“In the wilderness” Not only can we receive the Word of God, but we can also be tempted by Satan.

“In the wilderness”

Not only can we receive the Word of God,

but we can also be tempted by Satan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, he was hungry” (Luke 4:1–2).

 

 

 

As I meditate on this passage, I would like to reflect on the lessons given to us through it.

 

(1)    When I meditate on Luke 4:1–2, which says that Jesus was tempted by the devil for forty days, I also look up the same account in Matthew 4:1–2 and Mark 1:12–13.  By comparing the similarities and differences among them, I came to four main conclusions.

 

(a)    First, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (Lk. 4:1; cf. Mt. 4:1).  Mark 1:12 says that the Holy Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.

 

(i)                 When Jesus was baptized by John at the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in fullness, and a voice came from heaven saying, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Lk. 3:22). 

·         When I meditate on how Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, I’m reminded of Hosea 2:14: “Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her.”

 

-          When I think of “the wilderness,” I recall how during His public ministry—roughly three and a half years between His baptism and resurrection—Jesus often withdrew early in the morning (Mk. 1:35) to “a solitary place” (v. 35, 6:32; Luke 5:16) to pray and commune intimately with the Father.  I believe this intimate fellowship with God was the very backbone of His ministry.

 

n  Therefore, we too must follow Jesus’ example—led by the Holy Spirit—to set aside quiet time, with a quiet heart, going to a quiet place like the wilderness to have intimate fellowship with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ (cf. 1 Jn. 1:3), and to hear His comforting words (Hos. 2:14).  Personally, I long to hear and be comforted by words such as: “You are my beloved son; with you I am well pleased” (Lk. 3:22), “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing …” (Zeph. 3:17), “Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine… you are precious and honored in my sight, and I love you …” (Isa. 43:1, 4).

 

(b)    Second, Jesus stayed in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil (“Satan,” Mk. 1:13; cf. Lk. 4:1–2, Mt. 4:1–2).

 

(i)                 As I meditate on how Jesus, led by the Spirit, stayed in the wilderness for forty days and was tempted by the devil, I realize that the wilderness is not only the place where we hear God’s Word and learn that “man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Deut. 8:3), but it is also a place where we can be tempted by Satan.

·         That is, even when we are full of the Spirit and seeking God’s truth in solitude, the “father of lies” (Jn. 8:44), in whom there is no truth, persistently tries to deceive us.

 

-          For example, when we spend quiet time with a quiet heart in a quiet place to commune with God and receive His truth—“You are my beloved son; with you I am well pleased” (Lk. 3:22)—the devil tries relentlessly to make us recall our sins and doubt our forgiveness, leading us into self-hatred.  This reminded me of my short meditation on Love vs. Hatred from 1 John: “Love comes from God” (1 Jn. 4:7).  That is, love originates from God.  We know we belong to the truth because we love (3:19).  But hatred comes from the devil (3:8, 10). When we hate, we lie, and the truth is not in us (2:4).  In other words, when we hate, we walk in darkness and do not live according to the truth (1:6).

 

(c)    Third, Jesus fasted for forty days in the wilderness and became very hungry afterward (Lk. 4:2; Mt. 4:2). 

 

(i)                 As I meditate on this, two passages come to mind:

 

·         First, Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive the tablets of the covenant and stayed there forty days and nights, eating no bread and drinking no water (Deut. 9:8–9).

 

-          Comparing the two, Jesus’ forty-day fast was before beginning His public ministry as the Son of God, while Moses’ fast occurred as he received God’s covenant.

 

n  When we apply this to our ministry, fasting can be important both to receive God’s Word and to carry out His work.  Isaiah 58:6 says, “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice, untie the cords of the yoke, set the oppressed free, and break every yoke?”  I read four characteristics of God-pleasing fasting online: (1) Practicing social justice — helping the oppressed and confronting injustice,(2) Sharing love with neighbors — caring for the poor and needy, (3) Showing empathy and solidarity with the weak, (4) Seeking spiritual growth — confessing our weakness and relying on God’s strength

 

·         Second, during the Exodus, the Israelites spent forty years in the wilderness. God fed them with manna—something their ancestors had never known (Deut. 8:3)—yet they grumbled, influenced by the greedy foreigners among them (Num. 11:4).  They complained, saying, “We have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!” (v.6).  Even though the manna tasted like cakes made with oil (v.8), they demanded meat, and God gave them what they asked for—not for a day or two, but for a whole month, until they loathed it (vv.18–20).

 

-          As I compare Jesus’ hunger during His forty-day fast with Israel’s complaints during their forty years in the wilderness, I see a contrast between Jesus’ fasting prayer and our grumbling prayers—between His hunger and our fullness.

 

n  Thus, through Jesus’ hunger, we are fed; through His fasting and intercession, even our complaints are heard by God.

 

(d)    Fourth and last, Jesus was with the wild animals in the wilderness for forty days, and angels attended Him (Mk. 1:13, “served Him,” Korean Modern Bible).

 

(i)                 According to the Hochma commentary, the Judean wilderness was home to snakes, wolves, leopards, foxes, wild boars, and hyenas.  As I meditate on how Jesus stayed among wild beasts, I agree with Hochma’s insight that Jesus had completely withdrawn from all human contact, enduring profound solitude and hardship.

 

·         Likewise, there are times when we must deliberately withdraw from human interaction, go to a solitary “wilderness,” and stand alone before God to experience deep spiritual solitude.  As Henri Nouwen said, we must transform our lonely wilderness into a garden of solitude, where we can hear God’s voice.

-          I once wrote: “When I meditate on how Jesus often withdrew to a quiet place to pray, I’m reminded of Nouwen’s teaching that we must turn loneliness into solitude.  Loneliness is being alone; solitude is being with God.  Yet many of us feel loneliness not in the wilderness, but in the middle of the city.  The loneliness we feel among crowds is often worse than the solitude of the desert.  Worse still, we lack the power to turn that loneliness into a garden of solitude.  We prefer talking with friends to conversing with God, and listening to people’s voices rather than hearing His.  We choose to stay connected online rather than spend time alone with God.  Although Emmanuel—God with us—is always near, we fail to sense His presence because we dislike loneliness and have not learned to enjoy solitude.  We need to train ourselves to be alone—with a quiet heart in a quiet place at a quiet time—so that we may experience His presence and transform our wilderness of loneliness into a garden of solitude.”

 

(ii)               According to Hochma, the angels’ primary mission is to serve Jesus and all who are to be saved (Heb. 1:14).  Matthew 4:11 states that the angels came and served Jesus after He had defeated the devil—signifying His spiritual victory.  Though the Bible does not specify how they ministered, Hochma suggests they may have brought Him heavenly comfort and perhaps physical nourishment after His fast.

 

·         Thus, the statement that “angels attended Him” (Mk. 1:13; Mt. 4:11) symbolizes Jesus’ spiritual triumph over Satan through the Word and the power of God.