Is this true – that we are selfish and not loving if we are motivated by the promised reward? If so, why did Jesus entice us by mentioning the reward, even giving it as a basis (“for”) our action?... It is simply wrong to say that Jesus does not want us to pursue the reward He promises. He commands that we pursue it (Lk. 12:33; 16:9).
John Piper

Jesus In The Desert

Jesus In The Desert

JESUS IN THE DESERT

It will be helpful at this point to take a closer look at Biblical accounts of experiences God’s people, even His own Son, had in the desert. Time in the desert seems to be very important. Both Jesus and Paul began their public ministry by going out to the desert. The journey through the desert for the Israelites was not only a necessary geographical area to be crossed, it also was a time of testing and preparation (see Hebrews 3).

The Israelites were free from their bondage and slavery. They were out of Egypt, but they were not in the Promised Land. It was during this time in the desert that God tested and prepared them to enter the Promised Land. Hebrews 3 says that the Israelites saw what God did for them in the desert, yet they hardened their hearts and rebelled. Of all who left Egypt, only Joshua and Caleb entered the Promised Land.

Jesus spent forty days in the desert at the beginning of his public ministry. This was a time of testing and preparation for him. The New Bible Commentary tells us “Before He even entered upon a ministry whose purpose was to challenge and ultimately to break the power of Satan in others, that enemy had to be met and defeated on the battleground of his own life.” Remember that Jesus is not only fully God, but also fully human. He had the same body that we have. Jesus had to develop physically, emotionally, and spiritually just as each one of us do. In fact, Luke tells us that “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.” (Luke 2:52 NIV). Jesus had to grow in awareness of who He was: The Son of God, and of what His mission was. His time in the desert was the last step of testing and preparation before fulfilling His task.

We too, have a time in the desert — a journey of testing and preparation before entering the Promised Land. One can not, may not, leap out of bondage to a dominating sin — such as homosexuality (or any other sin) and enter into the Promised Land. This time in the desert is an important time of preparation to be able to live in the Promised Land.

Life in the Promised Land is very different from life in the desert. As the Israelites entered the Promised Land they needed to take possession of the land. Slowly they secured one piece of land after the next until they possessed it all. After all the land was theirs, they returned to their new homes and settled in. Is not this the same in our Christian walk? We come to know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, then we enter basic training (a time of testing and preparation in the desert), then we go to war — for others and against Satan. Christians have come under the delusion that once they give their life to Christ, He will make everything nice and fine. They continue to pursue their “new way of life,” which in reality is just the old way with a little Christian morality thrown in.

The Gospel of Mark tells us that immediately after Jesus’ baptism, “the Spirit sent Him out into the desert, and He was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wind animals and angels attended Him.” (Mark 1:12,13).

Lets us look at Jesus’ experience in the desert. First, we note that Jesus was alone. There were no other human beings with him. How often do we feel the same way while we are going through severe temptation? Even if there are people around, it seems that they can not help us in our struggles. Jesus’ aloneness and the strength of the temptations is intensified when Mark tells us that “He was with the wild animals.” When I go for a day hike in the mountains, I often fear meeting up with a bear, snake, or mountain lion. And I stick to the main trails! Can you imagine being out in the desert with the wild animals for forty days? Jesus was exposed to real danger. He could become lonely, have given up, or He could have been devoured by the wild animals.

Second, we note that Jesus was “being tempted by Satan.” Satan was not waiting at the edge of the desert for Jesus’ return before he began his temptations (see Matthew 4 and Luke 4). Satan buffeted Jesus continually for forty days. We like to believe that we can handle an occasional temptation — but it is the continual onslaught of temptation that leads to despair — that leads to the cry “Will it ever end?” Winter storms buffeted the Midwestern part of the United States this winter. One storm came on the heels of the last. The people could not get rid of the first pile of snow before they had to face the next. This is only an example of how a continual onslaught can get people down. Maybe our own experience with homosexual temptation is not so different or unusual. Jesus had to face the same thing.

Third, we note that Jesus was fasting — not for a day or two, but for forty. Fasting will affect a person physically as well as spiritually. Beside enduring hunger pains, a person on an extended fast will tend to become dizzy when he moves quickly. There is a certain amount of weight loss and a decrease in physical strength. The spiritual benefits outweigh those side affects, but let us not forget that Jesus was in the hot, dry desert, with the wild animals, alone. The intensity of Jesus’ struggle was great. It was as intense as our own struggles against homosexuality. Jesus was identifying and becoming one with us.

The time in the desert may well have been the second most important event in Jesus’ life. (The most important being His death and resurrection.) It is in the desert that we see Jesus as a very human man going through very human temptations. Jesus was identifying and becoming one with us. Jesus had to defeat His personal devil just as we do. As the writer of Hebrews says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are — yet was without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15 NIV). Jesus not only knows about our temptation to sin, He has experienced it! Jesus not only knows about our battle against Satan, He has experienced that battle!

In the desert, the Israelites were prepared to enter the Promised Land. They needed that experience to be trained and prepared to drive out the enemy living in Canaan. So too Jesus had to be trained and prepared. He had to know our battle. Then Jesus could go out, meet the enemy, and defeat him — which He did through His death and resurrection.

In the desert we will be trained and prepared. We will meet the enemy, we will defeat that enemy. Then, we will enter the Promised Land and drive him out. We will lead others into that Promised Land. When all are in, and the enemy is totally wiped out, then we will have our eternal rest. Do not be dismayed when Satan buffets you with homosexual temptation. You are being prepared for greater work. And remember Jesus Christ has already walked through the desert — and He is with you.

  • Douglas A Houck, M.S.

For further information about homosexuality or about other areas of sexual brokenness, please contact:

LOVE IN ACTION
G.P.O. Box 1115
ADELAIDE SA 5001
Phone (08) 371 0446

This article is reprinted by permission from

Metanoia Ministries
P O Box 33039
Seattle WA 98133-0039
U.S.A.