The offer signifies that Satan genuinely holds dominion over the world's kingdoms and that Jesus will receive them by defeating him, not by worshipping him.
Les Feldick teaches that the offer was real because Satan is the god of this world and has ruled the nations since Adam left the garden. Jesus, however, knew He would possess those kingdoms anyway, so He refused to bow. One day Christ will obliterate these empires and set up His own glorious kingdom.
Matthew 4:8-9 — The passage records Satan's offer of all the world's kingdoms in exchange for worship.
2 Corinthians 4:4 — Identifies Satan as the god of this world, explaining his genuine claim over the kingdoms.
Matthew 4 records that the devil took Jesus up into an exceeding high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and said, "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." Jesus answered with Scripture: "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." The New Testament also calls Satan "the god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4), and 1 John 5:19 says that "the whole world lieth in wickedness." Scripture therefore pictures a world that is under the sway of the evil one, even though God remains sovereign.
Les Feldick teaches that this temptation shows how real Satan's authority over the world is. He repeatedly answers the question "Were these kingdoms his to give?" with a direct yes, because since Adam left the garden Satan has been the god of this world and has ruled and reigned over the nations. The world, Les says, lies in the lap of the wicked one, and everything mankind accomplishes—whether good, beautiful, ugly, or bad—has been prompted by Satan. God, he says, is not in the business of the material world. Les also stresses the scope and condition of the offer. From the high mountain, Jesus and Satan—both spiritual beings—could look back to the Garden of Eden and forward to the end of time, seeing every empire that ever existed or would exist. Satan offered all of it in exchange for one thing: if Jesus would fall down and worship him. Most importantly, Les teaches that Jesus did not fall for the offer because He knew He would have the kingdoms anyway. Satan at that point did not understand that Christ was going to possess those kingdoms. When Christ returns, He will simply obliterate them from view, blow them away like the dust of the summer threshing floor, and set up His own glorious kingdom.
Yes, according to Les Feldick. The kingdoms were Satan's to give because he is the god of this world and the head of the nations since Adam left the garden. He is ruling and reigning over the nations today just as much as at any time before. Scripture supports this in 2 Corinthians 4:4, where Satan is called the god of this world.
Satan's single condition was worship. Les repeatedly emphasizes the condition: if Jesus would fall down and worship him, all the kingdoms and their glory would be His. This condition is recorded in Matthew 4:9.
Les says Jesus knew one day He would have those kingdoms anyway, so He did not need to bow to Satan to receive them. Christ will not inherit the nations by yielding to Satan, but by defeating him—He will obliterate the world's kingdoms and set up His own glorious kingdom. Jesus answered Satan with Scripture, declaring that worship belongs to the Lord God alone.
Les teaches that Satan evidently did not know or comprehend that Christ was going to have those kingdoms. He suggests that there are many things Satan does not know. The nations Satan showed Jesus are the same nations that will one day be under Christ's rulership when He rules and reigns.
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Word of God? Listen, we have to feed on it every day, and I know we're all in busy schedules. I don't think anyone's got one any busier than mine. But we still have to find the time and take the time to feed on the Word, all right? You cannot live by material, physical things alone. We have to have that which is spiritual, all right? Now Satan isn't satisfied.
Satan's Authority Over the Nations
Les explains that the kingdoms were genuinely Satan's to give because Satan is the god of this world and has been head of the nations since Adam left the garden.
Christ Will Receive the Kingdoms by Defeating Satan
Les says Satan did not understand that Christ would one day have the kingdoms, and that Christ will obliterate these empires and set up His own glorious kingdom.
Scope of Satan's Offer
Les describes how the Roman Empire reached from Britain to India and says Satan absolutely had the power to give those kingdoms, since he has been god of this world since Adam fell.
Satan's Limited Knowledge
Les teaches that Satan could show Jesus all past and future empires and offered them for worship, but Satan did not understand that the same nations will eventually be under Christ's rulership.
High Mountain Perspective
Les explains that from the high mountain, as spirit beings, Jesus and Satan could look from Eden to the end of time and see every kingdom Satan audaciously offered in exchange for worship.
Jesus Knew the Kingdoms Were Already His
Les says Jesus knew He would have the kingdoms anyway, so He did not have to bow to Satan to receive them; Satan's offer was real because the kingdoms are his dominion today.
Satan's Dominion Over the World
Les says Scripture is clear that Satan is the god of this world and that the world lies in the lap of the wicked one, prompting all that mankind accomplishes.
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;
Sets the scene for Satan's offer of every earthly kingdom.
Matthew 4:9: And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
States the condition attached to the offer.
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.
Jesus' refusal, grounded in Scripture.
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.
Shows that Scripture calls Satan the god of this world, explaining his claim over the kingdoms.
1 John 5:19: And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
Supports the idea that the world as a whole lies under evil's influence.
Yes. Les Feldick says the kingdoms were genuinely Satan's to give. He is the god of this world and has ruled over the nations since Adam left the garden, so the offer was not empty or imaginary.
Satan said Jesus could have all the kingdoms if He would fall down and worship him. That was the single condition of the deal.
Yes, but not by accepting Satan's terms. Christ will one day obliterate the world's kingdoms like chaff from the threshing floor and set up His own glorious kingdom.
Les says Jesus knew He would have those kingdoms anyway. He did not have to fall down and worship Satan to receive what would one day be His.
Watch the Teaching: Did Adam Sin Out of Love? The Hebrew Servant Explained