A Devil Of A Time

Psalm 91:11-16

11For he orders his angels

to protect you wherever you go.

12They will hold you with their hands

to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.

13You will trample down lions and poisonous snakes;

you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

14The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me.

I will protect those who trust in my name.

15When they call on me, I will answer;

I will be with them in trouble.

I will rescue them and honor them.

16I will satisfy them with a long life

and give them my salvation.”

In the desert the Devil tempted a hungry Jesus to turn stones into bread, but Jesus’ main mission was not simply to alleviate physical hunger in himself or anyone else. He could turn every stone in Palestine into a bagel, and people would still be spiritually hungry. They needed to know God.

In Luke’s account the next temptation entailed a simple swap (4:1-13): The Devil would give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world; Jesus would worship the Devil. Again, no deal. God alone deserves our worship.

Twice the tempter made his pitch, only to be thwarted when Jesus quoted Scripture. So the Devil took Jesus to a high point of the Temple and found an appropriate text—from Psalm 91. “Jump, Jesus! Doesn’t it say that angels will ‘keep you from striking your foot on a stone’?”

Jesus answered, “Do not test the Lord your God.” The Father does protect, but that doesn’t mean we are to go leaping off buildings.

These temptations were all about Jesus’ mission. The Devil was doing his best to get Jesus sidetracked, but Jesus stayed with the program.

Matthew says that, when the Devil left Jesus, angels came and cared for him (4:11). So they were protecting him all along! Jesus didn’t have to try any daredevil dare—he just had to stay with his mission, and God would get him through it. The same is true for us. He will rescue those who love him.

Christian, seek not yet repose;

Hear thy guardian angel say,

“Thou art in the midst of foes;

Watch and pray.”

CHARLOTTE ELLIOTT

A Word on Words

Verses 12-13 depict God’s servants not merely as survivors but as victors, who trample deadly enemies underfoot.

Bible Networking

Psalm 91:14 says that God will rescue those who love him, but Deuteronomy 7:7-8, 10:15, and 1 John 4:10 remind us that God loved us first.