATIONS. The whole TERRIBLE catalog of the WORKS of the FLESH is recounted in Galatians 5:19-21 namely sexual immorality, impurity and indecency, involvement with the occult and with drugs, in feuding, fighting, becoming jealous and getting angry, selfish ambition, factionalism, intrigue (plotting, scheming), envy, drunkenness, orgies (wild celebrations) and things like these.
The SECRET of VICTORY over the FLESH is to be LED by the HOLY SPIRIT. Paul tells us in Galatians 5:16 “WALK (live your live) in the (HOLY) SPIRIT, and you shall not fulfill the LUST of the FLESH.” How do we do it? FOLLOW the INSTRUCTIONS of the NARROW WAY through YESHUA our MESSIAH by following the REDEMPTION PLAN of YHVH through KEEPING the ANNUAL SEVEN FEASTS leading us through SEVEN STEPS to GOD the FATHER and KEEPING us within HIS SANCTUARY and PRESENCE, FREE of FEAR, SHAME and GUILT and SAFE and PROTECTED from the ENEMY.
- THE DEVIL
POWER over the devil is in the SON of GOD, YESHUA the MESIAH who came to DESTROY the WORKS of the devil and GIVES BELIEVERS the AUTHORITY over all the power of the enemy (1st John 3:8 and Matthew 28:18, Mark 16:17-18 and Luke 10:19).
The BELIEVER’s DEFENCE against the devil is “the whole armor of God” (Ephesians 16:10-17). The devil is a DEFEATED FOE, the MESSIAH bested him at CALVARY. Nevertheless he will remain active in the WORLD until he is locked up for one thousand years when Yeshua the Messiah returns and he will ultimately be thrown in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:2-3 & 10). And while we as BELIEVERS should NOT fear him, we are to treat him with respect as we read in Jude 9. And resist him in accordance to the instructions in the WORD with the AUHTORITY given to us by MESSIAH YESHUA.
And each time we CHOOSE TO RESIST TEMPTATION and act in OBEDIENCE to the promptings (warnings and encouragements) of the HOLY SPIRIT in line with the WORD of GOD, we are CONQUERING the DEVIL and the FLESH!