Hebrews as Muse -- In the Desert -- Hebrews 3
Have you spent time in a desert? The desert is a unique place, with challenges you don’t always find elsewhere. A lack of water is an overarching factor. We can’t live long without water. And a result of this lack of water is the difficulty in growing things to eat. We need food to live also. And then there’s that darn sun. In a desert place, like southern Arizona, or Death Valley in California, or let’s say many places in the country of Israel, the sun can heat things up to well above 100 degrees. Yes, there is beauty to be found in the desert, but in a general sense, the desert is a tough place to live.
Who can you think of in the Bible who had to spend considerable time in the desert? Abraham comes to mind. In Genesis 12 as he enters what will one day be the Promised Land we are told, “And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negev.” The Negev is some of the most dry and deserted land in the area. Moses is another one. After growing up in Egypt, he kills an Egyptian while protecting a fellow Hebrew, and knowing he’ll be prosecuted he flees to the desert of Mt Horeb and Mt Sinai. And then there is David. Identified as a future king by Prophet Samuel early in life, he must wait many years for this to become reality. King Saul is jealous and wants to kill him. David is on the run for years, spending his share of time in desert regions. There are others, like Elijah, who spent time in a desert area being fed by ravens. In the time of Jesus, we see John the Baptist ministering in a desert region of the Jordan River valley. And even Jesus himself was allowed to be tempted by Satan in the desert for 40 days.
Why is this such a common theme, spending time in the desert? I think, whether literally or figuratively, desert time is time of forced growth, learning lessons we won’t learn otherwise. Christians shouldn’t be shocked when we enter seasons where God feels distant, and we feel tired and strained. God may not cause such times, but he can use them. (A favorite song FYI: “Desert Road” by Casting Crowns)
Maybe the best example of time in the desert is the nation of Israel. This large group of hundreds of thousands descended from Jacob, now are led by Moses toward the Promised Land, but who must spend 40 years in the desert before arriving there. This whole story parallels our lives as Christians. Like they were freed from Egypt, we are freed from sin; like they were baptized in the Red Sea (I Cor 10), we are baptized into Christ; like they still struggled with sin and had to wander in the desert for 40 years, we still struggle with sin and must make our way through life decisions as we follow Christ; and if faithful, like them we will enter the Promised Land (Heaven in our case) one day.
Hebrews chapter 3 tells us, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness” (Gen. 3:7-8). One of the dangers for those of us who have grown up in church is to become lackadaisical in our faith. We can have some great seeds of Christian character planted during our youth, but then start playing with “the world” and its ways, not as serious about the spiritual war going on around us (Eph. 6:12). We can end up hardening our heart.
Moses’ desert time prepared him to lead Israel out of captivity. David’s desert time prepared him to become King of Israel. Jesus’ desert time prepared him to know the seriousness of Satan’s attacks and to prepare for public ministry. What is your desert time preparing you for? The sun is hot. Will it harden your heart like leather, or will it melt you to God’s will? “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:12-13).
Cross Point: Discipleship is not a slide into heaven. It's a disciplined (thus the word disciple) walk as we follow the Lord, and it takes us through some deserts. Don't be surprised, prepare, and learn what God can teach you.
Who can you think of in the Bible who had to spend considerable time in the desert? Abraham comes to mind. In Genesis 12 as he enters what will one day be the Promised Land we are told, “And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negev.” The Negev is some of the most dry and deserted land in the area. Moses is another one. After growing up in Egypt, he kills an Egyptian while protecting a fellow Hebrew, and knowing he’ll be prosecuted he flees to the desert of Mt Horeb and Mt Sinai. And then there is David. Identified as a future king by Prophet Samuel early in life, he must wait many years for this to become reality. King Saul is jealous and wants to kill him. David is on the run for years, spending his share of time in desert regions. There are others, like Elijah, who spent time in a desert area being fed by ravens. In the time of Jesus, we see John the Baptist ministering in a desert region of the Jordan River valley. And even Jesus himself was allowed to be tempted by Satan in the desert for 40 days.
Why is this such a common theme, spending time in the desert? I think, whether literally or figuratively, desert time is time of forced growth, learning lessons we won’t learn otherwise. Christians shouldn’t be shocked when we enter seasons where God feels distant, and we feel tired and strained. God may not cause such times, but he can use them. (A favorite song FYI: “Desert Road” by Casting Crowns)
Maybe the best example of time in the desert is the nation of Israel. This large group of hundreds of thousands descended from Jacob, now are led by Moses toward the Promised Land, but who must spend 40 years in the desert before arriving there. This whole story parallels our lives as Christians. Like they were freed from Egypt, we are freed from sin; like they were baptized in the Red Sea (I Cor 10), we are baptized into Christ; like they still struggled with sin and had to wander in the desert for 40 years, we still struggle with sin and must make our way through life decisions as we follow Christ; and if faithful, like them we will enter the Promised Land (Heaven in our case) one day.
Hebrews chapter 3 tells us, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness” (Gen. 3:7-8). One of the dangers for those of us who have grown up in church is to become lackadaisical in our faith. We can have some great seeds of Christian character planted during our youth, but then start playing with “the world” and its ways, not as serious about the spiritual war going on around us (Eph. 6:12). We can end up hardening our heart.
Moses’ desert time prepared him to lead Israel out of captivity. David’s desert time prepared him to become King of Israel. Jesus’ desert time prepared him to know the seriousness of Satan’s attacks and to prepare for public ministry. What is your desert time preparing you for? The sun is hot. Will it harden your heart like leather, or will it melt you to God’s will? “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:12-13).
Cross Point: Discipleship is not a slide into heaven. It's a disciplined (thus the word disciple) walk as we follow the Lord, and it takes us through some deserts. Don't be surprised, prepare, and learn what God can teach you.
Posted in Cross Points