John did not feel strong enough to stand the great pressure of temptation he would meet in society. He feared his character would be molded according to the prevailing customs of the Jews, and he chose the wilderness as his school, in which his mind could be properly educated and disciplined from God’s great book of nature. In the wilderness, John could the more readily deny himself and bring his appetite under control, and dress in accordance to natural simplicity. And there was nothing in the wilderness that would take his mind from meditation and prayer. Satan had access to John, even after he had closed every avenue in his power through which he would enter. But his habits of life were so pure and natural that he could discern the foe, and had strength of spirit and decision of character to resist him. {2SP 47.1}

Johannes følte sig ikke stærk nok til at modstå presset fra den fristelse han ville møde i samfundet. Han frygtede at hans karakter vil blive formet efter jødernes fremherskende sædvaner, og han valgte ørknen som sin skole, hvor hans sind uddannes og disciplineres fra Guds store naturbog. I ørknen, kunne Johannes hurtigere fornægte sig selv og bringe sin appetit under kontrol, og klæde sig i overensstemmelse med naturlig enkelthed. Og der var intet i ørknen som ville tage hans tanker fra meditation og bøn. Satan havde adgang til Johannes, også efter at han havde lukket alle adgangsveje det stod i hans magt, som han kunne komme ind ad. Men hans levevaner var så rene og naturlige at han ikke kunne se fjenden, og havde åndsstyrke og karakterbeslutsomhed til at modstå ham.