In the garden of Eden, God had told Adam and Eve how to live. But, the serpent told them that there was another way, an illegitimate way to have what they were led to believe that God had kept from them (Genesis 3:5). It turned out that the only thing that God was keeping from them was death and heartbreak. During the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah, an invading Assyrian commander brought a message from his king saying: "Make with me a blessing and come out to me...until I come and take you away to a land like your own land" (2 Kings 18:31-32, Isaiah 36:16-17). In the wilderness, the devil tempted Jesus to provide for Himself food instead of fasting, to try to test God by forcing His hand, and to commit one act of unfaithfulness to God in exchange for freeing the world of the devil's influence (Matthew 4:1-11). What the devil has always offered and still offers to God's people is illegitimate fulfillment. God had given Adam and Eve the fullest life, holding no good thing back from them. The devil lied and said that there was more. God had provided a homeland for His people. The Assyrian king challenged their security and offered immediate peace if they would only surrender. He promised to take them to a land "like" their own. In essence, he offered illegitimate peace. Jesus knew that obedience to His Father was the only way to carry out the work of salvation. The devil offered Him alternatives. Thank the Lord, Jesus knew that there was no other way.
We are offered illegitimate peace every day. We are offered a sure-fire way to make sure that our kids aren't singled out. We are offered instant acceptance at work. We are offered the illusion of financial stability. After all, heads that are bowed to the idol don't catch the eye and the ire of the king.
God answered Hezekiah's prayer when the Assyrians sent their terms of "peace". Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord of the nations had a message for the Assyrian king:
"Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? And against whom have you raised your voice, and on high lifted up your eyes: Against the Holy One of Israel! Through your messengers you have reproached the Lord, and you have said, 'With my many chariots I came up to the heights of the mountains, to the remotest parts of Lebanon; and I cut down its tall cedars and its choice cypresses. And I entered its farthest lodging place, its thickest forest'...Have you not heard? Long ago I did it; from ancient times I planned it. Now I have brought it to pass, that you should turn fortified cities into ruinous heaps...But I know your sitting down, and your going out and your coming in, and your raging against Me. Because of your raging against Me, and because your complacency has come up to My ears, therefore I will put My hook in your nose, and My bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way which you came." (from 2 Kings 19:22-28, Isaiah 37:23-29)