judgment is passed. A Dove? It was the Dove presenting Jesus, the Olive Branch, the pledge of peace and a new creation through the brooding Dove that quickered the old (Gen. 1:2, A. R. V., marg.), (2) For the issue of the Voice so often heard in Old Testament times, and New (Matt. 3:17; Mark 9:7; Jno. 12:28; Acts 9:4; 13:12 [?]; Rev. 1:10; Ex. 19:5, 19, etc.); which now certified, "This Is My Beloved Son" . (Jno. 3:16; Mark 9:7; Psa. 89:27; Col. 1:13; Pro. 8:30; Isa. 42:1, etc.) in Hebrew: "David, my Son," for David is "Darling," or "Beloved;" "In Whom 1 am well pleased," which fol- lowed on this act of obedience baptism, through which, too, we all become sons of God, being "born of water and the Spirit" (Jno. 3:5). (3) For the earnest of the fact that for the Son's sake He will "pour out of His Spirit (Acts 2:17) upon all flesh," and "open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive" (Mai. 3:10), and that "hereafter we shall see the heavens open and the angels of God ascending and de- scending upon the son of God" (Jno. 1:51). III. THE TEMPTATION. 1. The temptation Adamic. Like Adam, Christ was the Head of a race (spiritual) as he was the head of a race (fleshly). As heads, both were God appointed representa- tives and acted for their races. What the head did, all did. The races stood a test in the principals. The tests were thè temptations. We failed, "died In Ad- am," we stood, "live" in Christ (1 Cor. 15: 22). . Christ was tempted like us, and He was tempted for us (Heb. 4:15). 2. The conflict of the Seeds (Gen. 3:15).. -The Ser- pent and the Son wage an age-long war- fare not yet ended (Rev. 12:7-10). The first battle was "The Battle of the Wilderness." 3. The contrast of conditions. (1) Adam was in Eden, Christ in a wilderness; (2) Adam had all the fruits of the garden, he was full; ' Christ fiad nothing, He was hun- gry; (3) Adam fell at the first onset, Christ repulsed three attacks. 4. The Tempter. (1) His identity, it was "that old serpent, the devil and Satan" (Rev. 20:2; Jno. 8:44). (2) His way of approach, a. Did he assume as the Holy Spirit, and angelic spirits, a bodily form? we do not know. b. He prob- ably attacked the Lord as He does us— Golden Text: Isa. 45:22. The. Golden Text says, "Look unto Me." This is the heart of the lesson concerning the wise men. These men were wise be- cause they looked out and up. They looked away from self, from man. They looked into the heavens. They were not mere star gazers, but heaven centered men. They be- lieved in Divine guidance. They followed the revelation given them and God gave them further light. Herod saw no star. He was self-centered. He cared nought for God or for His Word; he thought only of Herod. The revelation of God is in Christ His Son. He is the "Star of Jacob," the bright and morning star." The Bible is a starry firma- ment but the chief star in the heavens is the Son of God. If you start from the East of the 3rd Chapter of Genesis you will come to the manger cradle and find the young child; if you stop by the .way to inquire of worldly wise men like Herod, you will never find Him, but if you inquire of the
through the mind. c. Satan is a real, personal being not ourselves, who incites and impels us to sin. He could not incite or impel the sinless One, but he could and did suggest the evil. 5. The Lures. (1) Bread. An appeal to the physical appe- tites, and typical of them all. (2) Wor- ship. The desire for the praise of men. An appeal to the intellectual man. "Cast thyself down, and the admiring multitude will hail you Messiah and God." (3) King- ship. An appeal to the intellectual man, the desire for power. All these were legit- imate and natural appetites. Perfectly in- nocent in themselves, but the gratification of them contrary to God's purposes, will, JM and established means would be sin. It is no sin to desire bread, but it would be sin to steal it; no sin to desire human Lit homage, but to secure by unworthy means. It is no sin to long for a kingdom and the good gifts of the glorious God in His glorious world, hut to receive them from. Satan, as the gifts of the "God of this age," would be devilish. All these temp- tations were, essentially, to get the bless- ing and avoid the cross. IV. THE LORD'S DEFENSE.. 1. The Sword of the Spirit. Jesus paried every blow with "It is written." "Mam,»' shall not live by bread alone; but by every vl word of God." "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve." 2. (And Jesus said it, and Jesus did it.) V. THE LORD'S ATTACK. The Lord Jesus gave Satan a deadly thrust, "Get thee hence!" and he went away, so badly wounded that he ran howling away "for a season" (Luke 4:13), until he was able to renew the attack. Luther flung an ink bottle at him, they say, and Buri- yan says, "Christian made at him again, saying, 'Nay, In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.' And with that Apollyon spread '« forth his dragon's wings, and sped him away, that Christian saw him no more for a season." Close the lesson by reading in concert Eph. 6:1018. February 4 prophets of God they will direqt you into tge right path and bring you to His feet. We are to look unto Him. Many are mak- ing the mistake of looking to the church, as though the church had the power of life; others are looking to Christians, but alas, alas; so often they find no light in them; still- others are looking to the ex- ternal forms of religious worship and find no help in them; some look at their own good work and hope to find the comfort they seek there. Hear the voice of God. "Look unto Me.' Shut your eyes, to every other vision, shut your ears to every other voice. "This is my beloved Son, hear ye Him." Fix your gaze upon Jesus the princely lead- er in the faith (Heb. 12:2). There is life for a -look and there is more life in constantly looking. When we find Him we must. beconxe sign posts as was John the Baptist,' and' have our life always pointing to the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
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