The crux of the matter concerning the temptation of Egypt, as we said, is that of finding our survival and security in the world. This is different from Sodom, which symbolizes worshiping the lusts and pleasures of the flesh and soul. Of course, these two human traits interact.

Paramount in the minds of worldly people is gaining enough food to eat and, in a rich nation such as America, seeking to insure that there will always be enough to eat. To this end people amass more money than they need. They want to guarantee their food and shelter without having to trust the Lord. This is why the only god Jesus mentioned was Mammon, the god of riches, as being a competitor of the true God.

The true God promises us our food and shelter. Mammon promises us our food and shelter. Therefore we have to choose between God and Mammon.

Money plays an extremely important role in the world of Antichrist, just as we see in America today. We Americans cannot even imagine an economy not based on a sizable cash flow. We worship money whether we realize it or not.

The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.'" (Luke 4:3,4—NIV)

A few years back the so-called "prosperity message" was popular among American Christians. The idea was that the believer should use his faith in God to acquire much money and become rich. This is the very opposite of the counsel of the Bible.

We have gotten so far away from the Word of God that we can be led astray by doctrines that are the opposite of the teaching of the Bible.

No, we are not to focus all of our God-given gifts on turning stones into bread. God has promised to provide our material needs for survival and security if we will seek Him and His righteousness.

Jesus' reply to Satan was taken from Deuteronomy.

Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. (Deuteronomy 8:2,3—NIV)

The witness of God must turn away from his involvement with the world system and learn to trust God for his daily necessities and desires. It may be true that in the future we will have severe economic difficulties in the United States. If this happens the citizens will turn into wild beasts as they scream for their god, their money.

The true saint and witness of God will look to the Lord in that day and stand on those Psalms that promise we will be protected and fed in the time of trouble and famine. This will be a powerful witness of the faithfulness of God.

To be continued.