As God led Israel from Egypt into the "Promised Land," HE gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.
The first and most important among those Commandments is, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." Exodus 20:3-6
As I was working on "Heavenly Guardians," God revealed this painting to me. HE told me to show how even after fasting for forty days and nights, being hungry beyond compare and having been tempted by Satan three times, Jesus continued to praise His Father and Lord. God also told me that I should show HIS mercy concerning those who obey HIS commandments, because as Satan himself mentioned to Jesus, God did send angels to minister to our Messiah.
In Matthew 4:1-11 the author reveals how Satan came to Jesus in what may have been Jesus' weakest moment in His life after His long ardous fast...
Matthew 4
"1 Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 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; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 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. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him."
This is "Hallowed Servitude." It was begun April 14, 2009 and completed June 1, 2009.
