As I read this and heard it being read, I felt a new wave of questions coming to my mind and seeing this story different than I had before. “Why is Jesus doing this in the first place? Why is he willingly wandering in the desert and willingly starving himself?”

I’m sure there are many reasons why this took place and why it is shared in the Scriptures (which since it is, the most likely assumption is that Jesus shared this story and experience with his disciples, telling them why he was gone for 40 days and what happened during that time), but the one that hit me the hardest is realizing the depth of his starvation.

I don’t know about you, but if Bear Grylls was doing a TV special where he wasn’t going to eat for 40 days and wander the desert, you better believe I would tune in for that or at the very least would push me over to investing in TIVO! But why don’t I feel that way about this story? Why doesn’t it strike me the way it would if it was someone else. I notice that in my life, when it comes to picturing and wrapping my mind around stories of truth such as this, I tend to nullify Jesus’ humanity and replace it with an overemphasis on his divinity. Does that make sense? Yes, I believe he is God but he is also God in human form.

Being Emmanuel means having to experience certain kinds of pain physically that mortality brings, things such as getting cuts and bruises, stubbing your toe, dealing with headaches (I’m sure the disciples didn’t let him pass through this world without letting him experience a few of those) all the way to more serious issues like being whipped, beaten and dying. Scripture says that Christ can sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15) and that he is the author and perfector of this life we live and experience (Hebrews 12:2). So then it hit me, maybe one of the reasons why he willingly wandered the desert and experienced 40 days without food was so he might know what it is like to experience true starvation.

There are many different accounts on how long someone can live, the greatest time length being 30 to 40 days. So going on that, he didn’t just experience what it was like to be hungry for a short while, he took it to the point of going the furthest one can starve before their body gives in and shuts down. Amazing! One of the interesting things I found out when I started researching how long one can live without eating is the power of the will to live. One’s willpower can add several days, or even a week to the total length of time you can survive without food. People who are starved and no longer have the will to live will perish much more quickly.

So Christ’s desire to live, to experience this to the fullest is truly incredible. I don’t think he went into the wilderness thinking, “I’ll stay out here for a while or for as long as I can.” I tend to think there was a purpose and meaning behind 40 days and that he knew he would have to endure it for that long, no less no more.

I’d like to stop here and point something interesting out as well. The Devil was tempting him during this time. No, not just the three times that are shared, it says that he was tempted by the devil for those 40 days. The whole time! It wasn’t just something he had to endure three different occasions, but for all 40 days! The passage also ends with an interesting addendum, “When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.” This wasn’t a onetime thing or just a 40-day thing, it happened more than that! The Devil was waiting, watching for the next opportunity, and when it showed up he would be sure to take advantage of that.

Try and see it from the Devil’s perspective on this (I know it sounds weird and awkward, but run with this for a second). Your enemy, the Good One that you hate and despise, the One who’s power is far greater than yours (meaning you could never beat, I mean, you already tried one hostile takeover and it didn’t work out so well for the Devil’s entourage) gives you the opportunity of an eternity – 32 years. 32 years where He will willingly make himself mortally vulnerable and susceptible to the life of humanity.

Do we know what that means!? I don’t think I do but I think I’m trying to wrap my head around it. It’s the one time in all of history and creation that the Devil would actually have a chance at winning over, if at all. He couldn’t beat God in Divine form, but maybe he could beat him in human form? Do you see where I’m coming from on this, from Lucifer’s perspective? No wonder these 40 days were a great opportunity and no wonder he would wait until another opportunity showed itself to try again! Because now that God is Emmanuel, he has certain weaknesses he would never have had before and would most likely never have again, and it’s only for a limited time!

So when he starts to attack in the three accounts listed, he attacks Christ’s identity first. Not only is he tempting him in the midst of experiencing human starvation to end his own pain and suffering, but doing so by questioning Christ’s own identity. Questioning who he is or is not, but in doing so, all the while pointing out that Jesus has the potential to end his own suffering. If I’m starving, I can’t turn a rock into a sirloin steak, let alone bread. I just don’t have those powers naturally, but Christ could do that.

It’s not only all of this, a test of his identity, a test of his human limitations, but a test of his own will – How long will you willingly allow yourself to suffer when you do not have to. The key word here – willingly.

The next one questions his purpose, why he’s here. Scripture says that Christ looked at the cross with shame, he was willing to die on it. But as we get to witness in the garden on the night he was betrayed, it wasn’t something he was exactly looking forward to. He even said if there was another way we can do this Father, if there is another way my purpose here on earth can be fulfilled without me having to do and experience what I’m about to go through then let’s do it – but it comes down to Jesus’ will power again. “Not my will, but yours.”

So when the Devil throws in an ultimatum, an easy way out, it would have to be tempting. “You think starving yourself is painful Jesus, it’s not even going to be close to what you’re going to have to experience next. Being murdered on a cross is not only far more painful, you’ll experience a death on a cross that you even look at the with shame. But there is another way, an easier one.” Well, when you put it that way and throw an offer like that when someone has been deprived of nutriment for 40 days, that offer might get a second look and a second thought. But Christ’s will wins out again.

Now, if you’re any good at deceiving and manipulating, which the Father of Lies pretty much wrote the book on, if someone is beating you with a weapon, turn it around and use it against them. So, he quotes scripture to Jesus. “Hey, you keep quoting this stuff to me, well you know what, I know some scripture too Jesus. And this one says this…” Dangerous and potentially effective isn’t it. So when the Devil says all of this to Jesus and takes him to the temple, he is quoting Psalm 91:11,12 and telling Jesus that he won’t even get hurt. But is that passage even referring to the Messiah, or is it referring to the Israelites? The great manipulator twists it to use as a temptation for Christ.

Now, I want you to stop for a moment and think about this question and what it would mean and where it would lead – What if he jumped? Think about that, what if he jumped and nothing happened? No angels grabbed him or stopped him. Something tells me that a human being jumping from that height isn’t going to make it, let alone walk away from it. Now, I can’t say what would or would not happen if he had and it is sort of a mute point because he didn’t jump, but think of it through the Devil’s perspective on this one again.

First he attacks Christ’s identity, then his purpose, now he tries to kill him. That’s what would have happened if he jumped and no one caught him, right? It’d be suicide! It’s interesting to see the two areas that the Devil attacks our Savior on to try and bring him to his knees but then manipulates the very words of God to tempt his Son to jump off a building and potentially kill himself. Like I said, it’s a 32 year span of potentiality that the Devil would never have again and he was pulling out all the guns on this one.

But Christ doesn’t. He resists. He demonstrates his will time and time again. Again, when you look back at all of this and ask the question, “Why was he willingly wandering and starving in the desert in the first place!?” It brings it into an interesting light that one of those reasons was simply this – to know what it would be like to suffer starvation so that when His children cried out, he would know their very pain.

“Jesus”

Jesus you are our mighty fortress. You said that if we abide in you, you will abide in us. Jesus you transform us into a holy temple, a living sanctuary. Jesus you are not a destination but a transformation. Jesus you rebirth us again, and again and again. Everyday Jesus you are creating in us a deep well of your love and peace, truth and righteousness. It’s not something we create, but only by your mercy Jesus you come and make your home in us.

We don’t have ministries, titles or love, apart from you Jesus. Without your transformation Jesus, we sit in churches and only scratch the surface. But you Jesus desire to show us “how deep the rabbit hole can go”. We can only desire Lord Jesus, that you being the author and perfecter of our faith, would do just that… create us into faithful, humble servant following your example Jesus. You know Jesus that everyday we try to gain a righteousness from our attempts at doing the right things, following rules and gaining the approval of men. Oh King Jesus discipline us and transform our hearts into your love and grace. Oh that we wouldn’t live for pride but for your glory and fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Jesus teach us to prepare the soil of our hearts daily, that we would receive your seed and that it wouldn’t be choked out over time. In the name of Jesus help us flee from the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth.

Praise you Jesus for building a Kingdom that you will never leave or forsake. You are a mighty fortress that will never be shaken. Jesus be that consuming fire. Burn up everything that is not of you. We will keep our eyes on you. With you Jesus we will be able to stand in the mist of brokenness, because your kingdom is unshakable and lives within us. We are your body here and now. Jesus we don’t have to pray that you would show up, you are already here within us. Jesus you are the only thing guaranteed. You are the only thing that matters in this life.