Beloved, I have the joy of sharing with you today on the meaning of the 40 days that the Lord Jesus spent in the desert, moved by the Holy Spirit: “Immediately the Spirit pushed Jesus into the desert , 13 where he spent forty days, tempted by Satan. He was with the wild beasts, and the angels served him ”. We read this in Mark 1.12-13. We note that Jesus did not choose this fast, nor the place, nor the duration, nor to be tempted. But, he is docile and flexible in the hands of the Holy Spirit and allows himself to be tested, in order to certify one or more qualities, or to see how a person behaves, to test the faith, the virtue, the character of a person , by the seduction of sin, to be called upon to sin by temptations of the devil. For Jesus had to know everything about the human condition, and above all to be tempted in all things without succumbing.
From the outset, the Lord Jesus recognizes the authority of the written Word. He replies: “It is written: Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and thou shalt swear by his name (Deut 6:13). Moreover, “let no one, when he is tempted, say: It is God who tempts me. For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself does not tempt anyone (Jas 1:13). And the devil knows that if he dominates the Hebrew people, he will rule all the peoples of the earth including us pagans, “for salvation comes from the Jews”. This is why he will try to kill Jesus at birth. But Mary and Joseph must flee to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod who cannot bear the presence of another king in Israel.
Then he resists and kills the works of the flesh, where the Hebrew people fell. He will thus give an example of the walking in the Spirit when the Hebrew people failed in the desert, despite the presence of the Holy Spirit manifesting in the form of a pillar of fire at night and a cloud on it. day. Now, as he came out of the water, he saw the heavens open, and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove. And a voice uttered these words from heaven: You are my beloved Son, in you I have put all my affection (Mark 1: 10-11).
So his mission began that day and he didn’t need a baptism of repentance because he came to fulfill all righteousness. He is ready and the righteousness of God represents the expression of all that God asks for and approves. This righteousness is manifested in an absolute way in Jesus himself who fulfilled in our place, all the requirements of the law. In fact, he accomplished his work of redemption which he completed at the cross because every day of his three and a half years of ministry bears the imprint of the cross, of death and self-denial. Every day he took up his cross. For the day after his baptism, John the Baptist received this revelation when he saw Jesus coming to him and he said: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
The tempter, having approached, begins with food, but the Lord answers him that man will not live by bread alone, but by every word which comes out of the mouth of God (Mat 4: 2-4). Because bread is not enough to support a man. It is a temptation in terms of the nourishment of the body, the lust of the flesh and obedience to the Word which comes out of the mouth of God.
Second temptation we find in these verses: The devil transported him to the holy city, placed him on the top of the temple, but the Lord answered him: “You shall not tempt the Lord your God (Mat 4: 5-7). And he underlines the importance of not tempting the Lord or of provoking him, or of forcing the hand of your God: “You shall not tempt the Lord your God, as you tempted him in Massah. ”(Deut 6:16). Third temptation: The devil carried him again to a very high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and said to him, I will give you all these things, if you bow down and worship me. Jesus said to him, “Depart, Satan!” For it is written: You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone. So the devil left him. And behold, angels came to Jesus and served him (Mat 4: 8-11). He was tempted at the level of the world’s lust, the glory of the world, and above all at the level of worship. For the devil seeks this glory for himself in vain, especially from Jesus and yet it is the creature who seeks worship from his creator; it’s really unbelievable.
Now the Lord Jesus first came for the lost sheep of the house of Israel: “Go not to the Gentiles, neither enter the cities of the Samaritans; rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Go, preach, and say: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mat 10.5-7). The Lord chose a people who were to bear the imprint of his heart. He did not choose the biggest or the strongest, nor the best. However, these people benefit from a personalized call and a special promise: “You will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you will speak to the children of Israel ”(Ex 19.6). The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me out of you, out of your brethren; you shall hear him. (Deut 18.15). We know that this prophet like Moses and of whom this verse speaks to us, is the Lord Jesus. This is the reason why John the Baptist, in prison, sends his disciples to Jesus to ask him: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect another?” (Mat 11.3).
The Bible tells us that this people spent more than four centuries in slavery in Egypt (Egypt means: oppressors, lands of depression). The Lord prepares a deliverer by saving a child from death: Moses who will lead his people to the promised land: Canaan, by living great miracles, the opening of the Red Sea so that the people cross on dry ground, the Holy Spirit who leads them in a visible way night and day for 40 years. The Hebrew people find themselves in a desert in order to decontaminate themselves from all the influence received in Egypt or to undergo a “detox” in their soul from the seeds received in Egypt. Arrived at Mount Sinai, the mountain of God, the people receive his commandments which represent a manual for their life, in order to live in the blessing and in the will of the Lord. But he begins to murmur quickly: in the desert, unlike in Egypt, he does not see a sepulcher, does not find water to drink. Or the water becomes bitter with their murmurs, their contestation (Ex 15.24-25).
Thus the 40 days of fasting redeem the 40 years of failure, that is to say one day for a year. Let us not forget that the Lord Jesus is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Jesus was tempted by Satan not only three times, but every day during the 40 days of the fast. We remember that in the first temptation Jesus was tempted in terms of food because the Hebrew people had murmured against manna, bitter water, lack of meat… and all their lusts. The wood that softens the waters announces the cross of Jesus, capable of removing all bitterness from experiences that upset us or make us murmur. Because whispering means obsessing someone with incessant complaints. Quickly, the people complained about this miserable food, they regretted the onions, the garlic, the cucumbers, the meat of the captivity in Egypt. The mass of people who were in the midst of Israel were seized with lust; and even the children of Israel began to weep again and said, Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish we ate in Egypt, which cost us nothing, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. Now our soul is parched: nothing! Our eyes see only manna (Num 11: 4-6)
This is because the people confuse desire and lust: for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world ( 1 John 2.16). Jesus Christ atoned and redeemed for all our murmurings: He was mistreated and oppressed, and he did not open his mouth, like a lamb which is led to the slaughter, like a sheep mute before those who shear it ; he did not open his mouth (Isa 53.7). No negative words have ever come out of the mouth of Jesus, of condemnations nor of doubt: And all bore witness to him; they were astonished at the words of grace which proceeded from his mouth, and they said, Is not this the son of Joseph? (Luke 4:22)
So simple obedience, directed by the Word, happens to be the only weapon employed by the Lord Jesus Christ. This obedience requires dependence on God and trust in God to fulfill it. Jesus lives by the Word; this is the addiction. He does not want to tempt God, that is, to test him, to see if he is faithful; this is confidence. He acts when God wants, does what God wants, and because he wants to: the rest he leaves to God.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and put together for your better understanding.
- Temptation of Christ Mt 4.1 Then Jesus was led away by the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil; Luke 22:28 You are they who endured with me in my trials; Heb 2:18 for he himself being tempted in what he suffered, he can help those who are tempted;
- Holy Spirit: a spirit of prayer: 1 Sam 1.15 Anne answered: No, my lord, I am a woman suffering in her heart, and I have not drunk wine nor intoxicating drink; but I poured out my soul before Jehovah; Est 4:16 Go, gather all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me, without eating or drinking for three days, night or day. I too will fast in the same way with my maidservants, and then I will go to the king, despite the law; and if I must perish, I will perish;
Angels: messengers in service: Gen 16.7 And the angel of the Lord found her near a spring of water in the wilderness, near the spring which is on the way to Shur; Ps 91.11 For he will command his angels to watch you in all your ways; Dan 6.23 Then the king was very merry, and commanded that Daniel be brought out of the pit. Daniel was taken out of the pit, and no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
- For 40 days, the following events took place in the Bible:
-The flood lasted 40 days: Gen 7:17 The flood was forty days on the earth. The waters rose and lifted up the ark, and it was lifted above the earth.
-Noah let go of the crow after 40 days: Gen 8.6 After forty days Noah opened the window he had made in the ark.
-On the mountain Moses fasted 40 days: Ex 24.18 Moses entered in the midst of the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
-The embalming of Jacob lasted 40 days: Gen 50.3 Forty days thus elapsed, and they were employed in the embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.
-In the land of Canaan the spies remained 40 days: Num 13.25 They returned from exploring the land after forty days.
-Moses prayed for Israel for 40 days: Deut 9.25 I bowed down before the LORD, I bowed down forty days and forty nights, because the LORD had said he wanted to destroy you.
-Goliath’s challenge lasted 40 days: 1 Sam 17.16 The Philistine came forward morning and evening, and he stood for forty days.
-Elijah’s meal enabled him to last 40 days: 1 Ki 19.8 He arose, ate and drank; and with the strength that this food gave him, he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God at Horeb.
-Ezekiel’s symbolic period lasted 40 days Ez 4.6
-Jonah warned Nineveh concerning its destruction for 40 days: Jon 3: 4 Jonah first made a day’s journey in the city; he cried and said: Another forty days, and Nineveh is destroyed!
-The temptation of Jesus lasted 40 days: Luke 4.2 where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. He ate nothing during those days, and after they were over he was hungry.
-The appearances of Jesus after his resurrection took place for 40 days: Acts 1.3 After he had suffered, he appeared to them alive, and gave them many proofs of it, showing himself to them for forty days, and speaking of things concerning the kingdom of god.
From all the above, we note that the 40 days of our Lord Jesus in the desert redeem the 40 years of failures of the people in the desert and mark the beginning of their mission; he did not need a baptism of repentance because he came to fulfill all righteousness. And the righteousness of God is the expression of all that He asks for and approves. It is manifested absolutely in Jesus himself, who fulfilled all the requirements of the law in our place. He accomplished his work of redemption which he completed at the cross because every day of his three and a half years of ministry bears the imprint of the cross, death and self-denial. For the day after his baptism, John the Baptist received this revelation when he saw Jesus coming to him and he said: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”. Our prayers support you all in your efforts to live in obedience and righteousness as our Savior Jesus Christ.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite anyone who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me as follows:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you and ask forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as my Lord and personal Savior. I acknowledge that you died on the cross of Calvary and that you rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me each day to eternal life you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal to me and strengthen my heart and my faith so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me in your divine family so that I too can contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
To you all worship, power, and glory, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be glad to respond to your queries and comments if necessary, before sharing with you next week the beginning of Jesus’ ministry: “He said: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the good news. ”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you profusely.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.