From the Word

Mark 1:12-15

12 At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert,
13 and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.
14 After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
15 "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."


Forty days. Throughout the Bible, this set of time appears. It rains for forty days in the story of Noah, Moses spends forty days atop Mount Sinai, and Jesus partakes in a forty day fast in the desert, leading up to his public ministry.

Each of these forty days are times of separation, when someone is no longer connected to the world at large (though in Noah’s case, the world at large is, in fact, not there). During this exit, they approach closer to God, seeking more of Him and preparing for their mission, whether it was to repopulate the earth, lead a people, or preach that the kingdom of God is at hand.

Jesus spends his journey in the wilderness with two opposing forces. On one side, Satan was tempting him, while on the other, angles were ministering to him. He was not separated from the struggles of the world, but he was also not left alone to face them, rather he was given that which he needed to endure them.

So it is with us. We know we are to suffer during our journey on this earth (cf. 1 Peter 3:18), and very likely we may be driven to that suffering. But we must not despair, for God will send his Angels and his Spirit to us, to minister to us, that we may be able to resist temptation, and come out of the desert, ready to proclaim his kingdom.

posted by J.M.R. Burgard @ 9:38 PM