The End of Temptation | Matthew 4:11

Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him." (Matthew 4:11)

Here we have the last verse concerning the temptation of Our Lord. Thank God that we have such a hope in the midst of temptations—the hope that if we resist, he will flee, and not only will Satan flee, but God will send us the aid that we were tempted to take for ourselves.

Satan had offered bread, but his bread is only sweet for a season, and after that very short season, it turns bitter as death. Satan offered glory—everyone would have stood amazed and cheered for the man lifted from the temple floor by angels—but there would have been one in attendance who was not impressed: His Father. He offered him all the wealth of the world, but that wealth would have perished in a few short years, and for all eternity, he would have paid for a few short years of pleasure. Satan brings us temporal gain, but those who wait will receive eternal gain.

So, if you are "in heaviness through manifold temptations," resist and rejoice, for soon "the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." While there will be eternal rewards in Heaven for those who wait on the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, there will be recompense in this earth as well.

God's reward after patient endurance is a pattern found throughout the Scripture. One example is seen in the life of Abram. When his nephew Lot's herd began to cause problems, he humbled himself and gave way to the lesser brother and let him take the portion of land he wanted, and Lot took the better portion: "And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar." (Genesis 13:10) Now notice the key difference between Lot and Abraham in this hour of temptation: "And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:" (Genesis 13:14) The difference was that Lot lifted up his eyes, and Abram waited on God. He resisted the temptation to take what was rightfully his and banish his ungrateful nephew. He waited on God, and God came and spoke to him and told him to look every direction because He was going to give all of it to him. Like Christ, he waited on God in his hour of temptation, and God came and ministered to him.

Keep your head down and wait on God. Here in just a few verses Satan will flee and God will draw nigh. Perhaps He will feed you with the bread you so desperately need, or say "lift up now thine eyes." Resist the temptation to take for yourself what God will give you in His timing. When He comes to minister to you, you will be glad you did. When you reach eternity and are rewarded with riches that fade not away, you'll be glad you endured those fiery trials of faith!