And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been stated, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ Luke 4:12 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/luk.4.12.NASB2020
The devil tempted God by quoting God’s word to Him to get Him, as man, to misappropriate God’s promise. What would the result of been had Jesus misapplied God’s word? Would God the Father been placed in a box, so He had to do what His Word said lest the devil win? Would He have ignored Jesus so that Jesus could learn the true appropriation of His Word while perhaps creating doubt in His head and allow the devil to ‘prove’ God’s word is not true? Today I wonder if these things are not occurring within the charismatic church that conducts healing services promising release from all afflictions for those suffering because they claim God promises healing to everyone who comes to Him. While God is our healer, He has certainly healed many, He desires to heal all people from sin, sickness, and death, He does not heal everyone, at least not now, not today. His desire and His fulfillment of that desire are not synonymous. God desires all men to be saved but not all are saved. God moves among men as He chooses. The promise to Jesus the devil quoted was true, God would watch over Him to protect Him until His time when that protection would leave, and He would be sacrificed for the sins of humanity. So too God’s promises are true for all His people, even all of humanity, but some will not experience the fulfillment of those promises in this life. In the life to come is when all God’s promises will find fulfillment. The world will be restored to the rule of Jesus, all will live forever and no longer will there be death, or evil or injustice. All of humanities needs will be fully met in the kingdom to come but in this world we are promised trouble but also the presence of God in that trouble, working with us and around us through that trouble to accomplish His will and bring Him glory upon earth as it is in heaven. God is faithful though we all don’t see the completion of our faith like the great saints who went before us whose hope would be realized when Jesus returns to reign as King forever.
