Is it possible to make a deal with the devil?

The devil would tempt Christ when he "shewed Him all the kingdoms of the world," and promised them all to Him, if He would "fall down and worship Him." Everyone that by unrighteousness doth seek the world's pelf goes to the devil for it, and doth worship him in effect. How much better it is to have poverty from God than riches from the devil! A temptation comes strong, when the way to relief seems to lie through the sin that Satan is wooing to: when one is poor, and Satan comes, "What, wilt starve rather than step over the hedge, and steal for thy supply?" This is enough to put flesh and blood to the stand.

That was false, and yet true. It was false as to title, but true as to fact; for Satan had acquired this by man's sin. As to title, he had none at all. Satan had no title to give glory to any one; but having, through his craft, induced man to depart from God; having assailed the first Adam, and having vanquished him, he profits by this victory over man (which was, in result, the creature's departure from the place of confidence and trust), and here sets himself forth as the usurper. "I have all this," he says, "and I give it to whomsoever I will. If you will own me as the giver" — that is here the meaning of worship — "if you will take it from me, all shall be yours."

Oh! is not that exactly what the powers of this world have done? They have just taken the devil's bribe. How solemn, how awful, to think of it!

Fallen man would like the gift, and would long after the gift, and the more glory it had the more it would attract him; but the Lord Jesus — the perfect Man — thought of the giver; He thought of who it was that offered it. His heart was so perfectly in unison with the heart of God that He says, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God." He would not take an empire or a kingdom from any one else beside. He would not take glory, pleasure, or honour from Satan. Why, that is what the poor world is doing just now. Satan comes with his glittering bait, and it is readily swallowed by poor, lost, misguided man — blinded and deluded by the archfiend of hell, the god of this world, and prince of the power of the air. But oh, the blessedness of contemplating the first man's contrast in the Lord Jesus Christ — the Second Man, the perfect Man! How blessed to hear Him say, "It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only." Him only! Are you exclusive in that way, beloved friends?

In the second temptation the world's kingdoms were set before His eyes, with all the power and pomp and splendour of them, which dazzle and fascinate men, and for which they will sell their souls and deny their God. And these kingdoms all belonged to Jesus, but God's way, and the only way by which He could secure them in everlasting righteousness was by suffering and death. "You shall have them," said the tempter, "by an easy way. I will give them to you if you will but worship me: acknowledge me as greater than yourself and God; take them from my hand and all shall be yours." But those glittering kingdoms had no attraction in that hour for the holy One of God. He would not take them from any hand but God's hand, He could trust God to put all things beneath His feet when the due time came, but that time was not yet. His eyes were upon God, and He met the temptation with an uncompromising answer, "It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve."

In the second temptation the world's kingdoms were set before His eyes, with all the power and pomp and splendour of them, which dazzle and fascinate men, and for which they will sell their souls and deny their God. And these kingdoms all belonged to Jesus, but God's way, and the only way by which He could secure them in everlasting righteousness was by suffering and death. “You shall have them,” said the tempter, “by an easy way. I will give them to you if you will but worship me: acknowledge me as greater than yourself and God; take them from my hand and all shall be yours.” But those glittering kingdoms had no attraction in that hour for the holy One of God. He would not take them from any hand but God's hand, He could trust God to put all things beneath His feet when the due time came, but that time was not yet. His eyes were upon God, and He met the temptation with an uncompromising answer, “It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve.”

In the second temptation the world's kingdoms were set before His eyes, with all the power and pomp and splendour of them, which dazzle and fascinate men, and for which they will sell their souls and deny their God. And these kingdoms all belonged to Jesus, but God's way, and the only way by which He could secure them in everlasting righteousness was by suffering and death. "You shall have them," said the tempter, "by an easy way. I will give them to you if you will but worship me; acknowledge me as greater than yourself and God; take them from my hand and all shall be yours." But those glittering kingdoms had no attraction in that hour for the holy One of God. He would not take them from any hand but God's hand, He could trust God to put all things beneath His feet when the due time came, but that time was not yet. His eyes were upon God, and He met the temptation with an uncompromising answer, "It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve."

I suppose Satan has gained influence over men because of the fall and he has that which he puts before the eyes of men in allurement. Men are ambitious and Satan uses this to allure them along a wrong path. But it says here … "In a moment of time", a word that means a pin prick. That's all he can offer. Nothing of value, nothing eternal. But he does offer the Lord this power, the kingdoms and their glory. In obedience, the Lord answered "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve".

The third temptation Was from the viewpoint of an exceptionally high mountain. This is again miraculous that Satan was able to show the Lord all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. We must not forget that he is able to work miracles, but always his purpose is evil. His appeal this time Was to human desire for power and wealth, a strong motivating influence in men generally. The subtlety Of Satan's offer of all these things is apparent. These had been delivered to Satan, a cruel Usurper, by means Of Man's sin. He promised all to the Lord if he would worship him. Satan wanted this worship in order to make the Lord subservient to him, in which case the Lord would not receive the kingdoms at all, despite this fair appearing promise.

But now there is a third attack recorded. If you have beaten Satan twice, he will come again. A third time he comes to the Lord. "Again, the devil takes him up into an exceeding high mountain, and shows him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and says to him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me" (Matt. 4:8-9). How many a man has fallen down and worshipped Satan for a very little. Have you not noticed that? The god of this world easily deludes men. But here, what was it? Satan proposes to Christ, as he shows Him the kingdoms of the world, in a moment of time, and the glory of them, to give them to Him if He will fall down and worship him. You know that men like glory, power, and authority. Christ, however, is the only One who is worthy of these; hence in the Book of Revelation, they are, in the songs thereof, ascribed to Him alone. All that men set so much stress upon, but which they generally use to their own self-exaltation, heaven's voice, by-and-by, is heard in one blessed note, one universal strain, ascribing to Jesus, as they say, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing" (Rev. 5:12). That is to say, other men's hands have held those things and abused them; but finally the universal judgment is that there is but one hand worthy of holding the sceptre of power, and it is the hand of the Man that first overcame Satan in the wilderness, and then was nailed to the cross to atone for sin and save sinners. It is our joy to anticipate that day and say now that His is the only hand that is worthy to hold the sceptre of authority and power.

This comes out more plainly still in the last temptation; all the more clearly to us, perhaps, because the issues are so sharply drawn. It is to worship some one (Satan has not declared himself) beside God, and the bait is the kingdoms and glory of the world. Our Lord at once discloses Satan and bids him depart; God, God alone, is to be worshiped and served — anything else was abominable to His holy soul.