In today’s devotion we will explore one more wonderful insight from this special book of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy and Jesus
One very powerful way to combat Satan is to carry Scripture verses around with you on index cards and recite them when he hurls temptations your way. This idea is not original with me – I learned it from Jesus. If you are not excited by now about this precious fifth book of the Holy Bible, then I hope this personal endorsement from the Master and Lord of all creation can let your mind meditate on the power contained in this book.
Most Christians are familiar with the account of how Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After forty days of not eating the devil came and hurled three powerful temptations at our Lord. What was His response? No, He didn’t pull out index cards with Bible verses on them, but He did something quite similar. He quoted Bible verses to him from memory. In each case Jesus told the devil, “it is written,” and proceeded to quote a powerful portion of the Word of God, which he was powerless to refute.
And this is what really gets me excited. All three of these “spiritual torpedoes” were from the book of Deuteronomy!
When Satan tried to tempt Jesus with food, tests of His Father’s love, and with kingdoms, His response was right from our old friend Deuteronomy.
After Jesus’ forty days of fasting Satan knew that He was hungry and told Jesus in (Matthew 4:3): “…If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But in (Matthew 4:4) Jesus quotes directly from (Deuteronomy 8:3): “Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Then when Satan told Jesus to throw Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple Jesus replied: “…On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” (Matthew 4:7). This rebuttal was directly from (Deuteronomy 6:16).
Finally, when Satan offered to give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if He would only bow down and worship him, Jesus said: “…Begone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” (Matthew 4:10). Jesus for the third time used a verse from Deuteronomy. This final verse, (Deuteronomy 6:13), was just too much for the devil and he had to flee.
Deuteronomy – I hope that the sound of this word may begin to provoke a slightly different response in your mind after reading this devotion. There is so much more to share from this precious portion of Scripture, but I leave it up to you to schedule a personal reading appointment into the pages of one of the richest treasure troves of scriptural nuggets of gold around.