This is the Tempter

Posted on May 11, 2025 by a moment with god — Leave a comment

Good Evening, God

The temptations of Christ seem to shed such a clear light on today’s world that I wanted to talk about it. But all the artists who depicted the scene made Satan so obviously untrustworthy — perhaps part of the plan to make evil invisible to us? Satan was a fallen angel. Comely — this is a Northern European version of beauty — but whatever ones’ culture — Satan will look beautiful.

Because, surely, we like to think ,IF THERE WAS AN EVIL BEING, he would be EASY TO RECOGNIZE. Alas, not so. But back to the temptations. In Luke 4:6-7 Satan said to Jesus “I will give You authority over all these kingdoms and all their glory,” he said. “For it has been relinquished to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish. So if You worship me, it will all be Yours.”

That is an Obvious Temptation. But, then it gets prettied up. Here is a possible back story — and I am pretty sure there was at least one. For example, Satan might point out to Jesus that these kingdoms are very poorly run. People are hungry. They are frightened. And there is no justice. All very true. Next, Satan might say . . . if YOU were the Ruler think of all the GOOD you could do? Is it not selfish of you to refuse to help them?

You get the idea. Satan appears to us not just as beautiful but also as so “kind” . . . so wanting to engage us in Good Works. All he asks if that we worship him . . . and it starts in such a small way. What could be the harm in that simple act. And on it goes.

Then, when folks begin to see the truth and want to get out . . . then comes the biggest lie of all. “TOO LATE!!! You can never escape! Look at all the HORRID things you have done! God will never ever forgive you.”

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO REPENT! Isn’t that right, God? And you point out how you chose Saul who had been present at the stoning to death of Stephen to carry the word of LOVE and FORGIVENESS into the known world. Of course, you knocked him off his horse and he was three days blind. YIKES! Some of us might need that! Still he heard. He believed. And he was transformed.

I have to admit, God, that I do wish You would do more of that. A lot of us are on our “High Horse”.

Sigh, in truth, I feel as if our whole species needs to fall on our knees and repent.