“And He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan.” (Mark 1:13)
Yesterday I wrote that Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning of His public ministry. That does not mean, however, that He immediately sought publicity. On the contrary, Mark 1:12 tells us: “The Spirit immediately drove Him out into the wilderness.” The wilderness was a desolate place. Why did Jesus go there? Mark tells us the reason: for forty days He was tempted by Satan.
The Gospels of Matthew and Luke provide some additional details about this episode of Jesus’ mission (both in chapter 4). Satan tried to persuade Him to disobey God—just as he had done with Adam and Eve. But this time he did not succeed. Jesus resisted every temptation. He was stronger than Satan.
There were also other beings in the wilderness: wild animals and angels who ministered to Jesus (Mark 1:13). This shows us a glimpse of a reality that normally lies outside our field of vision. The people in Israel at that time probably had no idea what kind of battle was being fought out there in the wilderness. Yet the Bible draws our attention to it, because these events are relevant to us. Do you see how Jesus’ confrontation with Satan matters for you and for me