Paradise Regained (Novel version)

Chapter 3 - The Temptation Begins

Jesus was hungry. And as His stomach growled, He surely felt famished. Suddenly, He heard a sound like the snapping of a twig, and He looked up.

And in the tree line was an old man. And the old man was gathering firewood, but there was no house near there, so he must have been a long way from home.

The old man saw Jesus approach him and smiled. "Shalom!"

Jesus nodded and greeted back. "Shalom."

"You're indeed a long way from home, dear stranger," the old man said.

Jesus looked upon him. "How do you know this?"

"Because no one lives out here." He continued to gather wood, and then he looked upon Him once more. His eyes lit up. "Wait, are you not He who was baptized by John the Baptist nearly a month ago? In the Jordan?"

"I assure you, it has been longer than a month by now, I'm sure." And Jesus paused. Then He spoke again. "Yes that was indeed me."

And the old man looked Him over. "Well, I would assume that you are hungry, yes? If I am to tell you the truth, I have not eaten either for a long while. Days even. And, if I recall clearly, did not the two of you say that you are the Son of God?" The old man saw the rocks that were all around them and gestured to them. "If that is so, then I would truly ask to turn all these useless rocks into bread for us to dine on. Truly, then we shall both be fed. And we shall both be happy."

And Jesus looked upon the old man with silence only for a few seconds. Then He spoke. "You truly think that there is such a force of quenching in bread? Is it not written, for I know you are aware of the words, 'Man does not live on bread alone, but the words that proceed from the mouth of God. For He fed our fathers here with manna.' While he was in the mount, Moses was forty days without food and drink. And Elijah, was he not forty days without food and wandered without the quenching of water, just as I do now? Why do you then suggest me to distrust the words, knowing who I am?" Jesus looked upon him, and the old man only stared. Jesus spoke up again. "As I know who you are, deceiver."

And Satan, knowing he was found out, transformed back into his true form. But his true form was no longer that of a mountainous being, but that of a demon. For through his pride and evil doing, his great form eroded down for he had chosen the form of a snake to doom humanity, thus he would be as a snake to heavenly beings.

(Author's note: Milton does some fluffing up on the story here, because in Luke, it only says that Satan told Jesus to turn rocks into bread, and Jesus quoted, "Man does not live by bread alone, etc." Like I said, Biblical fanfiction. But it certainly is more dramatic and sells that the enemy could come as something as innocent as an old man.)

"Jesus of Nazareth," Satan greeted. "I am--"

"I know who you are, Satan, or did you not hear me when I found you out?" Jesus responded. "You are the first of the fallen; the deceiver; the enemy; the root of all evil."

"Your words are ever so touching, dearest Jesus."

Jesus was not moved by him. "What are you doing here? Why do you follow me?"

Satan went to his knees and began to crawl to Jesus, begging. "Oh, Holiest of Holies, I only came to see your glory in person. For you see, although I have been cut off from most of my power from Heaven, I can surely still see divine beauty! And you, dearest one, are truly beautiful." And Satan saw that Jesus wasn't moved by him, nor was He budging when he approached Him, so he began to crawl back away from Him. "But I assure you, I have been doing my part here in Creation. For is this not what I was supposed to do? Do you remember Job. Do you remember reading about him in synagogue? Was it not I that proved that God was powerful there? Remember, God gave me power to do as I wished upon him so I may tempt him away from the Lord. But he did not leave the Lord's side! So surely, you must believe that was I trying to help humanity. I was showing them the personification of a Godly man that they could model themselves after. And surely you remember Ahab (quick author's note: Ahab was a king in the OT that was a condoner of Jezebel's wicked ways. He disguised himself in battle like a coward and he got shot. Bad dude. Also in the Septuagint it was said that pigs, besides dogs, licked his blood, making him unclean to the Israelites.). People said that it was my power and influence through the wicked mouth of the woman Jezebel that destroyed him, but truly I was doing what he wanted! I was using my power to help him, and thus his life was taken! So truly, I tell you, I'm a friend to mankind! I removed a wicked king from God's people, and thus I saved them. Surely you can see that I'm good! Truly why would I have a problem with man? For was it not I who tried to help them? Yes, yes, I have always tried to help them! Did I not give them dreams? Did I not give them great signs? People call on me, so they not? They call on the name of the devil to give them knowledge of the future, and I grant their every desire. I'm only trying to help them. Is it not written that one day that humanity can be restored? It was prophesied that humanity will be by your side, and I surely can't. So for my penance, I'm only trying to be whatever help I can for whoever wants me to."

And Jesus heard his words, and responded. "Yes, indeed. Why do you think that humanity needs you? Why does humanity need healing? Why does humanity need a Savior? Why does humanity need anything, indeed? Remember, deceiver, sin and death and all evil were conceived by you. Humanity was truly perfect. They were without sin. They were with purpose. They were unblemished by lust, hate, or pain, for they were pure beings of love. Humanity was perfect in the Garden of Eden, and you came into it because of your pride. You entered it because of your hatred. So those who are led astray come to you because they are worried about their future, they are worried about their family, they are worried about those who have passed on from them. And all of this, all, is because they seek answers to evil that YOU brought into the world. Not God. You. And it is thus, and you know it indeed, that everything deal you make, everything thing you do, is only to gain more power. If you do not make humanity turn from God and see themselves as gods and only trust upon themselves instead of God to fight against you, then you just directly force those to worship you, simply because you believe that it should be you who should have the infinite power of the universe. And, indeed, you bring up Job. What reason, truly what reason, did you have to torment and torture the poor soul that was Job? While God and Job were truly able to turn the story into a force for good because it was indeed proof of what a follower of God could be, but you did what you did for the simple fact that you hated Job! You hated him because he loved the Lord above all things. You hated that he was zealous for the Lord! You hated him that he simply had love in his heart because you have none! You tortured him only because you could! Satan, enemy and deceiver, most despised under Heaven for good reason, you have abused humanity for thousands of years to build up your own pride and power, and now you have the nerve to stand before me and tell me and lie to my face that you're looking out for them? My purpose, for it is God's purpose, is to give humanity wisdom and an oracle without penance. For they shouldn't have to go to you just so you can lift up your own power, because you only care about yourself and your own power."

And Satan, dumbfounded that he could not respond quickly enough to rebuttal Him, spoke. "Indeed, you deliver harsh conviction, Son of God. For your points are well made." He paused only for a moment, then spoke again, again with a wicked tongue. "If you are truly down here on Earth for a while, then I ask of you s favor. Perhaps you could entertain me while you are here with me. Would you mind if I follow you and see truly the full glory of what the Son of God truly is? If you are truly He, then I must know what I am to reverence and what I am to truly respect. If God allows a hypocrite to stand within a synagogue, then perhaps you would allow this lowly sinner within your presence."

And Jesus, gathering Himself to continue His wandering, responded. "Satan, the very fact that you are allowed here to be within my presence means something. God has allowed you here to be here with me for some reason. So if this is my trial, if I am to put up with you as I wander through the wilderness, then so be it. You may follow as you please."

And Satan nodded and smiled. "Indeed. Then I shall be back. Excuse me as I leave." And thus, Satan departed from him for the time being.

And Jesus looked up as Satan flew from Him, then looked at the wilderness before Him. And whether Satan heard Him or not, He did not care. He spoke. "I would much rather wish you stayed away from me, but do as you wish, indeed."

And Jesus gathered Himself and continued walking. He wandered into the wilderness further, meditating on the words of the Lord, and keeping His love upon His father above all things.