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January 3

Scripture for today: Genesis 5:1-7:24; Matthew 3:7-4:11; Psalm 3:1-8; Proverbs 1:10-19

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“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry” (Matthew 4:1-2 ESV)

From: January 3, 2016

God seems to have favorite numbers. Both the number 40 and the number 3 are significant in today’s OYB reading. The number 40 generally symbolizes a period of testing, trial or preparation. We see the number in both our OT and NT readings today. Noah and his family were kept safe in the ark while God sent 40 days and nights of rain to flood the earth (Gen. 7:12). And in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus was led into the wilderness for 40 days of testing by the “Spirit.” This time of “temptation” points back to at least two events in the OT: 1) The Israelites 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and 2) Adam and Eve’s 3-part temptation in the garden. The 40 days for Jesus marked his preparation for public ministry, just as the 40 years for Israel marked their preparation for entering the promised land.
And the 3-part temptation by the devil was familiar too. Notice the similarity between Satan’s temptation of Eve (Gen. 3) and later, of Jesus:
1) Eve: “good for food;” Jesus: “stones to bread”
2) Eve: “delight to the eyes” Jesus: “let the people see the angels save you”
3) Eve: “wise like God;” Jesus: “give your worship to me instead of God”
Of course, the difference is that Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation, but Jesus overcame it.
The apostle John reminds us that in Christ, we can be “overcomers” too. Notice the three temptations listed by John and then the promise.
“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world… Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 2:16, 5:5).

“So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood” (Genesis 7:7 NKJV)

From: January 3, 2015

There is much about the book of Genesis (From the Greek translation meaning “beginnings”) that troubles the modern mind. In today’s reading we encounter the incredible longevity of man (Methuselah lived to 969 years), the building of an ark to save Noah, his family, and a remnant of the animals of the land and air, and finally, a worldwide deluge. Some view these stories as myth or fairy tale, yet Jesus referred to Noah and the flood as a literal event. Both Matthew and Luke record Jesus’ words describing the “days of Noah” as a foreshadowing of the end times when He would return to judge the living and the dead (Matt. 24:37-38, Luke 17:26-27). If Jesus referred to Noah and the flood as literal past and predictive of the future, then so do I. That’s why I’ve decided to believe into Christ our Ark. for “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).

“But Jesus told him, ‘No! The Scriptures say, “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God'” (Matthew 4:4)

From: January 3, 2014

After Jesus was baptized, He fasted 40 days and nights in the wilderness, where He was tempted by Satan. Adam and Eve were tempted too, but in the garden. They were well fed and satisfied. Jesus was hungry, thirsty and tired. Satan used the same bag of tricks on both. The first Adam sinned after the devil caused them to doubt God’s Word asking, “Did God really say?” (Gen. 3:1). The “last Adam” (1 Cor. 15:22; 45) overcame by His righteousness, answering every temptation with the Word of God. We have this same Word available to us to overcome temptation.

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4)

From: January 3, 2013

Jesus was tempted by Satan in the same three ways as Eve. However, Jesus responded with Scripture to Satan’s attack. Jesus doesn’t question God’s Word, He stands on it! Who do you want to be like, the one who doubts the Word or the One who stands on it?

“But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God'” (Matthew 4:4)

From: January 3, 2012

Jesus quotes Deut. 8:3 to overcome the devil’s 1st temptation. We can learn from Him. Fill your mind with God’s Word and be able to resist the evil one.