Wilderness Living

You must all know what a wilderness is. The Bible talks a lot about various types of wilderness, and with the vast stores of information available on the internet, there are many pictures and definitions of such places. One simple definition gives – wilderness, a wild and uninhabited area left in its natural condition. I don’t think that we need to dwell on any further expansion of this word, as it is pretty self-evident. But what if you apply that definition to your spiritual walk? That really does make one think, or at least it should do! And yet, a wilderness experience (or maybe more than one) is significant in the development of each individual’s walk with God. I want to look at the lives of several ‘heroes of the faith’ and consider how wilderness living brought about a closer walk with God. Moses

■ Exodus 2:15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. The story of Moses is well-known, and here we have the beginning of his ‘wilderness experience’. Moses was a prince of Egypt. He had been trained by all the best teachers and although he did not call himself the son of Pharaoh’s daughter (Hebrews 11:24), he would have been known as such by the Egyptians. He would have wanted for nothing whilst growing up in Egypt, but there came a day, as it does to all who are called out of the world, when that world had to be left behind; and although Moses had to leave his world for a different reason than we normally have to do, it left him as a sojourner, a temporary resident, in a foreign land. Now, he could have spent the rest of his years bemoaning his fate and scraping a living here and there (a bit like the prodigal son had to do when all his money had gone). But Moses set to and, with the help of the Jethro, carved out a life of a shepherd for himself and his family. For around forty years, Moses tended his flocks, until one day… Have you had that ‘one day experience’? You should have had. As believers, the Lord has not added you to His Church just to sit around and be fed like stalled cattle. You are here for a purpose. ■ Ephesians 5:30 For we are members of his body , of his flesh, and of his bones. ■ Romans 12:5 So we, [being] many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another . If a member (or even part of a member) of one’s physical body ceases to function, all manner of complications start. If the heart only works for some of the time; or the digestive system or even if one’s big toe refuses to function – there are serious (and painful) problems. The same applies to the Body of Christ – a non-working member inhibits the overall work of the Body. In the natural course of events, Moses led his flock to the backside of the desert, not anticipating anything unusual – until he met a non-extinguishing burning bush, and was commissioned by the living God to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt!

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His wilderness experience – out of the land of plenty, into basic living – took Moses out of the world and into the arms of Jehovah with Whom he continued to minister for the next forty years! Daniel Daniel was taken in his early years out of his natural homeland, where the nominal worship of Jehovah was undertaken, and into slavery by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. This was no wilderness like the wilderness of Paran. In fact, it was a very welcoming place, with all manner of delightful foods, occupations to suit every skill and interest. Babylon was the capital of the world and the captives, especially the younger captives, who were educated in the ways and manners of the Babylonians, were well-treated. Theirs was not the life of a drudge or slave; there was an opportunity to achieve prominence, wealth, status and everything that a world-view desires. Nevertheless, it was a wilderness. Where was the presence of the living God; where was the daily worship of Jehovah? There was plenty of worship taking place, but only to idols. But this was the place in which Daniel stayed faithful to Jehovah, and saw the power of God in action on many occasions. Our present world can be likened to that of Babylon, with its humanistic ideas, in which self is paramount, and pleasure of any sort from the most sordid to the most uplifting rule. There is no acknowledgement of Almighty God; indeed, there is a virulent hatred against anything to do with Him, as He is seen as a serious spoilsport against all the desires of the flesh! Daniel met the same type of opposition, but his faith in the true God remained firm and constant. Sometimes his challenges were easily overcome – eating vegetables and water instead of fine foods and wine, yet still proving better than those who compromised. Others were more severe. When Darius assumed the throne, Daniel met another challenge, this time concerning his prayer life. Those who plotted against Daniel knew that he prayed to the one true God, so the made Darius pass a decree that “whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions”. Did that faze Daniel? No! He continued as before, in the knowledge that what is right is right, no matter what man may think or say. The outcome of that event is well known. Daniel was saved from the mouth of the lions by and angel of the Lord. So what does Daniel’s wilderness living show us? It shows us that the wilderness is also for showing forth the power of Almighty God to those who dwell in such barrenness. As I mention last month, we are the light of the world. ■ Matthew 5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven . Daniel let his light so shine before the king and his courtiers, even when he was cast into the lion’s den, that they could not but admire him. Even the king, prior to casting him into the den said: ■ Daniel 6:16b Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. What an example to the highest person in that godless land was Daniel; and such a commendation only comes about through constant and repetitive actions. It was not for this one off occasion that Darius said those things, but from constant observation of the lifestyle of Daniel.

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Does your wilderness lifestyle emulate that of Daniel? Are your neighbours aware that your God can save to the uttermost (and that not by your constant pestering them that they must be ‘born again’!) Do they see in you something that may cause jealousy (as in the courtiers), or something to be admired (as in Darius)? The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. Daniel’s wilderness experience also brought forth an understanding ‘by books’ that the seventy years of captivity were drawing to a close and that the Israelites had to begin to prepare themselves for another ‘exodus’, and a return to Jerusalem. And for Daniel, under the next king – Cyrus, this wilderness led to the revelation of the end-time scenarios as given to him by the mighty angel that visited him. Did Daniel ever come out of the wilderness, and back to Jerusalem? I do not think so, as there is no record of such an important leader of Babylon ever coming back to his native country. But for all his decades in the wilderness, he never forsook the Lord his God, and was used by God for mighty deeds. Indeed the following extract sums up Daniel’s wilderness for us: ■ Daniel 11:32 …but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do [exploits]. ■ Daniel 11:32 …but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. (ESV) Peter

What a headstrong man Peter was. He appeared to be the spokesperson for the twelve; he was granted the revelation of whom Christ is: ■ Matthew 16:16-17 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ , the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. He was present with the inner circle during the transfiguration of Jesus: ■ Mark 9:2 And after six days Jesus taketh [with him] Peter , and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. It was he who also wanted to build three booths upon the mount of transfiguration. He also leapt to the defence of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane ■ John 18:10-11 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? Yet what a wilderness Peter was to experience shortly after this even. I suppose one could call it, ‘The Wilderness of Despair’. Why was this? Well, you all know the story; indeed it is the story that has recently been celebrated a week ago. Peter had arrogantly said:

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■ John 13:37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake . It is easy to boast when the pressure is not on, and that was what Peter was doing. He truly meant what he said at the time, but there was more to come ■ John 13:38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice . How that must have hurt Peter. Deny the Christ – he could not, nor would never do that. But the pressure began to build, until… ■ Mark 14:50 And they all forsook him, and fled. That all included the one with the sword – Peter. But it began to get worse; not only had all the disciples fled and left Jesus alone with the mob, but Peter followed Him (with John) into the palace of the high priest. I wonder how many times Peter must have looked back on that scene and regretted ever going with John into the palace, for not only had Peter deserted his Master, here was the place of denial ; the place where denial occurred not once, not twice but thrice! There was no mistaking the emphasis of his statements: ■ Matthew 26:69-75 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before [them] all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another [maid] saw him, and said unto them that were there, This [fellow] was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath , I do not know the man. And after a while came unto [him] they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art [one] of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, [saying], I know not the man . And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly . The wilderness of despair engulfed him. His friends would forsake him for his faithlessness; his Lord could never use him again on account of his denial – really what was the point of living? However, unlike Judas who went and hung himself, the Lord had already prayed for Peter (and here we see something of the heavenly love and mercy of God towards His chosen ones). ■ Luke 22:31-32 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat: But I have prayed for thee , that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith would uphold him in his wilderness experience. Whether Peter ever recalled that prayer, we are not told, but we do know that Peter managed to pull himself together, so that on resurrection morning, Peter and John ran to the sepulchre to see the empty tomb. John, it seems, understood and believed, but to pragmatic Peter an empty tomb was simply that – empty! It was only later, when Peter told his friends that he was going fishing that a group of them went with him. They fished all night, and as they were pulling into the shore early in the morning a distant figure called to them. The rest is history!

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That figure was Jesus, and Peter threw his garment on, leaped into the sea and headed for Jesus (the best thing that anyone could do). The threefold denial was replaced by a threefold commission to feed the sheep – not the four-legged woolly ones, but the two-legged obstinate ones! There is nothing written concerning that wilderness time that Peter must have wept, repented, called himself all the most idiotic names that he could think of, but there was still that gnawing emptiness that many people experience eating away inside him. In public he could pretend that everything was fine; but in the quiet hours, or when left alone for a period, his denial of his Lord and friend would eat away at him as though it were an alive creature. Have you felt that utter despair? Have you ever denied the Christ and wished for the mountains to fall upon you and bury you? Have you ever been so cold toward His love for you that were He to stand before you, you would hardly recognise Him, and yet … something of old familiarity struck you? In that case, do what Peter did, disregard everyone and everything around you and run into the ever-open arms of Jesus. He will restore to you the years that the locusts have eaten. The wilderness has great recompense for those who come through it. Conclusion A wilderness is certainly not a comfortable place to dwell in; but it is a place in which all the trappings with which you have surrounded yourself can be stripped away. It is like the furnace that removes all the dross but leaves a purer and more refined metal, yet even the furnace has often to have more than one go at removing the rubbish. ■ Psalms 12:6 The words of the LORD [are] pure words: [as] silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times . The Israelites spent forty years going round in circles until all that defiled had died; then they entered the promised land. If you are in a wilderness, do not despair, for even there, Almighty God has promised to be with you ■ Hebrews 13:5 [Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee . Did He ever leave Peter? No! But He did pray for him before he denied Christ, and He restored him bountifully after the resurrection. A wilderness is like a mirror in that you can see all those spots and wrinkles that the bride of Christ should not have, and there is provision to cleanse the spots and iron out the wrinkles. Amen.

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