Jesus In The Wilderness: What Can We Learn?
The book of Luke was written to show that Christ came into the world to save people (Luke 19.10). Jesus came on a mission to do the will of the Father. Luke Chapter Four gives us an account of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness. The temptation of Jesus was, “the time when Satan tests Jesus in the wilderness before the start of Jesus’ public ministry, by asking Him to turn stones to bread, to throw Himself from the temple, and to bow down and worship Satan (Lexham Bible Dictionary).” He was there for forty days where He was tempted by the devil. Satan is known as the father of lies and one of his best tactics is to use Scripture out of context to deceive people. What can we learn from Jesus’ example? This should be a reminder to us as believers that we should strive to “correctly handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2.15).” One important detail to note is that Jesus responded to every single temptation with Scripture.
Jesus In The Wilderness: The Temptation
Temptations are designed to take advantage of the strong desires that we have in life. Satan usually shows up to tempt us, knowing exactly what he is doing. Jesus went into the wilderness for forty days and hadn’t eaten anything during that time. Satan likes to twist Scripture and use it out of context, but Jesus correctly uses it in response. In Satan`s first statement, he said, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered and said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone” Satan is like a lion seeking whom He may devour, that’s why it is so important to know God`s Word and apply it correctly (1 Peter 5.8).
Satan tried a second time to tempt Jesus. He showed him all the kingdoms of the world and said, “To you, I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him and said, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.’” Satan took Jesus to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple. Satan tried to tempt him a third time saying, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you.’ Jesus answered and said, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test’” It`s evident that Satan tries to lead us away from God`s plan, but we should never settle for anything less than God`s plan. God`s plans are always far better than what we want or what we think is best. After Jesus’ response, Satan finished his series of temptations and departed. Jesus responded to every temptation with Scripture.
Jesus In The Wilderness: His Response
Every time Jesus was tempted by Satan, He always responded to Satan with Scripture. Every time Jesus used Scripture, He used it correctly without twisting its original intent. So, what can we learn from this passage? We should study the Bible with the intent to understand it and apply it correctly in all areas of life. As Christ’s followers, we should follow His example, and run back to the Word when we are being tempted. We should strive to be diligent students of God`s Word.
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At Ethnos 360 Bible Institute, we desire to be a part of God`s plan to bring the Gospel to all people. The first step in training with Ethnos360 is two years of chronological Bible teaching. At EBI, we value having a firm foundation in understanding God`s Word. Knowing God’s Word and knowing how to handle it correctly is crucial for handling all of life`s trials and temptations! Request your free information packet today!
