Satan Busy During Spiritual Exercises
A. B. Grosart, D. D., A. B. Grosart, D. D. Luke 4:9-13 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you:… To the "holy city," to the holiest place in the holy city, the Temple, is the Lord Jesus " taken" by the tempter, and there afresh tempted. Whither then will not the tempter enter? What " light-flaming battlement" will be not over-leap? My dear friends, we must be "vigilant" everywhere; at all times, and in all places: in the house of God; at the family altar; within our closets; beside our opened Bible. I would even say that most of all must we "watch unto prayer" in these holy scenes and seasons. For it is with the "roaring lion," who ever "goes about seeking whom he may devour," as with the beasts of prey in the forest. I remember once, when camped on the shores of one of the great lakes of America, that in the stillness of the pine-forest, within whose shadows our camp-fire was lit, it was a sight to see the wild beasts stealthily stealing to their watering-places. It so chanced that in the tangled jungle opposite us, there was one of their lurking-places; and as the moonlight streamed its wan radiance over it, I could see the fierce creatures couched behind a shattered pine. Why there? Because from beneath its roots, gushing from out the ferns, was a spring of water. Thither the " flocks and herds," came, and just as they lapped their refreshing draught, out sprang at a bound the wehr-wolf or other terrible beast. It is precisely so with us. While the believer is quenching his soul's longings and thirstings at the well of salvation, the adversary crouches to make his fatal spring. Alas, alas l that so many "of the flock" are borne way. (A. B. Grosart, D. D.) 1. The tempter comes a second time with an "if." Doubt is to potent a thing to be lightly or readily abandoned. 2. The tempter goes from extreme to extreme. This seems to be a favourite device of the evil one. 3. The tempter is very successful in tempting professing Christians with his "If [ = since] son thou be of God, cast Thyself beneath." Everyday observation will satisfy that there are two classes who fall before this snare. There is first of all the man who has newly proved the power of the "gift" of "faith" to produce absolute trust. Strong in that trust, there is the danger of thinking of and relying more upon the gift than the Giver; and of acting upon the grace in possession as semi-independent, instead of looking to Him who holds all grace in His own hands. Presumption inevitably comes out of that; self-confidence, rashness, "high thoughts," and all under the guise of an unquestioning faith. My dear friends, search and see if you are not liable to presume upon your Christian character, and to run risks such as you should else shrink from. 4. The tempter seeks first to lead into sin, and then to justify the sin by Scripture. 5. The tempter can only persuade, never compel. "Satan can tempt and persuade us, but he cannot force us to sin, or he cannot cast thee down unless thou ' cast thyself down.'" (A. B. Grosart, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: WEB: for it is written, 'He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you;'