The term "wilder" is not directly found in the Bible; however, the concept of wilderness and its related themes are prevalent throughout the Scriptures. The wilderness, often referred to as a desolate or uninhabited region, serves as a significant backdrop for many biblical narratives and spiritual lessons.

Wilderness in the Old Testament

In the Old Testament, the wilderness is frequently depicted as a place of testing, transformation, and divine encounter. The Israelites' journey through the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt is one of the most prominent examples. This period of wandering lasted for forty years and was a time of both physical and spiritual trial. In Deuteronomy 8:2 , Moses reminds the Israelites, "Remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments."

The wilderness is also the setting for the experiences of key biblical figures such as Moses, Elijah, and David. Moses encountered God in the burning bush on Mount Horeb, located in the wilderness (Exodus 3:1-2). Elijah fled to the wilderness to escape Jezebel's wrath and was sustained by God through miraculous means (1 Kings 19:4-8). David, before becoming king, spent time in the wilderness evading King Saul, which was a period of preparation and reliance on God's protection (1 Samuel 23:14).

Wilderness in the New Testament

In the New Testament, the wilderness continues to be a place of spiritual significance. John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, preached a message of repentance in the wilderness of Judea, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him'" (Matthew 3:3).

Jesus Himself spent forty days in the wilderness, where He was tempted by Satan. This event is recorded in the Synoptic Gospels and highlights Jesus' obedience and victory over temptation. In Matthew 4:1-2 , it is written, "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry."

Spiritual Symbolism

The wilderness symbolizes a place of solitude and reflection, where individuals are stripped of worldly distractions and forced to rely on God. It is often associated with purification and preparation for a new phase of life or ministry. The wilderness experience can be seen as a metaphor for the believer's journey through trials and tribulations, leading to spiritual growth and deeper faith.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, the wilderness represents both a physical and spiritual landscape where God's presence and provision are made manifest. It is a place where human weakness is contrasted with divine strength, and where faith is tested and refined. The wilderness narratives in the Bible underscore the importance of trust in God's guidance and the transformative power of His presence during times of desolation and uncertainty.(v.) To bewilder; to perplex.

The Idea of Communications through Angels Involves yet Wilder ...
... Section 21. The idea of communications through angels involves yet wilder inconsistency,
nor does it, even if true, justify the worship of the image. ...
/.../athanasius/select works and letters or athanasius/section 21 the idea of.htm

No House of any Pretension to be Called a Palace is in the Least ...
... Near the house it was kept very trim and nice, and it was free of brushwood for
a long way in; but by degrees it got wild, and it grew wilder, and wilder, and ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 28 no house of.htm

Mr. HG Wells and the Giants
... visions is humble? He went on to wilder and wilder stories about carving
beasts into men and shooting angels like birds. Is the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chesterton/heretics/v mr h g wells and.htm

The General Conference of 1832
... Pittsburgh Conference: Alfred Brunson, Ira Eddy, Charles Elliott, Robert Hopkins,
Daniel Limerick, Wilder B. Mack, Joshua Munroe, Billings O. Plympton, David ...
/.../chapter 11 the general conference.htm

Missionary Annals.
... MISSIONARY ANNALS. Price per vol., cloth 30c., paper 18c. I. MEMOIR OF ROBERT MOFFAT
BY MRS. ML WILDER. II. LIFE OF ADONIRAM JUDSON BY MISS JULIA H. JOHNSTON. ...
/.../rhea/life of henry martyn missionary to india and persia/missionary annals.htm

The Adventures of Saint Andrew of Scotland.
... and so astonished all beholders that they fled dismayed before him, till he crossed
the wild territories of Russia, and entered the wilder deserts of Siberia. ...
/.../kingston/the seven champions of christendom/chapter eight the adventures of.htm

Letter M
... Part 2 L - Z Letter M. * Mabrey, Thomas "Received 1820, Located 1836 * Mabry, William
H. "Received 1826, Located 1836 * Mack, Wilder B. "Received 1822 ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/bangs/an alphabetical list of m e preachers/letter m.htm

God, Man and the New Covenant
... are sure: his debates with God and strifes with men, which while they roused him
to outbursts of passion also braced his will, and stilled the wilder storms of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/lecture viii god man and.htm

On Certain Modern Writers and the Institution of the Family
... If we were to-morrow morning snowed up in the street in which we live, we should
step suddenly into a much larger and much wilder world than we have ever known ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chesterton/heretics/xiv on certain modern writers.htm

The Monks.
... He carried on this life for many years, and several times changed his abode, that
he might seek out some place still wilder and more remote than the last. ...
/.../chapter xiii the monks.htm

Wilder (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (v.) To bewilder; to perplex. Multi-Version
Concordance Wilder (1 Occurrence). Jonah 1:13 Nevertheless ...
/w/wilder.htm - 6k

Wild-dogs (2 Occurrences)
Wild-dogs. Wild-cats, Wild-dogs. Wilder . Multi-Version Concordance Wild-dogs
(2 Occurrences). ... (See JPS). Wild-cats, Wild-dogs. Wilder . Reference Bible
/w/wild-dogs.htm - 6k

Wilderness (304 Occurrences)

/w/wilderness.htm - 43k

Empire (8 Occurrences)
... from Pessinus to Rome, known also as the Great Mother (magna mater)-a fatal and
final blow to old Roman religion and an impetus to the wilder and more ...
/e/empire.htm - 80k

Roman (26 Occurrences)
... from Pessinus to Rome, known also as the Great Mother (magna mater)-a fatal and
final blow to old Roman religion and an impetus to the wilder and more ...
/r/roman.htm - 101k

Christianity
... from Pessinus to Rome, known also as the Great Mother (magna mater)-a fatal and
final blow to old Roman religion and an impetus to the wilder and more ...
/c/christianity.htm - 101k

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