I was thinking about how Jesus was lead into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan.
As I was looking into this, I noticed a lot of parallels between His experience in the wilderness and our time in the church.
The church is referred to as being in the wilderness, and for us the church is a wilderness experience in many ways.
Rev 12:6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
So the women is the church and is Babylon (Rev.17:3-5), and the church is in the wilderness.
Mat 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit up into the wilderness, to be tempted by the Devil.
Mat 4:2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterwards hungry.
Jesus was lead into the wilderness to be tempted, after He was baptized and before He started His ministry.
It is interesting that the wilderness experience was the period of time right before He began His ministry.
We are in the church and are called out when He begins to teach us the Truth.
He went without food, would that be a picture of the church not providing any spiritual food?
While He was in the wilderness, it is interesting that He was among the wild beast, we all know about the beast within.
Mar 1:13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan. And He was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to Him.
The very first temptation that Satan used while there, was he told Christ to turn the stones into bread.
Luk 4:3 And the Devil said to Him, If you are the Son of God, speak to this stone that it might become bread.
Wouldn't that be like the church saying the 10 commandments (on stone, old covenant) is nailed to the cross, now just believe in Christ (bread of Life)? But Jesus says we should live by every word of God.
Mat 4:4 But He answered and said, It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."
Mat 4:6 And he said to Him, If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down. For it is written, "He shall give His angels charge concerning You, and in their hands they shall bear You up, lest at any time You dash Your foot against a stone."
This next temptation of Christ, Satan says the angels would protect Him from any harm. This sounds like what the church teach, that God will protected us from evil, but isn’t this life an experience of evil, and isn’t God actually the one that causes all things (Eph. 1:11).
Ecc 1:13 I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it. (CLV)
And the last temptation is where Satan wants Christ to worship Him.
Mat 4:9 And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."
Isn’t the church the synagogue of Satan, so who do they worship?
Rev 3:9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie…
The last thing that Christ said to Satan, and this is what He is doing for all who are His.
Mat 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "'You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.'"
I found this to be very interesting, with all the simularity.
I was just thinking that the wilderness and church, seem to be a close parallel.
I sure relate to what I was taught, while in the church.
I would welcome anybodies input on this.
mercy, peace, and love
Kat