Hebrews 2:18

Hebrews 2:18

The one who understands temptation

Much has been written about the temptations of Jesus, particularly those He encountered in the wilderness when the Satan confronted Him, head on! Let’s face it, our Lord was a man, born to a human mother, living in a world of corrupted human beings and being affected by the same lusts and lures that we all have to endure every day of our lives. Later in this remarkable epistle the writer takes the matter a step further; – “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet He did not sin.”Hebrews 4:15. To teach that Jesus was somehow insulated from temptation is not true, He grappled with the same problems that we all have to deal with, day after day. However, He had no inclination to satisfy His fleshly desires, and He was so inspired by His Father’s will that He was able to do something that none of us can; He rejected, even rebuked the devil’s lures and the warped tendencies of the human mind. He lived the life that we were all created to live and might have done so if it were not for the catastrophic failures in the Garden of Eden. 

It might be suggested that it was easy for Jesus, because He was the Son of God, He had built-in filters that banished the unhealthy thoughts and the evil desires of his enemies. Not so, to be fully human Jesus had to fully experience the same temptations that we do, He endured them, they caused Him intense suffering. Of course they did, because it is much harder and painful to say “NO” than to easily accede to the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil. His suffering was therefore much greater than ours, even daily living cost Him, for we can be sure that the enemy launched every attacking weapon at his disposal in an attempt to get the Lord to comply with his wishes. Believe me, Jesus never got a moment’s peace and for that reason He understands what it is like for you and me! In fact, this verse goes one step further, He is able to help us in this spiritual war. In truth, no one else can. The only way through temptation is to hold His hand and to walk closely with Him. We should never give up on the battle for our big brother does not give up on us. Hallelujah!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Psalm 106:13

Psalm 106:13 Do not forget We need to remember that Israel’s relationship with the Lord God was based on His laws and their obedience. It was possible for them to live lives that were highly blessed, that incorporated the provision of God in every tiny detail of their national and individual existence. God was prepared to give them everything they needed, He would provide food and water for them and their flocks. He would guide them on their journey. He would protect them from their enemies. He would inspire and direct their leaders. He would keep them from the heat of the sun and the terrors of the desert night. He would take them to the land that He had promised, in double quick time. There was no reason why they could not be in situ in just a few months. Everything they could possibly need was His to provide and He was willing to sacrifice anything to see them gratefully settled in Canaan.  There was just one snag, it all depended upon their obedience and faithfulness. God insis...
Read more
Psalm1:5       Our earthly journey will allow us, at times, to stand with the redeemed in holy awe and worship exhilarated by the presence of our Father.  In the Psalmists’ day these “assemblies of the righteous” would have been joyful times of worship at God’s sanctuary where music played, choirs sang and the people joined in the excitement and corporate wonder of being together in God’s presence. If our own church worship is anything, it should be a prelude to the time when we will join with a numberless throng and sing the praises of the Lamb and the One who sits upon the throne of heaven. Many go to events like Spring Harvest, Keswick Convention, New Day and the rest, primarily for this experience of joy and exhilaration.  Our earthly, joyful experiences are but a foretaste of what is to come and we are promised that we will join with heavenly choirs and our song will be “Worthy is the Lamb.”   Such music and exalta...
Read more

Psalm 119:83

Psalm 119:83 Wineskins in the smoke Well, this verse has caught us by surprise! What does it mean? As we will be aware, in ancient times, wine was not stored in purpose-made glass bottles but in animal skins. In order to keep the skin pliable and soft it must not be allowed to dry out for it would soon shrivel and crack. It follows that the last thing you would do with your treasured wineskins is to hang them up over a smoky fire, not only would they quickly wither but the smoke would clearly ruin the flavour and texture of the wine!  What does the author mean when he says that he is like such a wineskin?  It denotes the uncomfortable condition he was in or at least thought himself to be in; being caught in the midst of smoke is very uncomfortable, and he considered himself to be in darkness with sin and afflictions, like a wineskin in smoke, black and sooty. He felt like an empty wineskin with nothing in him. Maybe he was worn out with cares and old age and had become pale an...
Read more