Made in the Wilderness
The great 18th century missionary to India, William Carey, who is known as the father of modern missions, said, “I’m not afraid of failure. I’m afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.” John the Baptist was such a man. In fact, Jesus said from His own lips that of all the men born of women, there was none greater than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11). What was it about John that he would receive such a commendation from the Lord?
John was great in the only eyes that matter because he humbly lived to fulfill the mission He was born for; to prepare the way for Jesus. After John was born, his father Zechariah spoke prophetically about the coming of the Messiah and the role his son would play in preparing the way for Him (Luke 1:67-79). After this incredible prophecy, Doctor Luke adds this commentary to his historical narrative: “And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.” (Luke 1:80)
The phrase “man of God” was a common biblical designation of respect applied to prophets and respected godly leaders. It is found 78 times in the Bible referring to men like Moses, Elijah, Samuel, and Timothy. This designation was given not because they went around calling themselves men of God, rather it was spoken out of respect by others because of the godly character and spiritual power evident in their lives. Men of God are God-called men sent by Him to fulfill His purpose with His notable grace and power.
Luke highlights that John grew not just physically, but he became strong in spirit. That is, he became a man of spiritual vitality and fortitude. And Luke mentions right after noting that he was strong in spirit that he also was in the wilderness until the start of his public ministry.
The wilderness is where prophets are made. According to other historical writings, some scholars suggest that John could have been part of a group of scribes who were set apart in the wilderness and charged with preserving scriptures. That may be a possibility but we don’t know that for sure. What we do know is that the wilderness was a place where God prepared His people for what He was calling them to. The wilderness in the life of the people of God, says Ed Davidson, “is a place of preparation, a place of separation, and a place of revelation from God.”
Moses spent 40 years in the back side of the desert where he met God before starting his earthly ministry. David was a shepherd in the wilderness before God called him to be king. Jesus Himself spent forty days fasting and being tested in the wilderness before the start of His public ministry.
The point is that men and women of God are a light for God is the darkness because who they are in their public life is who they are in their private lives. Men and women of God shine brightly for God because the hand of God is upon their lives. The hand of God is upon them and the presence and power of God is evident in their lives because they spend time alone with Him. They don’t just talk to people on behalf of God, they talk to God on behalf of the people. They have influence with people in their public lives because they are influenced much by God in their private lives.
And let us not forget that after the wise men came to worship the newborn king, we read in Matthew 2:13: “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
Recently, my Pastor friend, Troy Keaton, also wrote about God’s dealing with His people in the wilderness:
Jesus not only said of John that among men there was none greater than John, He said: “He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light” (John 5:35).
As the world gets darker, may we seek daily to be guided by the light and glory of Jesus in our wilderness experience so that we might be men and women of God who shine brightly for Him, who prepare the way for people sitting in darkness to come to Jesus and be forever free.
In your service,
Pastor Marco
John was great in the only eyes that matter because he humbly lived to fulfill the mission He was born for; to prepare the way for Jesus. After John was born, his father Zechariah spoke prophetically about the coming of the Messiah and the role his son would play in preparing the way for Him (Luke 1:67-79). After this incredible prophecy, Doctor Luke adds this commentary to his historical narrative: “And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.” (Luke 1:80)
The phrase “man of God” was a common biblical designation of respect applied to prophets and respected godly leaders. It is found 78 times in the Bible referring to men like Moses, Elijah, Samuel, and Timothy. This designation was given not because they went around calling themselves men of God, rather it was spoken out of respect by others because of the godly character and spiritual power evident in their lives. Men of God are God-called men sent by Him to fulfill His purpose with His notable grace and power.
Luke highlights that John grew not just physically, but he became strong in spirit. That is, he became a man of spiritual vitality and fortitude. And Luke mentions right after noting that he was strong in spirit that he also was in the wilderness until the start of his public ministry.
The wilderness is where prophets are made. According to other historical writings, some scholars suggest that John could have been part of a group of scribes who were set apart in the wilderness and charged with preserving scriptures. That may be a possibility but we don’t know that for sure. What we do know is that the wilderness was a place where God prepared His people for what He was calling them to. The wilderness in the life of the people of God, says Ed Davidson, “is a place of preparation, a place of separation, and a place of revelation from God.”
Moses spent 40 years in the back side of the desert where he met God before starting his earthly ministry. David was a shepherd in the wilderness before God called him to be king. Jesus Himself spent forty days fasting and being tested in the wilderness before the start of His public ministry.
The point is that men and women of God are a light for God is the darkness because who they are in their public life is who they are in their private lives. Men and women of God shine brightly for God because the hand of God is upon their lives. The hand of God is upon them and the presence and power of God is evident in their lives because they spend time alone with Him. They don’t just talk to people on behalf of God, they talk to God on behalf of the people. They have influence with people in their public lives because they are influenced much by God in their private lives.
And let us not forget that after the wise men came to worship the newborn king, we read in Matthew 2:13: “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
Recently, my Pastor friend, Troy Keaton, also wrote about God’s dealing with His people in the wilderness:
“From the earliest times God seems to use the wilderness in the life of His people as a precursor to His mighty work. Like so many before and after them, Joseph and Mary were asked to begin their new and exciting journey of parenting the Son of God by spending time in the seclusion and isolation of the wilderness. And God is still using the dry, lonely, desert places to prepare people for His purposes in this world.
Do the plans of God for your life seem to be on hold? Does it seem that God has set you aside? Do you sense that you are in the desert? If we look around in the wilderness, we will see the signs of those who have been here before us. If we like they yield to the Lord’s hand in our life, we too can experience the mighty preparatory work of God in us.
The wilderness sometimes is the center of God’s will in our life. While there, let us let God mold and shape us, speak to and purify us. In those moments, He will reveal things to you and me that we can never learn any where else. Embrace His work while there, and emerge ready to do a mighty work of God in this world.”
Jesus not only said of John that among men there was none greater than John, He said: “He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light” (John 5:35).
As the world gets darker, may we seek daily to be guided by the light and glory of Jesus in our wilderness experience so that we might be men and women of God who shine brightly for Him, who prepare the way for people sitting in darkness to come to Jesus and be forever free.
In your service,
Pastor Marco