Day 89: December 23, 2025 – Isaiah 29-32 and Matthew 4

Much of the Isaiah Scripture has to do with pointing out what a bad idea it is for Israel to align with Egypt. Historically we see that happen where a large group from Israel in order to avoid the takeover of Babylon of the land and of their families, emigrate into Egypt in order to align themselves with that group of people. They leave the land and go to Egypt. Now, this doesn’t help because Babylon comes and takes over Egypt as well and also takes over all the people who had left Israel and gone there. This creates a double jeopardy where not only do they leave their own homes and their own land, which the Lord had given them, but they also find themselves in the same predicament, even worse than before. Isaiah says it was not God’s plan for them to leave. They should have stayed.

Jesus is tempted by Satan and then calls his disciples after that period of preparation. That time that Jesus spends in the wilderness equips him for the work that he has to do, including calling his disciples. Making your way through the hardships of life prepares you for what comes next. Jesus is proof of that.