But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Hebrews 1:8.
In the wilderness Christ endured trials human beings cannot comprehend. Here Christ was brought face-to-face with the subtle power of Satan, the fallen angel. The enemy pursued the same course with the Saviour that he did with Adam and Eve in Eden. He began by disputing the sovereignty of Christ. If you are the Son of God, he said, give me evidence that You are....
Well did Satan know who Christ was, for when the Saviour went to Gadara, the evil spirits in the two madmen there cried out, “What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” As Christ passed through the test of the second Adam, His beauty of character shone out through His disguise. Satan could see through His humanity the glory and purity of the Holy One with whom he had been associated in the heavenly courts. As he looked upon Christ, there rose before his mind a picture of what he himself was then. At the time he had beauty and holiness. Self-exaltation led him to strive for a place above Christ. But he had failed. Could he now carry out his design upon the enfeebled humanity of Christ? He knew that if he could induce Christ to yield one jot in His allegiance to His Father, he would have the world entirely in his power, and would be able to rule as only he in his changed spiritual nature could rule. But the One Satan was trying to overcome was the Lord of heaven, and all the efforts of the tempter were without avail. As Satan saw that he could not obtain the victory, he was aroused to malignant hatred....
Then Satan took Christ to the pinnacle of the temple, and told Him to cast Himself down.... Thus he tried to lead Him to commit the sin of presumption. He reminded Him of the ministration of angels. But no temptation could make the Saviour accept the challenge of the tempter....
The adversary seemed to have power to take Christ where he pleased, for he next took Him to an exceeding high mountain, and there presented before Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them.... Then it was that divinity flashed through humanity, and the fallen angels saw Jesus glorified before them as He said, “Get thee behind me, Satan.” ...
As the Commander in the heavenly courts, Christ was accustomed to receive the attendance of angels. And at any time during His life on this earth He could have called to His Father for twelve legions of angels. But no bribe, no temptation to lead Him to manifest His divine prerogatives, could induce Him to deviate from the path of God's appointment.—Letter 7, 1900.
From Christ Triumphant - Page 191
Christ Triumphant