to succeed John. Moses died in the wilderness. The Law was to be super- seded by Christ. Moses testified of Joshua whom God selected, and John testified of Jesus whom God sent. .Jesus was of legal age to enter the ministry (Numb. 4:3, 3:23). f John shrank from the task. He felt as did Peter when he said, "Depart i ™ ™ f o r I am a sinful ma n" (ohn ld:t5-s). The Heavens were opened to him as they were to Stephen (Acts 7:53) When upon the Cross they were closed against Him (Luke 23:44-45) and after- wards opened again (Acts 1:9) The same heavens are opened unto all who are identified with Him. Self-surrender will bring us to the open door. The Visitor from Heaven— The Holy bpint descended in the form of a dove He was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke l:3o). Set apart now by the ? i Q y o f ? l r V ! a T e m P l e o f G o d (John 2 . 1 9 - 2 5 ) God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38). The dove is the only form ever taken by the Spirit —it is emblematical of purity (Lev 7- 7), harmlessness (Matt. 10:16). Noah's dove found no place in a ruined world for its feet. Now the dove finds a rest- ing place and abides. In the consecra- tion of the High Priest there was a threefold operation—washed, anointed sprinkled with blood. Jesus was bap- tized, anointed and on tlie Cross the blood applied, and He now performs His priestly work. The dove qualities characterize the ministry of Christ The Voice from Heaven— The Father speaks—testifies that Jesus is His Son— not a son, but the Son of God. With Him God is well pleased. We have here the manifestation of the eternal mys- tery—the Trinity. Coming out of the water is the Son—resting upon Him the Spirit, and smiling upon Him and' speaking of Him is the Father. Glory streams from the open heavens, and we behold the blessed, holy; mighty, won- derful Father, Son and Spirit—three in one and one in three. (2) THE DEVIL'S TEST. "To be tempted of the devil." This portion of our lesson projects ns into the crucial crisis in the life of our Lord—the beginning of the battle with the Prince of this world. In 1 John 3:8 we are told " F or this purpose was the Son of God manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil." In redeeming a lost world he must be able to overcome -Satan. This conflict is to be continual until the enemy is
bound m prison. When Adam was givei his inheritance the sceptre was put into, his hand and he was earth's ruler— hi was God's representative on earth Satan came and through sublety wo* his heart from God and Adam yieldeS obedience to God's enemy and the scep- tre passed from Adam to Satan. Wh ei Jesus, the seeond man and the las Adam, is accredited as God's Son, H. proceeds to challenge Satan in his owl stronghold, the wilderness, with the wild I beasts (Mark 1:13). This was the M sential opening of the campaign whic was to decide who was to be the rule of this world. Only by victory ove Satan could He vindicate God's char aeter and His own claims. It is essen tial to remember that while Jesus it truly God that it is as man He is beinc proven in this combat, and man "aparl; from sin." Great violence can be dond to our Lord if we fail to emphasize the j words " a p a rt s i n " as it should be rendered in Hebrews 4:15. Forty Days' Fast— Forty is the peri or of probation, and corresponds to the forty years of Israel's testing in the wilderness. Moses and Elijah fastec to meet God, but Christ fasts to meet. Satan (Deut. 8:3). The fast strengthens! Him in spirit but weakens Him in body , The battle occurs at the close of this fast, when hunger was heavy upon Him). Satan Appeared' —The lesson will los its significance if the doctrine of Satan is not clearly understood. In fact, the) whole Bible is a riddle impossible oi' solution if the personality and power of Satan are not recognized. Satan's Personality— The names anc acts ascribed to him in the Scripture commencing with Abaddon, and end witl the Wicked One. All sorts of wort are ascribed to him. He tajks, walks] fights, opgrssses, binds, tempts, etc/ His personality is proven by the follow) ing tests: Gen. 3:1; Job 1:6: Luke 104 18; Acts 5:3; 1 Pet. 5:8. V Satan's Position —He is the acknowl) edged rnler of this world. The Prince of this world (John 12:31, 13:40). The King over an organized Kingdom (Matt. 12:24, 26). Prince of the powei of the air (Eph. 2:2). Dragon and his angels (Rev. 12:7). God of this world (2 Cor. 4:4). How suggestive are these four titles as to the authority of this enemy. Satan's Power—As ruler of earth and air and having access into the heaven- 1 lies, Satan has power second only to God Himself, and this power must be wrested from him by the man whom
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