Yes — the kingdoms of the world were within Satan's power to offer to Jesus.
The New Testament records that Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and promised to give them to Him if He would worship him (Matthew 4:8-9). Les Feldick teaches that the kingdoms were genuinely Satan's to offer because he is the god of this world and has been the head of the nations since Adam left the garden. Yet Jesus refused because He would receive the same kingdoms through His own victory and sovereignty, not by submitting to Satan.
Matthew 4:8-9 — Records the actual offer of all the kingdoms of the world to Jesus by Satan, with the condition of worship.
2 Corinthians 4:4 — Describes Satan as the god of this world, supporting the premise that the kingdoms were within his power to offer.
In Matthew 4:8-9, the Scripture records: 'Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.' The passage does not present the kingdoms as a vague spiritual reality; it specifically says Satan showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. 2 Corinthians 4:4 identifies Satan as 'the god of this world.' The verse says: 'In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.' This title places the world and its systems under his present influence. Jesus' response to the temptation is recorded in Matthew 4:10: 'Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.'
Les Feldick teaches that the kingdoms of the world were genuinely Satan's to offer. He answers the question directly: 'Were these kingdoms his to give? Yes. He is the God of this world. He has been the head of the nations ever since Adam left the garden. And he is ruling and reigning the nations of the world today as well as any time before' (Clip 1). He also says plainly, 'Was it his to give? Yes. Absolutely they're his dominion tonight' (Clip 6). According to Les, the temptation was concrete. Satan took Jesus to an exceeding high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of this world — not something ethereal or invisible (Clip 7). Because Jesus and Satan are both spiritual, they could look back to the Garden of Eden and forward to the end of time, seeing all the empires that had come and would come (Clips 3, 4). At that moment in history, the Roman Empire reached from the British Isles to the Ganges River of India, making the offer of 'all the kingdoms of the world' tangible (Clip 5). Yet Satan missed the most important truth. The condition of the offer was that Jesus would fall down and worship him, but Satan did not understand that Christ was going to have those kingdoms anyway and would set up His own glorious kingdom (Clip 2). Jesus knew He would have them one day, so He did not need to worship Satan to get them (Clip 6).
Les says the view from the exceedingly high mountain was not limited to a physical horizon. Because Jesus and Satan are both spiritual, they could look back to the Garden of Eden and forward to the end of time (Clip 4). Les also says Jesus could see all the great empires that had come and would come, including Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom and future nations (Clip 3). At that moment, the Roman Empire already stretched from the British Isles to the Ganges River (Clip 5). This made the offer of all the kingdoms of the world concrete and visible.
Satan's condition was explicit: 'All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me' (Matthew 4:9). Les repeatedly emphasizes that the condition was worship — Jesus would receive the kingdoms if He would fall down and worship Satan (Clips 1, 2, 4).
Les says Jesus refused because He knew He would have the kingdoms anyway. 'He didn't trick Jesus because Jesus knew that one day he'd have them anyway. And he didn't have to fall down and worship Satan to get them' (Clip 6). Satan did not comprehend that Christ would receive those kingdoms and establish His own glorious kingdom (Clip 2). Jesus' answer, recorded in Matthew 4:10, was simply to tell Satan to leave.
Les teaches that Satan is still ruling and reigning the nations of the world today just as he has since Adam left the garden (Clip 1). This is why the kingdoms could be offered to Jesus — they were within his dominion then and remain within his dominion in the present age (Clips 1, 6).
Satan's Scriptural Tactics
Les demonstrates that Satan knows Scripture and can quote it, which gives context for why the wilderness temptations — including the offer of the kingdoms — were real spiritual challenges.
Satan as God of This World
Les directly affirms the kingdoms were Satan's to give because he is the god of this world and has been head of the nations since Adam left the garden.
Satan's Misunderstanding
Les explains the offer included all past and future empires, but Satan failed to understand that Christ would one day have those kingdoms and establish a glorious kingdom.
Spiritual View of the Kingdoms
Les shows the spiritual nature of the viewing: Jesus could see back to Nebuchadnezzar's empire and forward to future nations, while Satan missed Christ's coming sovereignty over them.
Kingdoms From Eden to End of Time
Les describes the mountain view as extending from the Garden of Eden to the end of time, making Satan's offer of every earthly kingdom audacious.
Roman Empire Context
Les sets the temptation during the Roman Empire and describes its span from the British Isles to the Ganges, making the offer of 'all the kingdoms of the world' concrete.
Dominion to Give
Les affirms the kingdoms were absolutely Satan's dominion to offer, but Jesus knew He would have them anyway without falling down to worship him.
Literal Kingdoms of This World
Les underscores that the offer concerned literal kingdoms of this world, listing Egypt, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome as the great empires already come and gone.
Matthew 4:8: Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
This is the verse where Satan shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world from the high mountain.
Matthew 4:9: And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
This verse records the condition of the offer — worship in exchange for the kingdoms.
Matthew 4:10: Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
This verse records Jesus' refusal and His appeal to the command to worship God alone.
2 Corinthians 4:4: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
This verse calls Satan the god of this world, which is the basis for his claim over the nations.
According to Les Feldick, the offer was real. The kingdoms of the world were Satan's to give because he is the god of this world and has been head of the nations since Adam left the garden. Les says plainly that they were absolutely his dominion to offer, so the temptation was not an empty promise.
Jesus refused because He knew He would have the kingdoms anyway. Les explains that Jesus did not have to fall down and worship Satan to receive them. Instead, Christ would one day receive those kingdoms and establish His own glorious kingdom.
Les teaches that Satan has been the head of the nations ever since Adam left the garden and is ruling and reigning the nations of the world today as much as at any time before. This is why the kingdoms could legitimately be offered to Jesus.
Watch the Teaching: Jesus' Three Temptations — Why Satan's Attacks Still Matter Today