The Judean Wilderness 

by Daniel & Michelle Ramsey

In this Israel Photo Blog, we want travel to another one of our favorite spots in Israel, the Judean wilderness.  It is a truly striking area! It was here that  Jesus was tested by God and tempted by Satan for 40 days prior to beginning his public ministry.  In Luke 4:1-2, we read, “And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for 40 days, being tempted by the devil.”   In the preceding verses, Luke recorded Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist.  He noted that as Jesus was being baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in bodily form, like a dove.  A voice then came from heaven declaring, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”  So, immediately after His baptism and the Spirit’s descent upon him, the Spirit led him into this barren wilderness to be tested by God and tempted by the devil.

The wilderness plays a central role in history of the Jewish people.  You may recall that after Israel’s departure from Egypt and the crossing of the Sea, they journeyed through the wilderness for roughly 40 years as they made their way to the Promised Land.  The Books of Exodus and Numbers record that the Lord faithfully guided and provided for the people throughout their desert journeys.  However, like us, Israel was unfaithful to the Lord at times.

In contrast, the gospel writers record that Jesus remained completely faithful to God during his time of testing and temptation in the wilderness.   When tempted by the devil, he resisted every form of temptation.  In the face of temptation, he faithfully quoted from God’s Word.  As we saw earlier, Luke recorded that Jesus entered into the wilderness full of the Spirit.  He closes out his account by noting  that Jesus came out of the wilderness full of the Spirit.  Jesus demonstrated that He was committed to following the Lord’s plan, despite the temptations of the devil.

When we face temptations, let us follow the example of Jesus.  Let us hold fast to the Lord’s Word.  Let us trust in His protection and provision.  Let’s remain committed to following the Lord’s plan for our lives.