Lion + LambSýnishorn

Prayer: Lord God, Your Word speaks of Your strength, Your might, Your control, Your wisdom, Your ability to heal, and Your control of all of my circumstances. Today, I pray You would help me to trust in who You are, regardless of those circumstances. 

The Proven Lion King

“Look, Simba. Everything the light touches is our kingdom … A king's time as ruler rises and falls like the sun. One day, Simba, the sun will set on my time here, and will rise with you as the new king,” says King Mufasa from the Pride Rock overlook. Sitting beside him, illuminated by the rising sun in the cool of the morning, is his son, Simba. The cub is officially next in line for the throne, qualified by birth. Only a short time earlier, he had been confirmed in a great ceremony as the next king, being held high in the sky by the strong and wise hands of the elder, Rafiki. He did not know it then, but what stood in front of young Simba was a great test that answered one question: would this young lion prove himself fit for the throne? 

Today’s passage keeps us in the wilderness and asks the exact same question, but with a different Lion. 

Jesus, the Lion of Judah, is faced with a great test in Matthew 4. Driven into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, having eaten nothing for 40 days and 40 nights, Satan, “the tempter,” appears before Jesus. The two trade blows in the wilderness. This tempter, even at his strongest, stands no chance against the Lion of Judah, even at His weakest. Jesus claims a swift and skillful victory, brandishing nothing but the Word of God as His weapon.

Dr. Thomas Constable would describe the situation like this: “Jesus’ genealogy and virgin birth prove His legal human qualification as Israel’s King. His baptism was the occasion of His divine approval. His temptation demonstrated His moral fitness to reign.” 

Our King has proven Himself worthy of the throne. Will we, now, follow the example He set in the midst of isolation? 

Look in the Word:

1. Look again at this account. What does “the tempter” target in Jesus’ life? 
2. How does Jesus respond when Satan tempts Him? 
3. Why is Jesus able to respond to Satan as He did? 

What’s Next? 

1. Who was with Jesus out there in the wilderness? Trick question: no one was with Jesus! Other than the company of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was in isolation. For Jesus, this was a challenging but incredibly useful time. Many of us are in a similar season of wilderness isolation. Do you view this time as a waste or an opportunity? 
2. Two things that often contribute to added temptation are (1) a lack of rhythm and (2) solitude. Are there any new ways you are currently being tempted toward sin? Are there any old sin patterns you have seen returning? Take a minute, write them out, and pray for Christ’s strength to overcome those temptations.