Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’" Matthew 4:5-7 NKJV
There's that "if You are the Son of God" challenge again. And the temptation to use scriptures--or misuse them--for the wrong reasons. If He had accidentally fallen? Yes, but maybe not if He had jumped.
I have a weird fear of falling. It's not so much being on a high, unprotected cliff or structure. It's the nightmares afterwards. Lots of years ago, I helped my dad reroof their house. He needed the help; but then I had that falling fear. Not so much while I was on the roof, but when I lay down to sleep that night. I did something a little different that night, and it worked.
That scripture the devil used? It's from Psalm 91:12. It's there, and it's usable WHEN NEEDED. I really wanted to sleep that night instead of jerking awake every time I drifted into dreamland. I asked God to give His angels charge over me. Guess what? Every time I started to fall, an angel was there to catch me and give me a ride around to look at the scenery from an angel's-eye view. Pretty cool.
There is no way I'd purposefully throw myself off a cliff or a roof or anywhere else and ask for the same protection. That would be tempting God. Do you understand the difference? Jesus did, and He didn't fall into that temptation.
Father, please open our eyes and let us see the difference between proper and improper use of Your promises. Thank You, Lord. Amen
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