Why was Jesus tempted in the wilderness?

Good morning all-

Have you ever asked yourself why Jesus had to be tested?  I think about it often.  That's why everyone is always trying to make Him just a man.  If He was just a fallible man then He was not the son of God.  He then would have been just a prophet and that's what all the times of temptation and trials were about.  As you read the New Testament, you will see many verses that say, "It was not His time yet."  In some versions it may be hour.  The Bible is very specific about how many days He was tempted.  Forty days.  Many other religions in the world fast for this amount of time, at least until sundown but Jesus ate nothing, He was sustained by the angels sent from God.  How could a man sustain in the wilderness?   Because He had divine intervention.

Satan was given free reign to tempt Him.  We can imagine what those were.  A man is a man and women, power and wealth are the greatest temptations and He sustained them all.  When Jesus said, "My Father is in me and me in Him."  It was so we could understand that they are one.  That's what the Pharisees could not understand.  They thought He was a heretic.  Jesus warned of false teachings but Jesus did not teach against the commandments, He symbolized them.  Now, He did teach against laws because men took God's words and made them strict and binding laws.  Laws will always be broken but a covenant can sustain for centuries.  No one can deny that the Ten Commandments are truth like no other.  For if we could abide by them, we would be free.

The problem with the Commandments is that people couldn't even sustain why Moses was on the mountain.  They were building idols.  So, how did Jesus survive the intense days of temptation?  There is only one way, He was God, come to earth as man, to save the world.  Not one of us could do that.  John was sad as God revealed Revelation because there was not one that could be counted as faithful.  That makes me so sad too.  I think I know what He meant.  We are all swayed.  We must be tested, over and over again to be faithful.  Today, we could receive a miracle but three months from now if God doesn't answer our prayer, we are skeptical and think we aren't worthy.  Really?  Yes, even me, tried, true and tested has moments of great worry.  Worry is not of God.  It shows that I don't have the faith that He can move a mountain and yet, I fight it because I know He can!  Jesus had to battle Satan, He was war tested.  Why is that important to us?  Because no one could sustain that kind of barrage, except for the Son of God.  He healed the blind, woke up the dead, and saved the world.  He was not a prophet; He was the Savior.  People can say, "He was a prophet."  They can make fun of Him and us for believing that God made everything on earth.  They can say we are praying to nothing but everyone of us that has been delivered out of the desert knows, He is God!

Our Savior was tried, tested and in the end gave up all worldly glory for heavenly glory.  He fulfilled the words of the prophets to save Israel.  Now, many turned away because the law blinded them.  Money, power and control were more important than grace, forgiveness and eternal life.  Why?  Because man still believes they have all the answers.  We don't.  Only God in His infinite wisdom has all the answers.  We might believe that the desert has come to our lives but have we come out of it more faithful.  Jesus did.  He was more directed, more faithful and died for us, never caring of Himself but trusting in the power of God's will.

Jesus wanted us all to know that He had gone through many situations.  He was tempted and tried. He saw wealth and power.  It all could have been His.  He could have had the most beautiful wife, many children, pots full of gold and friends from one end of the earth to the other.  Instead, He died to His wants and desires and fulfilled the covenant God had made.  He saved His people.  If you're reading this now and don't know Jesus, I ask you to investigate Him.  Examine a life that could have been great.  He was followed by the multitudes and yet, He died on a cross for healing, loving and restoring.  He wasn't a criminal.  He never murdered or stole from anyone.  He died because He was our Savior.  Disciples were killed after that, much like what we see with ISIS today.  Some were hung, others stoned and Peter hung upside down on a cross.  They died for Him.  Tell me one person you would be willing to die for.  I would die for my family but not for others.  He died for us.  He sacrificed everything the world holds dear to save one.  If that one is you today, I am rejoicing and if your faith has been rocked, I'm praising Jesus that you are still seeking Him. He is near.  He hasn't left us.  He lived through the temptation to deliver us from evil!  My sisters we must spread the word of His great faith.  We are His and we are blessed!  Take up the cross, reach out and praise Him!

and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. (‭Mark‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬ NIV)

His Father never left Him.  Jesus was attended by angels.  And the multitudes said, "Holy Holy is the Lamb who was slain for our sins.  AMEN