Week 3 | Wilderness: From Temptation to Deliverance

In each of the first two temptations, the enemy questioned Jesus’ core identity by saying, “If you are the Son of God” and then went on to attack His belovedness or the delight of the Father. Here, the devil goes straight for the throat of Jesus:

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 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’” (Matt 4:8–10).

In this final temptation, the enemy does challenge with “if you are the Son of God, then why don’t you _______.” He learned that his trickery got him nowhere. He simply offers Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. We can imagine the less than glorious state that Jesus was experiencing in that moment. Tired. Hungry. Holding on through the temptations. This temptation was “tempting” because it was an invitation (false as it may have been) to end all the suffering. 

Jesus had experienced the pain and danger of the wilderness, and He had also seen the pain caused by the kingdoms of the world. The people of Israel were under foreign occupation by Rome. Rome taxed the people and used the people and land for their own gain. This was happening all over the world. Jesus had been sent into the world, taking on a powerless, humble, and vulnerable form. Is it possible that as Jesus felt His own powerlessness to the extent the offer to stop all the pain was a real temptation? Is it possible that His heart of compassion was drawn into the mix and the tempter thought that in a weak moment, he could get Jesus to cave?

We are often tempted to exert power in similar ways as we mull over, “If I could do this or that, I could stop people from being hurt. I could stop hurt from coming to me.” The lust for power often starts in a place of compassion and concern. However, invariably, seeking power hurts others and our souls are compromised. 

At its peak, this temptation looks like this: If I were God, I would ________. Henri Nouwen suggested: “What makes the temptation of power so seemingly irresistible? Maybe it is that power offers an easy substitute for the hard task of love. It seems easier to be God than to love God, easier to control people than to love people, easier to own life than to love life.”

At the heart of this temptation is the desire to define ourselves by what we do. Our abilities and strengths can become the focus of our lives. Our identity may center around how we secure certain outcomes. When we are not able, we get angry.

Rather than reacting to the tempter, Jesus responded simply with the words, “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.”

In 1 Samuel 7:3, we read: 

And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

In Deuteronomy 6, we find the words of the first part of Jesus’ response followed by: “You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you” (v 14). In the Old Testament, people worshipped and bowed down to “gods” who promised certain outcomes: a goddess of fertility or a god of war. Our temptation is the same. We look to ways we can control life and make it bend the way we think is best. 

Jesus’ response demonstrates the contemplative foundation of releasing outcomes. To worship God alone, we are invited to trust that being His son or daughter is enough. We humbly surrender to God and all of who He is: His wisdom, strength, power, love, and mercy. We let go of any false gods which promise control.

What false gods are you tempted to worship? What do you believe will give you a sense of control? Can you let go and trust that God is lovingly holding your life?

For the next moments, in the quiet of surrender, ask the Lord if there are idols to release. As you notice and see what you desire to release, put these things in God’s hands and hold out your empty hands before Him. You might repeat this several times.

Prayer: Lord, I surrender to Your goodness and grace. I release my compulsion to secure outcomes and trust that You are more than capable to lead my life. Amen.