Luke 4:1-15 |
The parallels here between Jesus and Israel are striking.
After passing through the waters of the sea, Israel went into the wilderness for 40 years.
After his baptism, Jesus went into the wilderness for 40 days.
The wilderness was a trying place for the people of Israel. They whined and complained about their perceived lack of food and water.
Jesus was starving and ate nothing.
Moses got lazy in his leadership and used the power God gave him to acquire water from a rock in a way God did not ordain. The Israelites gathered more food than God had already provided.
In the first temptation, the devil tempted Jesus to use the power he could to generate food. Jesus resisted.
The Israelites, coming out of the wilderness, took the Promised Land by significant force, killing the nations in their way.
In the second temptation, the devil promised Jesus dominion over the kingdoms of the world. Jesus resisted.
David and then Solomon reveled in the glory and beauty of the great Temple, often going astray from the character from which God would have them lead.
In the third temptation, at the peak of the temple, the devil pointed out from its the glory the ways in which Jesus could fantastically use the power God had given him. Jesus resisted.
It’s the same story. But different.
Luke 4:1-15
Jesus returned from the Jordan River full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. There he was tempted for forty days by the devil. He ate nothing during those days and afterward Jesus was starving. The devil said to him, “Since you are God’s Son, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.”
Jesus replied, “It’s written, People won’t live only by bread.”
Next the devil led him to a high place and showed him in a single instant all the kingdoms of the world. The devil said, “I will give you this whole domain and the glory of all these kingdoms. It’s been entrusted to me and I can give it to anyone I want. Therefore, if you will worship me, it will all be yours.”
Jesus answered, “It’s written, You will worship the Lord your God and serve only him.”
The devil brought him into Jerusalem and stood him at the highest point of the temple. He said to him, “Since you are God’s Son, throw yourself down from here; for it’s written: He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you and they will take you up in their hands so that you won’t hit your foot on a stone.”
Jesus answered, “It’s been said, Don’t test the Lord your God.” After finishing every temptation, the devil departed from him until the next opportunity.
Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news about him spread throughout the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
Psalm 78:9-30
The children of Ephraim, armed with bows,
retreated on the day of battle.
They didn’t keep God’s covenant;
they refused to walk in his Instruction.
They forgot God’s deeds
as well as the wondrous works he showed them.
But God performed wonders in their ancestors’ presence—
in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
God split the sea and led them through,
making the waters stand up like a wall.
God led them with the cloud by day;
by the lightning all through the night.
God split rocks open in the wilderness,
gave them plenty to drink—
as if from the deep itself!
God made streams flow from the rock,
made water run like rivers.
But they continued to sin against God,
rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
They tested God in their hearts,
demanded food for their stomachs.
They spoke against God!
“Can God set a dinner table in the wilderness?” they asked.
“True, God struck the rock
and water gushed and streams flowed,
but can he give bread too?
Can he provide meat for his people?”
When the Lord heard this, he became furious.
A fire was ignited against Jacob;
wrath also burned against Israel
because they had no faith in God,
because they didn’t trust his saving power.
God gave orders to the skies above,
opened heaven’s doors,
and rained manna on them so they could eat.
He gave them the very grain of heaven!
Each person ate the bread of the powerful ones;
God sent provisions to satisfy them.
God set the east wind moving across the skies
and drove the south wind by his strength.
He rained meat on them as if it were dust in the air;
he rained as many birds as the sand on the seashore!
God brought the birds down in the center of their camp,
all around their dwellings.
So they ate and were completely satisfied;
God gave them exactly what they had craved.
But they didn’t stop craving—
even with the food still in their mouths!
Prayer
God,
Is it possible to give me the persistence and resistance of Christ in the wilderness?
If so, I’ll take it.
I’ve got to tell you, though: the temptations are strong. It’s easy for me while I’m praying just now to imagine myself all righteous all day. I think I can resist gluttonous decisions. I have no premeditated desire to respond in anger to the people I’ll come across today. But in those moments, I often fail and do other than I or you would like.
So help me, God.
By your spirit and in Christ,
Amen.