"the War Against The Desert Fox"

In Jesus Holy Name January 26, 2025

Text: Luke 4:1-2 Epiphany III Redeemer

“The War against the Desert Fox”

At the beginning of WWII, the Germans pioneered a new form of mobile armored warfare. It is referred to as the Nazi Blitzkrieg. The famous commander of the 7th Panzer Division during the African Campaign, and then the 1940 invasion of France, was Erwin Rommel. His leadership of German and Italian forces in North African established his reputation as one of the best tank commanders of the war and earned him the nickname “The Desert Fox”.

The Desert Fox created tank tactics that included using combined ground forces, speed, deception and terrain to surprise and overwhelm enemy forces. The largest tank battle was in Kursk, Ukraine involving some 6000 tanks, 2,000,000 troops and 4000 aircraft.

When General George Patton counter-attacked Field Marshal Rommel in World War II, Patton is reported to have shouted in the thick of battle: “I read your book, Rommel!! I read your book!” He knew the German leader’s strategy and planned his moves accordingly.

After Jesus was baptized the Gospels tell us that Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness where for 40 days He was attacked and tempted by the devil to disobey God’s plan of salvation. The tactics Jesus used were the words of Scripture to defeat the “Wiley Fox called the devil in those 40 desert wilderness days.

The book of Revelation tells us that some time after the creation of the world a war broke out in Heaven between the angels of God led by Michael and Satan. Satan, the fallen angel and the demons who supported him were cast out of heaven and down to earth. John writes: “that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, is he who leads the whole world astray.” (Rev. 12:7-9) "Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil." 1 John 3:8 ESV

John, in the book of Revelation, also reminds us that because the Devil failed in His attempt to kill the infant Jesus and later after his failed attempt in the wilderness to tempt Jesus to disobey God’s plan for humanity’s salvation, “he went off to make war against …those who keep God’s commandments and hold fast to the testimony of Jesus.” Revelation 12:17)

I love the way Mark has chosen to explain this Cosmic War on Earth. His words are short and to the point: “This is the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.” The Messiah as arrived. After his baptism, Mark writes, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days the “cosmic battle” between God and Satan continued to play out through the life of Jesus.

Philip Yancy writes: “like single combat warriors, (we watch) two giants of the cosmos converged on a scene of desolation.” In the wilderness. (The Jesus I Never Knew p. 70)

Friends, Satan knew very well who Jesus was. The events in the wilderness were Satan’s 2nd attempt to deflect the Savior from His mission. When Satan’s temptations in the wilderness failed….Jesus returns from the wilderness and engages in His third battle.

The engagement happens in a synagogue in Capernaum. (read Mark 1:21-24) You see, they, the demons, thought this was the “final judgment of God explained in Revelation 20 when they would be destroyed in the eternal lake of fire. They knew …“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil”.

Only Luke and Matthew provide the details of the temptation. Jesus is driven by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. There Satan himself tempted the Son of God to change the rules and achieve the goal of salvation by a dazzling, short cut method. Our eternal destiny as human beings hung in the balance.

Jesus ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them He was hungry. He was vulnerable. A physical need needed to be met. And so the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. It’s a quick fix. Notice the word “If”…. In other words…. “Are you really God’s son?” it was a challenge to His eternal identity.

The temptation was a reasonable response to Jesus’ hunger. He had power over nature. And stones were abundant there in the wilderness. He could use his extraordinary gifts to meet his physical needs. In other words… Satan is suggesting: I know who you are… “you don’t want people to starve do you?” You can solve all the world’s hunger problem…let me help you. In other words… just use your power and you can solve world hunger. “If you are God, then dazzle me. Act like God.”