8 May 2026 We are proceeding to study the SERMON of YESHUA on the MOUNT…
THE GOSPELS, Matthew 4:8-11, & Luke 4:5-7, Worship YHVH your God and serve only Him
9 May 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 4:8-11.
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.
In Matthew 4:8-9 we read: “Then the Adversary (opponent, challenger, enemy, Satan according to Revelation 12:9) took Him up to the summit of a very high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in all their glory, and said to Him, ‘All this I will give You if You will bow down and worship me.” The Luke 4:5-7 version says: “The Adversary took Him up, showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world, and said to Him, ‘I will give you all this power. It has been handed over to me and I give it to whomever I choose. So if you will worship me, it will all be yours.”
And in Matthew 4:10-11 Yeshua replied: “Away with you, Satan! Yeshua told him, ‘For the Tanakh (the Old Testament) says, ‘Worship YHVH your God, and serve only Him.’ Then the Adversary let Him alone, and angels came and took care of Him.”
This is a quotation of Deuteronomy 6 where Israel had been instructed to preserve the COMMANDMENTS OF GOD and to LOVE HIM as well as PROMISES of GOD. And we read in verses 13-14: “You are to FEAR YHVH your GOD, SERVE HIM and SWEAR BY HIS NAME. You are NOT to follow other (small letter) gods, chosen from the gods of the peoples (the nations) around you;”
This is actually a reiteration of COMMANDMENT one to three (specifying how to LOVE GOD above all else) of the TEN COMMANDMENTS as written in Exodus 20:3-5.
So how did Satan get ALL this power over ALL the kingdoms of the earth that he tried to offer to Yeshua?
BEFORE WE explore on this in the Word, PLEASE NOTE THE DIFFERENCE: YHVH the CREATOR OF HEAVEN and EARTH is the OWNER of HEAVEN and EARTH and NOTHING and NO-ONE CAN CHANGE THAT! (Read Genesis 1:1, Psalm 47:7-8, 103:19, John 1:3, Hebrews 1:3). But Satan is the RULER of THE KINGDOMS of the WORLD. HEAVEN and EARTH will exist as long as YHVH the God of ISRAEL decide it to exist, it stands on the ROCK, Yeshua Himself and He holds everything together as we read in Colossians 1:17. But we know THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD COME AND GO, it literally stands on shaky ground, just as Satan himself who’s end is in the Lake of Fire as already determined and described in Revelations 20:10. So with that in mind, let’s delve into this in the Word to enable us to understand it more clearly.
So, what did Satan mean in Luke 4:7 saying: the KINGDOMS of the WORLD have been handed over to him?
In the Garden of Eden, YHVH warned Adam that THE DAY they eat from the TREE of the KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL in the middle of the Garden of Eden, THEY WILL DIE (Genesis chapter 2). Many of us may understand this as PHYSICAL DEATH but after being cast out of the Garden, and after the death of Abel, the birth of Seth took place when Adam was 130 years old and Adam died at age 930 years (read Genesis 5:1-5). So what did God then mean by “THE DAY they eat of it, they will die? ”.
Let’s take a closer look at what happened in Genesis 3 and how it relates to the TEMPTATION OF YESHUA THE MESSIAH in the DESSERT we read about in Matthew 4:1-10.
First of all, we have to take note again of WHO LED YESHUA THE MESSIAH after HIS BAPTISM to the DESSERT to be TEMPTED by the ADVERSARY which we now know is Satan, the same ANCIENT SERPENT of Genesis chapter 3? We read without a doubt in Matthew 4:1, Mark 1:12 and Luke 4:1 it was THE HOLY SPIRIT. We confirmed in our study of Matthew 4:5-7 last week that YHVH the GOD that we serve is a GOD that TESTS HEARTS and MINDS to KNOW if WE LOVE HIM ABOVE ALL ELSE with ALL OUR HEAR, ALL OUR SOUL and ALL OUR STRENGTH and THEREFORE WILL OBEY HIM (Deuteronomy 8:2 &16 and 13:3, Proverbs 17:3, 1 Thessalonians 2:4, James 1:12, John 14:15, Revelation 12:11 & 17 and Revelation 22:7-14). Many understand this as GOD wanting a FAITHFUL BRIDE. We can identify with this, NO ONE WANTS an UNFAITHFUL WIFE or HUSBAND. God has been PROVEN to be FAITHFUL and HE WANTS a FAITHFUL BRIDE for HIS SON, YESHUA the MESSIAH (Paul understood this perfectly well and explained it in 2 Corinthians 11:2). So with this in mind, as well as KNOWING GOD ALMIGHTY is ALWAYS in CONTROL. We have to accept that the ANCIENT SERPENT (Satan himself, also known as the adversary of humankind) in the Garden of Eden was ALLOWED by YHVH to TEST Adam and Eve with TEMPTATION after they have been properly TRAINED and WARNED by YHVH HIMSELF! (Genesis chapter 2).
And the METHOD OF TESTING we see in the Garden of Eden and in YESHUA’s TESTING in Mathew 4:1-10 is EXACTLY THE SAME. The Jewish Study Bible explains: The Adversary used these same THREE TEMPTATIONS in the Garden of Eden: “When the woman saw that the tree is good for food (that is the DESIRE OF THE FLESH), that it had a pleasing appearance (the DESIRE OF THE EYES) and that the tree was desirable for making one wise (the PRETENTIONS/ SELF-IMPORTANCE/ ARROGANCE/ PRIDE OF LIFE), she took some of it and ate.” Genesis 3:6. Satan presents Yeshua in Matthew 4:1-10 with each of the THREE CATEGORIES OF TEMPTATION comprising of the DESIRES OF THE OLD NATURE.
John explains it in 1 John 2:15-17 “Do NOT LOVE THE WORLD or the THINGS OF THE WORLD. If someone LOVES THE WOLD, then LOVE FOR THE FATHER IS NOT IN HIM; because ALL THE THINGS OF THE WORLD – THE DESIRES OF THE OLD NATURE, THE DESIRES OF THE EYES AND THE PRETENSIONS OF LIFE (self-importance, pride, arrogance) – are NOT form the FATHER but FROM THE WORLD.
The Afrikaans Bible in Practice further explains: The third TEMPTATION to WORSHIP Satan has to do with a spiritual need to be IMPORTANT, HAVE POWER and TO PERFORM. The doubt created was: “Will God lead me?” The possible weakness that Satan wanted to expose was the desire to gain power quickly, to find easy solutions and to show that you are equal to God.
One can maybe ask – WHY was EVE TESTED FIRST and WHY did ADAM SUBMIT to EVE’s invitation to eat of the FRUIT of the FORBIDDEN TREE? The answer may be easier than one thinks! It is because GOD WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS IN ADAM’S HEART, IF HE LOVED GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE OR PERHAPS NOW LOVED EVE MORE THAN GOD. And unfortunately, ADAM failed the test because he loved EVE more than GOD resulting in choosing to OBEY Eve rather than GOD! But the surprising result is, after their eyes opened in their FALLEN STATE, ADAM who loved Eve MORE than he loved God to the point of OBEYING HER COMMANDS, RATHER than the COMMANDS OF GOD, now started BLAMING Eve. So, this BIG LOVE for Eve was short lived…and that is exactly the REASON why God commands us to LOVE and OBEY HIM above ALL ELSE. ONLY HE can GIVE US PERFECT LOVE because HE IS THE SOURCE OF PURE and PERFECT LOVE and INDEED, HE IS LOVE ITSELF (read 1 John 4:16). And therefore, WHEN WE PUT HIM FIRST and OBEY HIS LOVE COMMANDMENTS (because that is TRUE LOVE, aiming to KEEP US SAVE and PROTECTED from HARM), ONLY THEN are we able to LOVE ourselves and other people.
So what HAPPENED to ADAM and EVE THE DAY they SINNED/ CHOSE TO GO AGAINST GOD’s LAW (commandment not to eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree)? They LOST HIS SPIRIT – the HOLY SPIRIT IN THEM and THEREFORE they became aware of their NAKEDNESS (their sinfulness, their FLESH/ SINFUL NATURE). Some of us have seen loved ones who died and noticed the strange sensation/ impression of seeing the person we have known for many years but are now looking like a human sized doll – their spirits have left their bodies as we read in Ecclesiastes 12:6-7. This will happen to ALL LIVING PEOPLE on the EARTH due to the FALL of Adam and Eve, all of us will die the FIRST DEATH (Romans 6:23, Hebrews 9:27, 1 Corinthians 15:22). But something else happened THAT DAY Adam and Eve were SEPARATED FROM YHVH their GOD – they LOST THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT who cannot live in a place of willful sin (read Isaiah 63:10, Acts 7:51, Romans 8:9 & 14, Galatians 5:16, Ephesians 1:13 & 4:30 and 1 Thessalonians 5:19) and this is referred to as SPIRITUAL DEATH. The rest of the Bible then becomes instructions (directions, guidelines, teachings also in the Tabernacle that had to be set up in accordance to YHVH’s plan showed to Moses on Mount Sinai), examples (through the lives of Biblical characters and events like the Exodus) and rehearsals (practices, preparations through the Seven Feasts of YHVH including the weekly Feast the Shabbat as explained in Leviticus 23) on the JOURNEY to find OUR WAY back to become SPIRITUALY ALIVE again and in the end RECEIVE EVERLASTING LIFE (meaning NOT dying the SECOND DEATH).
We have to be RESSURECTED out of our SPIRITUAL DEATH (be born again as Yeshua our Messiah explained to Nicodemus in John 3:1-21) that we died due to Adam and Eve’s sin. This happens when we take a DECISION to CRUCIFY our FLESH (OUR SINFUL NATURE) with YESHUA our MESSIAH who died to pay the full price to REDEEM us from Satan who is the one who encourages the FLESH to SIN and leads to SECOND DEATH, meaning ETERNAL DEATH (read Revelation 20:11-15).
Paul explains this excellently in Ephesians 2:1-10 saying to believers: “YOU USED TO BE DEAD BECAUSE OF YOUR SINS AND ACTS OF DISOBEDIENCE. You WALKED IN THE WAYS of the olam hazeh (a Hebrew word for: THIS WORLD) and OBEYED the Ruler of the Powers of the Air, who is still at work among the DISOBEDIENT (the defiant, noncompliant, rebellious, insubordinate, wayward). INDEED, WE ALL ONCE LIVED THIS WAY – WE FOLLOWED THE PASSIONS OF OUR OLD NATURE and OBEYED THE WISHES OF OUR OLD NATURE and OUR OWN THOUGHTS. In our NATURAL CONDITION we were HEADED for GOD’S WRATH, just like everyone else. But GOD is SO RICH in MERCY and LOVES US WITH SUCH INTENSE LOVE, that even when WE WERE DEAD because of OUR ACTS OF DISOBEDIENCE, HE BROUGHT US TO LIFE ALONG WITH THE MESSIAH – it is by GRACE that you have been DELIVERED. That is, GOD THE FATHER, RAISED US UP WITH THE MESSIAH YESHUA and seated us with Him in heaven (this is referring to dying with Yeshua on the cross, being buried with Him in baptism and being raised as a new person – this is therefore referring to the FIRST THREE FEASTS OF YHVH as part of our SALVATION and SANCTIFICATION PROCESS, having access to our Father in Heaven through Yeshua our Messiah’s position at the Father’s right hand after His ascension to heaven – we are therefore directly represented in heaven by our Messiah Yeshua!). And Paul explains it further in verse 6-7 as: “That is, God raised us up with the Messiah Yeshua and seated us with Him in heaven, in order to exhibit in the ages to come how INFINITELY RICH is HIS GRACE, how GREAT is HIS KINDNESS toward us who are UNITED WITH THE MESSIAH YESHUA (remember His Holy Spirit LIVES IN US when we are FILLED BY HIM after dying to the OLD NATURE and living in obedience to His Word). For you have been DELIVERED BY GRACE THROUGH TRUSTING (having faith, believe, hope), and even this IS NOT YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENT BUT GOD’S GIFT. You were NOT delivered by your own actions; therefore NO one should boast. For we are of GOD’S MAKING, CREATED IN UNION WITH THE MESSIAH YESHUA FOR A LIFE OF GOOD ACTIONS ALREADY PREPARED BY GOD FOR US TO DO (the purpose/ calling He made us for!).”
Furthermore – Adam and Eve, created in the likeness and image of God as humankind were appointed by YHVH to MULTIPLY and to RULE over the EARTH (Genesis 1:26-28), gave the RULERSHIP over to Satan when they CHOSE to OBEY his LYING VOICE, his rules RATHER THAN YHVH the CREATOR of HEAVEN and EARTH. We note from Genesis 9, after the FLOOD – God again made a COVENANT with NOAH and his sons SHEM, JAFETH and HAM, but this time the RULERSHIP part is absent, we only see the MULTIPLYING and fill the EARTH part of the initial covenant with Adam (read Genesis chapter 9:1-18).
That may be the reason why so many of the KINGS appointed of whom we read in 1st and 2nd Kings were evil kings, even being from the tribes of Judah and Ephraim, because Satan is the ruler of THE WORLDLY KINGDOMS. This is also CONFIRMED in Revelation 13:2 where we read that the BEAST (coming up out of the sea, with other words out of the NATIONS) is given by the DRAGON (which we know according to Revelation 12:9 is Satan himself), its POWER, THRONE and GREAT AUTHROTIY – the beast world system is therefore the pinnacle of Satan’s worldly kingdom which has begun and had been operating since Genesis chapter 3.
We also know God did not institute the EARTHLY KING SYSTEM – it was instituted in the pagan nations under leadership of the RULER of the WORLD, Satan and his evil forces. God ruled His people together with PRIESTS and PROPHETS as He did through Moses, Joshua and Samuel but in the time of the JUDGES (the leaders appointed by God over Israel), the Israelites became disobedient to God and followed the pagan practices of the nations surrounding them and the Book of Judges ends with these tragic words: “At that time there was no king (please note their KING should have been God); a man simply did whatever he thought was right.” And as we know, when this happens Satan love it and he steps in to rule, divide and conquer. But God always raises up a REMANT of FIATHFUL people and we see SAMUEL as the LAST JUDGE, PROPHHET and LEVITE PRIEST leading God’s people, but the people insisted on having a KING like the nations around them. Samuel was upset with the people, but YHVH said to Samuel IN 1st Samuel chapter 8:7-9. “Listen to the people, to everything they say to you, for it is NOT you they are rejecting; THEY ARE REJECTING ME, THEY DON’T WANT ME TO BE KING OVER THEM. They are doing to you exactly what they have been doing to ME, from the DAY I brought them out of Egypt until today, by ABANDONING ME and serving other gods. So, DO what they say, BUT GIVE THEM A SOBER WARNING, TELLING THEM WHAT KINDS OF RULINGS THER KING WILL MAKE.”
Samuel then gave the rulings kings make, like recruiting their sons and assigning them to take care of his chariots, be his horseman and bodyguards running ahead of his chariots. He will appoint them to serve him as officers in charge of a thousand or of fifty, plowing his fields, gathering his harvest, and making his weapons and equipment for his chariots. He will take their daughters and have them to be perfume-makers, cooks and bakers. He will expropriate (take, confiscate) their field, vineyards and olive groves –the very best of them! – and hand them over to his servants. He will take the ten percent tax of your crops and your vineyards and give it to his officers and servants. He will take your male and female servants, your best young men and your donkeys, and make them work for him. He will take the ten percent of your flocks, and YOU WILL BECOME HIS SERVANTS. When that happens you will cry out (cry for help) on account of your king WHOM YOU YOURSELVES CHOSE. But when that happens, YHVH WILL NOT ANSWER you! And sadly, we read in verses 19-22 “However, the people REFUSED TO LISTEN to what Samuel told them and said, ‘No! WE WANT A KING OVER US, SO THAT WE CAN BE LIKE ALL THE NAIONS, WITH OUR KING TO JUDGE US, LEAD US AND FIGHT OUR BATTLESS. Samuel heard everything the people said and repeated them for YHVH to hear. YHVH said to Samuel, ‘DO WHAT THEY ASK, AND SET UP A KING FOR THEM.”
And hereafter SAUL is selected by God and appointed as KING but Saul follow his own head rather than obeying God and this leads to his destruction and God select DAVID to be appointed as KING and David, although he struggled to put to death his own sinful flesh, and made many mistakes, was willing to REPENT when he realized his mistakes and return to OBEDIENCE to God’s LAW (Torah). Please read Psalm 19 and Psalm 119 as proof of this. David also served as a PROPHET of God, writing many Messianic Psalms like Psalm 2 and Psalm 22. And God promised David that HIS HOUSE (the house of Judah) and his KINGDOM will be made SECURE FOREVER and his THRONE will be set up FOREVER – it therefore addresses the MESSIANIC KINGSHIP (of Yeshua the Messiah) through the line of David (2 Samuel 7:12-16, 1 Chronicles 5:2, Genesis 49:10, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Micah 5:2, Matthew 6:2, Romans 15:12, Psalm 78:68-69).
And we see a depiction of the sort of KING YHVH desires in the words of David to Solomon: to be STRONG, show himself a MAN. KEEP the charge of YHVH his God, to WALK in HIS WAYS (in obedience to Him), to KEEP His STATUTES, HIS COMMANDEMETNS, and HIS TESTOMONIES, according to what is written in the TORAH (Genesis to Deuteronomy), so that he will succeed in all that he do and wherever he goes (1 Kings 2:3). And IF David’s decedents do this, YHVH will FULFILL what HE PROMISED David by saying: “If your children pay attention TO HOW THEY LIVE, CONDUCTING THEMSELVES BEFORE ME HONESLTLY with ALL THEIR HEART and BEING (SOUL), you will NEVER LACK a man on the THRONE OF ISRAEL (1 King 2:4)
And in Proverbs 31:1-9 the following guidelines are given for a KING: he does not give his strength to woman or his ways to that which destroys kings. It is not for kings too drink wine or strong liquor, for they may drink, then forgot what they decreed and pervert the justice due to the poor. He opens his mouth for the mute, for the rights of the unfortunate, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.
And we KNOW the KING of the MILLENIUM REIGN (the thousand-year reign of peace) WILL BE YESHUA THE MESSIAH – He will be the KING of kings (read Revelation 17:14, 19:11-16 and 20:1-6). And the ULTIMATE KING will be YHVH, GOD THE FATHER, read 1 Corinthians 15:24-28.
After David, his son Solomon followed him up as KING and he started off well but ends his life in idolatry, worshipping the gods of his thousand wives and concubines. In his son, Rehoboam’s time, the KINGDOM of ISRAEL divides into a SOUTHERN KINGDOM (Juda and the smaller tribe of Benjamin) and a NORTHERN KINGDOM (the other TEN TRIBES under leadership of EPRAIM). And then we see one evil king after another come and go with NO GOOD KINGS in the NORTHERN KINGDOM and only a few good KINGS in the Southern KINGDOM. The reason being that the KINGDOMS of the WORLD belongs to Satan and when appointed as king, the danger is that the POWER vested in this one person creates delusions of GREATNESSS and PRIDE and the person thinks he does not need God because he can command and do as he please. A consequence is the misusing of power and authority and suppressing people not in line with their thoughts especially people not willing to “worship” them. This led to many periods of persecution in the world, especially of believer’s sin YHVH the God of Israel. We see therefore the FLESH, the OLD SINFUL nature as reflected in Galatians 5:19-21 steps forward in this king (leader) and his kingdom (his people), functioning under the RULERSHIP of Satan and his kingdom of darkness.
Satan, described as the RULER of the WORLD is confirmed in Yeshua’s words in John 14:15-31 were Yeshua is preparing the disciples for His death on the cross and we read in verse 30: “I won’t be talking with you much longer, because the ruler of this world is coming (but then He adds) he has no claim on Me” WHY? Because Yeshua the Messiah had LOVED THE FATHER ABOVE ALL and HAD NO SIN – read John 14:31 and 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 1:19 & 2:22). And after His baptism HE WAS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT and TESTED in the DESSERT and found WORTHY for His CALLING. And in verse 31 HE confirms HIS OBEDIENCE TO THE FATHER as a TOKEN OF HIS LOVE FOR THE FATHER ABOVE ALL ELSE after saying the ruler of the earth has nothing on Me: “rather, this is happening SO THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW THAT I LOVE THE FATHER, AND THAT I DO AS THE FATHER HAS COMMANDED ME.” This is a CLEAR illustration of Deuteronomy 6:4-6 and Yeshua says in John 14:15 to His disciples: “I you LOVE ME, YOU WILL KEP MY COMMANDS;” And John later explains BOTH THE ELEMENTS REQUIRED OF WALKING IN THE SMALL WAY, namely FAITH IN YESHUA the MESSIAH and OBEDIENCE TO GOD THE FATHER’s LAW (TORAH) as SUMMED UP IN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS in 1 John 5:1-3 saying: “Everyone who BELIEVES that YESHUA is THE MESSIAH HAS GOD AS his FATHER, an EVERYONE who loves a father loves his offspring too. Here is how we KNOW that WE LOVE GOD’s CHILDREN: WHEN WE LOVE GOD, WE ALSO DO WHAT HE COMMANDS. FOR LOVING GOD MEANS OBEYING HIS COMMANDS. Moreover, HIS COMMANDS are not burdensome.”
PLEASE THEREFORE TAKE NOTE, UNDERSTAND and ACCEPT WE SHOW OUR LOVE TO OUR HEAENLY FATHER THROUGH OUR OBEDIENCE TO HIS WORD. And the reverse side is therefore: IF WE DO NOT OBEY HIS WORD, WE SHOW HIM and THE WORLD (Satan and all his followers) that we DO NOT LOVE HIM, meaning in plain terms DISOBEDIENCE IS HOW THE WORLD SHOWS HATE TO YHVH the GOD OF ISRAEL. Therefore, by encouraging DISOBEDIENCE TO THE WORD OF GOD by trying to MISLEAD believers (Christians) into believing that they may (and evens should) DISOBEY HIS WORD by KEEPING ON SINNING and then calling it HIS GRACE, they are getting believers to SHOW THEIR HATE for YHVH! This is indeed a TWISTING of THE WORD by non-other than the ANCIENT SERPENT, the devil himself who is the ruler of the kingdoms of the world – and this is indeed the saddest form of deception!
We know that to be SPIRITUALY ALIVE is already possible in this LIVE we now live because of the HOLY SPIRIT that was sent by the FATHER, TEN DAYS after Yeshua’s accretion to heaven (in total 50 DAYS entailing 40 days of the RESSURECTED MESSIAH YESHUA on earth plus the TEN DAY waiting period of the disciples in Jerusalem for the OUTPOURING of THE HLY SPIRIT the countdown to YHVH’s 4th FEAST: THE FEAST OF WEEKS/ PENTECOST). Yeshua our Messiah explained this to His disciples prior to His crucifixion as follows in John 16:11 Yeshua prepares His disciples on His death and resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit saying When HE comes, HE will show THAT THE WORLD IS WRONG ABOUT SIN, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ABOUT JUDGEMENT – about SIN, in that the people don’t put their TRUST (hope, believe, faith) IN ME, about RIGHTOENESS , in that I am going to the Father and you will no longer SEE Me; about JUDGEMENT, in that THE RULER OF THIS WORLD HAS BEEN JUDGED.” Also read Revelation 12.
So what this means is: THE FULL PRICE FOR THE SIN OF ADAM AND EVE’s SIN – their LAWLESSNESS – decision to act AGAINST the LAW/ THE COMMANDMENT of YHVH their God, and thereby handing over to Satan their RULERSHIP of the EARTH, God gave to them and DYING SPIRITUALY and PHYSICALLY (the first death) as part thereof, WAS PAID BY YESHUA THE MESSIAH, THE LAMB OF GOD THE FATHER so that ALL PEOPLE who BELIEVE IN HIM, now have the OPPORTUNITY to CHOOSE to FOLLOW YESHUA HE MESSIAH IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD THE FATHER’s WORD/ LAW (the TORAH, Genesis to Deuteronomy summed up in the TEN COMMANDMENTS) and to RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT while still living on earth and to COME ALIVE SPIRITUALY and LIVING IN VICTORY, KNOWING our IDENTITY (REDEMPTIVE GIFTS) and be ABLE TO FULFILL OUR CALINGS WITH THE AUTHORITY OF YEAHUA THE MESSIAH and THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO EXECUTE OUR CALLINGS and TO ENTER THE MILLENIUM KINGDOM and HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE – therefore NOT DYING THE SECOND DEATH as explained in Revelation 20:14 and 21:8.
So, THE GOOD NEWS IS: YESHUA THE MESSIAH DEFEATED Satan at the CROSS
In Galatians 1:4 Paul greets the believers with the following words: “GRACE and SHALOM (peace) to you from GOD THE FATHER and from YESHUA the MESSIAH, who gave Himself for our sins, so that He might deliver us from the PRESENT EVIL WORLD-SYSTEM, in OBEDIENCE TO THE WILL OF GOD OUR FATHER.”
We read in Colossians 2:9-15: “For in HIM, BODILY, LIVES THE FULLNESS OF ALL THAT GOD IS (this confirms that YESHUA the MESSIAH IS THE BODY OF GOD THE FATHER, that is why Yeshua told Phillip in John 14:9b “…WOEVER HAS SEEN ME HAS SEEN THE FATHER;” And it is IN UNION WITH HIM that you have been made full – HE IS THE HEAD OF EVERY RULE AND AUTHORITY. (We must understand this in terms of Colossians 1:17 as well as the principle that GOD IS ALWAYS IN CONTROL – read Joshua 1:9, Psalm 22:28 & 115:3, Proverbs 16:9 & 19:21, Isaiah 14:24 and Ephesians 1:1- therefore the rulership that Satan currently has in the WORDLY KINGDOMS is ALLOWED by God for a purpose). Also, it was in UNION WITH HIM that you were circumcised with a CIRCUMSISION NOT DONE BY HUMAN HANDS BUT ACCOMPLISHED BY STRIPPING AWAY THE OLD NATURE’S CONTROL OVER THE BODY. In this CIRCUMSICION DONE BY THE MESSIAH, YOU WERE BURRIED ALONG WITH HIM BY BEING IMMERSED (this is FEAST 2 of YHVH: Unleavened Bread (fulfilled in the burial of Yeshua the Messiah, the One who had NO SIN for three days), illustrated by the BRONSE WASHBASIN in front of the HOLY PLACE of the TABERNACLE – a picture of DYING TO THE OLD SELF/ BEING BORN AGAIN in the WATER of BAPTISM as well as daily REPENTANCE for accidental sins); and IN UNION WITH HIM , YOU WERE ALSO RAISED UP ALONG WITH HIM BY GOD’s (the Father’s) FAITFULNESS THAT WORKED WHEN HE RAISED YESHUA FROM THE DEAD. You were DEAD because of YOUR SINS, that is, because of your “foreskin,” YOUR OLD NATURE. But GOD MADE YOU ALIVE ALONG WITH THE MESSIAH BY FORGIVING YOU ALL YOUR SINS. HE WIPED AWAY the BILL OF CHARGES AGAINST US. Because of the regulations, it stood as a TESTIMONY against us (read Deuteronomy 31:24-29 where Moses told the Israelites before his death that they will fall away from God in the promised land by following strange gods of the nations, despising GOD and BREAKING HIS COVENANT with them and therefore the TORAH had to be placed next to the Ark (with the summary of it written as the TEN COMMANDMENTS by God on stone tablets that had to be kept in the Ark as instructed by God Himself) to be a WITNESS against them); but HE REMOVED IT BY NAILING IT TO THE EXECUTION-STAKE (the original text in Greek says: the CROSS). STRIPPING THE RULERS and AUTHORITIES OF THEIR POWER, HE MADE A PUBLIC SPECTACLE OF THEM, TRIUMPHING OVER THEM BY MEANS OF THE STAKE (CROSS).
Jewish Study Bible explains: The “spiritual rulers and authorities” are residents of the demonic universe under Satan’s control. After triumphing over their enemies and stripping them of their power, it was customary for ancient kings to lead their captives in a procession and make a public spectacle if them. Yeshua has triumphed over Satan by means of the cross and Satan is on display as the ETERNALLY DEFEATED one!
We read in John 12:20-32 about the time that came for the Son of Man (Yeshua the Messiah) to be GLORIFIED and in verse 24 Yeshua says: “Yes, indeed! I tell you that UNLESS A GRAIN OF WHEAT THAT FALLS TO THE GROUND DIES, it STAYS JUST A GRAIN; BUT IF IT DIES, IT PRODUCES A BIG HARVEST (this alludes to dying to the old flesh/ being born again and taking up our callings to fulfil our purpose on earth. dying only once and then being resurrected to everlasting life). He who LOVES his LIFE LOSES it, but he WHO HATES his LIFE IN THIS WORLD WILL KEEP IT SAFE RIGHT ON INTO ETERNAL LIFE! John explained it later in 1 John 2:15-17 “And Yeshua further says from verse 26-32 “If someone is SERVING ME, let him FOLLOW ME; WHEREVER I AM, MY SERVANT WILL BE THERE TOO. MY FATHER WILL HONOR ANYONE WHO SERVES ME. Now I am in turmoil. What can I say – ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason that I have come to this hour. (Yeshua is explaining the principle of the GRAIN of WHEAT that has to die for a purpose in terms of His own purpose He came to earth for – to DIE FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD, so that WE MAY become SPIRITUALLY ALIVE and LIVE FORVER). I will say this: Father, glorify your name! At this a VOICE came out of heaven, ‘I have glorified it before, and I will glorified it before, and I will glorify it again!” Yeshua then told the crowd standing there and hearing he VOICE that it was not for His sake but for their sake. And then He says in verses 31-31 “NOW IS THE TIME FOR THIS WORLD TO BE JUDGED, NOW THE RULER OF THIS WORLD WILL BE EXPELLED. As for ME, when I am LIFTED UP FORM THE EARTH (a reference to the crucifixion), I will draw everyone to MYSELF (those the Father gave to Him, also read John 17:1-2 and Revelation 14:1-5). He said this to indicate what kind of death HE would die.”
Read Revelations chapter 12 about the DRAGON also called the Adversary (Satan) and his angels that had been conquered and thrown out of heaven by Mika’El (Michael) and his angels and God’s victory, power and kingship and the authority of the MESSIAH have come and the Adversary (Satan) has come down to earth and he is VERY ANGRY because he KNOWS THAT HIS TIME IS SHORT!” And he FIGHTS AGAISNT THE CHILDREN OF GOD WHO OBEY GOD’s COMMANDMENTS AND BEAR WITNESS TO YESHUA.
Hebrews 2:14 says: “…since the children share a common physical nature as human beings, HE BECAME LIKE THEM and SHARE THAT SAME HUMAN NATURE; so that BY HIS DEATH HE MIGHT RENDER INEFFECTIVE the one who had POWER OVER DEATH (that is the Adversary, Satan), AND THUS SET FREE THOSE WHO HAD BEEN IN BONDAGE ALL THEIR LIVES BECAUSE OF THEIR FEAR OF DEATH.”
BUT Satan still rules the world and will be doing so until the end of the age and for a short time after the THOUSAND YEAR REIGN OF PEACE OF YESHUA THE MESSIAH for the LAST TESTING before the GREATH THRONE JUDGEMENT Read Revelation chapter 20. And John confirms this long AFTER Yeshua the Messiah’s death on the cross (approximately 90 to 95 years later) in 1 John 5:18-20 by saying to the BELIEVERS: “We know that EVERYONE who has GOD as his FATHER does NOT GO ON SINNING; on the contrary, the (capital letter) SON born from God (that is Yeshua the Messiah) PROTECTS him, and the (capital letter) Evil One (that is Satan) does NOT touch him. We know that we are FROM GOD, and that the WHOLE WORLD lies in the power the Evil One. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us DISCERNMENT, so that we may KNOW WHO IS GENUINE; moreover, we ARE UNITED WITH THE (capital) letter ONE (YHVH THE FATHER) WHO IS GENUINE, UNITED with HIS SON YESHUA THE MESSIAH. HE IS THE GENUINE (the TRUE) GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE.”
Yeshua defeated Satan at the CROSS – REMEMBER – Adam and Eve chose to obey Satan; Yeshua, the LAST ADAM (as explained by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15), obeyed God in all ways and paid the price for our sin through Adam to redeem us from Satan and enable each of us, not to be BOUND by the chains of Adam’s disobedience to sin, but be FREED from it and then to TAKE OUR OWN DECISION with our own SOUL (mind, emotions and will) WHO WE WANT TO OBEY, as Moses, Joshua and Isaiah and YESHUA said to the people: CHOOSE THIS DAY, WHO YOU WANT TO SERVE! (Joshua 24:15, Deuteronomy 30:19, 1 Kings 18:21, Matthew 6:24, John 10:10 also read Amos 3:3 reflecting CHOICE). And this is exactly how Yeshua the Messiah won this fight in the dessert! He answered Satan in no uncertain WORDS, indicating what His choice was and to whom His allegiance (loyalty, commitment and faithfulness) was!
And now we understand WHY the OLD NATURE in each of us HAS TO DIE with YESHUA our Messiah on the CROSS (represented by FEAST 1 OF YHVH: Passover and the bronze altar at the gate in the outer court of the Tabernacle), be buried with Him for three days in the WATER of BABTISM (represented by FEAST 2 OF YHVH: Unleavened Bread and the bronze water basin in the outer court of the Tabernacle in front of the Holy Place), and be RESURECTED with Him (be BORN AGAIN) as a NEW CREATION (with a new heart, emotions and a new mind, renewed thoughts obedient to Yeshua as we are advised in 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 and Romans 12:1-2) being able to ENTER THE KINGDOM, the HOLY PLACE and sit at HIS TABLE (represented by FEAST 3 OF YHVH: FIRST FRUITS and the table of showbread in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle in front of the Holiest Place) James 1:18, and be TAUGHED, PREPARED, COMFORTED, ENCOURAGED and STRENGTHENED BY EATING HIS BREAD, HIS WORD DAILY (being spiritually nourished), getting to KNOW our IDENTITY and AUTHORITY IN HIM, UNDERSTANDING and DEVELOPING OUR GIFTS (we received from Abba Father before birth, Jeremiah 1:5) and RECEIVING OUR CALLING from Yeshua our Messiah (Ephesians 4:9-16) to enable us to RECEIVE HIS HOLY SPIRIT and the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11) to enable us to SPREAD THE GOSPEL/ THE GOOD NEWS (being BAPTISED WITH FIRE BY YESHUA, read Matthew 3:11 and Luke 3:16 represented by FEAST 4 OF YHVH: THE FEAST OF WEEKS/ PENTECOST, 50 days after the RESURECTION and symbolized by the flaming menorah in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle). THEN, and ONLY THEN, we will be able to RESIST THE THREE CATEGORIES OF TEMPTATION JUST LIKE YESHUA OUR MESSIAH AND TEACHER SHOWED US IN THE 40 DAYS OF HIS TEMPTATION IN THE DESSERT! Because if your FLESH IS DEAD, IT CANNOT BE TEMPTED! This is what is meant by WALKING ON THE NARROW WAY WITH YESHUA OUR MESSIAH (Matthew 7:13-14) and with the GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Then we will be able to USE SCRIPTURE to conquer our evil enemies as depicted in Ephesians 6:12 by Paul as rulers, authorities and cosmic powers governing the darkness (refer to the message on 25 April on Matthew 4:2-4 for more information on cosmic powers if interested), against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm) and be able to spot and demolish the LIES of Satan who, as we saw in our study of the TEMEPTATION of our MESSIAH, Satan, the father and therefore inventor of lies (as we read in John 8:44) is able to TWIST SCRIPTURE, in hopes of DECEIVING PEOPLE. (Read 2 Peter 2:1 & 3:14-18, Acts 20:30, Colossians 2:8, Galatians 1:6, 1 John 4:1 & 2:26-27)
One interesting question – what does Paul mean in 1 Corinthians 5:5-7 to “…deliver the man who committed sexual sin to the devil to DESTROY his FLESH?” Maybe the same as Yeshua explained in the parable of the UNMERCIFUL SERVANT in Matthew 18:21-35 who was handed over to the tortures for punishment until he paid the full price because he did not want to FORGIVE as he was FORGIVEN by the KING! THE ANSWER PAUL GAVE: in 1 Corinthians 5:7, is to CLEANSE OUT THE OLD LEAVEN (including lust, bitterness and unforgiveness depicted in the examples above) – with other words: DIE TO THE FLESH and LIVE BY THE SPIRIT (Romans 8:13).
So the ANSWER is: SALVATION THROUGH YESHUA our MESSIAH and then WALKING on the NARROW PATH with your SWORD (WORD) in YOUR MIND, HEART and MOUTH at all times and BEING VIGILANT for the attacks of Satan and his evil forces, and RESISTING them with the SWORD of THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE LIVING WORD OF GOD (read Hebrews 4:12, James 4:7, 2nd Corinthians 10:3-5, Revelation 3:11, 2nd John 1:8-9 and 1st Peter 5:8).
We also see in Matthew 4:11 the ROLE of angels, taking care of Yeshua after his forty day of fasting and heavy spiritual battle in the dessert.
Just a note and warning here not to fall in the trap of angel worship: As indicated in Deuteronomy 6:13 we WORSHIP and SERVE YHVH our God alone. Angels are the WORKFORCE and ARMY of GOD THE FATHER, YHVH Tsavaot.(the God of Hosts) and He decides how to dispatch them to our benefit (Psalm 91:6, 11 & 12). We therefore DO NOT communicate to angels. We speak to Abba Father in the name of Yeshua our Messiah and ask for His protection and He will mobilize His workforce as He see fits. We therefor PRAY to HIM and trust in His promise in Romans 8:28: “…we know that God causes EVERYTHING (good and bad) to work together for the GOOD of those WHO LOVE GOD and are CALLED in accordance to His purpose.”