Hell, we may well suppose, like the Philistines of old, was confounded, and gave a horrible groan, when they saw their great _Goliah_, in whom they had so long trusted, thus shamefully and totally defeated in no less than three pitched battles. The first _Adam_ was attacked but once, and was conquered; but the second _Adam_, though thus repeatedly assaulted, comes off without the least sin, not only conqueror, but more than conqueror. Think you not, that there was joy, joy unspeakable in heaven, upon this glorious occasion? Think you not that the angels, those sons of GOD, and the multitude of the heavenly host, who shouted so loud at our LORD’s birth, did not repeat, if possible, with yet greater extasy, that heavenly anthem, “Glory be to GOD in the highest.” For a while they were only spectators, orders, we may suppose, being issued out, that they should only wait around, but not relieve their praying, fasting, tempted LORD; but now the restraint is removed: Satan departs, and “behold, angels came and ministered unto him;” they came to administer to his bodily necessities, and to congratulate him upon the glorious and compleat victory which he had gained: some of them, it may be, had done this kind office for _Elijah_ long ago; and with unspeakably greater joy, they repeat it to the LORD of _Elijah_ now. His Father sends him bread from heaven; and by this lets him know, that notwithstanding the horrid temptations with which he had been attacked, he is his own beloved son, in and with whom he was well pleased.
And was there joy in heaven on this happy occasion? What equal, and if possible, what infinitely greater joy ought there to be among the children of GOD here on earth? For we should do well to remember, that our blessed LORD in this great fight with, and conquest over the dragon, acted as a public person, as a fæderal head of his mystical body the church, even the common representative of all believers. We may therefore from this blessed passage gather strong consolations; since by our LORD’s conquest over Satan, we are thereby assured of our own, and in the mean while can apply to him as a compassionate High-Priest, who was in all things tempted as we are, that he might experimentally be enabled to succour us when we are tempted.
Who, who after hearing of or reading this, can think themselves hardly used, or utterly cast off by GOD, because they are tempted to self-murder, blasphemy, or any other horrid and shocking crimes? Who can wonder at wave being permitted to come upon wave, and one trial to follow upon the back of another? Who can admire, that Satan follows them to holy ordinances, and tempts them to doubt of the reality of all their manifestations, and of their being GOD’s children, even after they have enjoyed the most intimate and delightful communion with their heavenly Father? Was not our LORD treated thus? And “shall the servant be above his Lord, or the disciple above his Master?” No, it is sufficient that the servant be as his Lord, and the disciple as his Master.
But not to dwell on a general improvement, let us see what particular lessons may be learned from this affecting portion of holy writ.
And _First_, was our LORD thus violently beset in the _wilderness_? then we may learn, that however profitable solitude and retirement may be, when used in due season, yet when carried to an extreme is hurtful, and rather befriends than prevents temptation. Woe be to him that is thus always alone; for he hath not another to lift him up when he falleth, or to advise with when he is tempted. As a hermit in _America_ once told me, when I asked him whether he found that way of life lessened his temptations; “Dost not thou know, friend, (said he) that a tree which grows by itself, is more exposed to winds and storms than another that stands surrounded with other trees in the woods?” Our LORD knew this, and therefore he was _led by the Spirit_ into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. LORD, keep us from leading ourselves into this temptation, and succour and support us whenever led by thy providence into it! Then, and then only, shall we be safe amidst the fiery darts of the grand enemy of our souls.