Lord, Throughout These Forty Days...33

We have been looking at Bible events that happened or took place over a 40 day period. These lend insight into the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert. We have already seen the tight parallel between Jesus 40 days in the wilderness and the 40 year wandering of Israel. Now the antecedent event, the 40 days exploration of the Land of Promise will be unpacked.

God said, "Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. For forty years -- one for each of the forty days you explored the land -- you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you" (Numbers 14.33-34 NIV.) So the very important parallel of the wilderness wandering has a strong tie to the 40 days exploration.

The spies were to assess the land and its people. Their exploration would help the Israeli people become familiar with both the blessings and the barriers to possessing the Promise of God. This was not to ascertain whether they could possess it, but rather how to proceed. God's sure word had established that the land WOULD be theirs.

They found both the blessings and barriers. Grape clusters so large that two men struggled to carry them back grew there. The rich soil produced amazing crops. They described the land as one "flowing with milk and honey."

They also found fortified cities. They observed strong people living there. They reported seeing oversized warriors in large communities all over the place.

Ten of the twelve also added commentary to their observations. They insisted their long-awaited homeland could not be possessed. God's promise would not actualize. They then spread this report and commentary beyond the leadership who asked then to serve. They started telling everyone the dream had ended.

Two spies, one from Judah and one from Ephraim* offered a dessenting report. They acknowledged the barriers existed, but continued to place possession of the land in the hand of God who had promised it to them. With God all things were possible.

In His forty days, Jesus anticipates the promise that the Messiah would "save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1.21 NIV.) He, in effect, sizes up the barrier of temptation and the tempter who brought it. The words of Luthers Ein Feste Burg beaufully and powerfully describe the situation here.

For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe.
His power and art are great and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be loosing.
Were not the Right Man on our side, the man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus it is He:
Lord Sabbaoth, His name, from age to age the same.
And He must win the battle.

As Joshua and Caleb, Jesus does not adjudicate the possiblility of the promise fulfilled. He just familiarizes Himself in experiencial knowledge with the barriers. The blessing of the Promise can be seen as a weak and weary Jesus emerges from the wild COMPLETELY VICTORIOUS over Satan and his exploits.

Hebrews, which I believe to be an unsigned manuscript of a First Church sermon/teaching (but that's a whole other post,) says Jesus actualizes the fulness of God's Promise. He does what Joshua (unfortunately translated Jesus in KJV) could not. He gives us rest from the struggle that comes only with the achievement of victory (Hebrews 4 NIV.)

As with the spies, Jesus time in the wilderness did not accomplish the possession, just anticipated and prepared for the possession. Jesus would have to pass through more than the Jordan and the wilderness to free us from our sin. He would have to pass through the cross and the tomb. And because He did we can now have through the application of the Spirit, what the Father promised long ago!

*Joseph and Jesus compared.