Departing for a Season
By T. E. Bowen
When the series of temptations, planned by the devil for the Son of God, were ended, the tempter departed from Christ for a season. Somehow in these few brief words there comes a sweet assurance from God to us down here at the end, when we, too, are also coming into close contact with this same wily foe, that he shall not be permitted to constantly afflict the children of God, but that they, too, shall enjoy in their personal experience little seasons when the tempter is forced to depart from them. It may truly be for only “a little season,” but what wonderful strength and power each struggling saint may gather in communion with Christ during that little respite! We are all counted in by the foe. In numbering his subjects, the tempter does not overlook that little band of Sabbath-keepers. He feels sure that somehow he will by some effort unlooked for by us compass our ruin. Now the question rests largely with us whether it shall be thus or not. If not, then you may count on a hand-to-hand conflict with some representative from the headquarters of the prince of darkness. Don’t count on your being an exception. There are none. The devil is no respecter of persons. He is artfully playing the game of life for every soul. And he counts for his subjects the world. For every varied mind, high or low, rich or poor, he has special temptations. And they are appropriate temptations. He did not assail Christ as he does you and me. O, no! With him it was, “If thou be the Son of God.” He never would approach us like this. This insinuation to Christ was a temptation. One word from his Creator, whom he was then addressing, would forever have put an end to his temptations. But Christ showed that he was the Son of God, by refraining from using his power as God in this manner. He does not tempt worldly people as he tempts Seventh-day Adventists. He has special temptations all planned to use for us as a people. One of these is to lead men to covet earthly wealth. He seeks to make the world specially attractive in the minds of Sabbath-keepers. He thus disheartens the workers by keeping means out of their hands — just anything to eclipse the truth, so we shall think more of these unimportant, passing things than we do of the precious, enduring treasure of the truth, by which we are sanctified. Shall we be deceived? If not, then we must be gaining victories over ourselves now. God has provided for us a winning armor. Let us carefully examine ourselves to see if we have it all on. “Wherefore,” says Christ, “take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day.” Because “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits [margin] in high places.” It is extremely dangerous now to be caught napping. Even though our foe departs from us for a season after some hard spiritual battle with him, let us not be deceived by thinking we shall be successful in avoiding meeting him again. It will be found that he will appear again, clothed, perhaps, in another garb, approaching from another quarter and at a time we had not expected. Therefore, it is highly important that we all heed the counsel of Christ to “watch,” and “pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”