Muhammad was raised in the desert. It was the custom of his people to send children to barren places such as this to learn the "beauty of speech" of the desert people and a host of other lessons. For up to eight years a child would be trained by a Bedouin tribe. In Muhammad's case, the tribe was Bani Sad Bakr.

As Rome later added fables to the truth of Jesus, so it seems have the legends arisen regarding the Arabian. It is said that a desert woman who offered her near empty breasts to feed Muhammad, suddenly experienced the filling of same, along with the rejuvenating of all her impoverished and hungry animals!

After two years of weaning, it is said, per Lings, that two angels opened his chest and cleansed his heart with snow. We will find later that that heart still had Adam's touch on it as well.

Three years were then spent in Mecca, and at age 6 he visited Medina, that would have such an important part in his life in years to come. There his mother died.

His grandfather truly believed in little Muhammad's future greatness, and asked him tough questions, which Muhammad was always able to answer. Then grandfather died and his uncle Abu Talib took charge. A truly tragic childhood. His family was now very poor and he was forced to work as a shepherd.

Customs in Judea differed radically from those in Arabia. The Jewish child was trained in Hebrew and the Torah, God's language and God's law. Soon he was entered into a trade. Jesus became a carpenter. This also was a poor family. To work at a low-class job was not a thing of which to be ashamed. Never did Mary and Joseph counsel Jesus that he must seek his fortune in the world. And anyway, this Boy was set on more serious matters.

Working with His hands and dealing with people, that was His upbringing. All we know for certain is that Jesus "increased in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man." All else is fantasy and we will in no way countenance such on the Jesus side of this story.

We do know that at age 12 Jesus also was confronted with a series of hard questions, as we mentioned earlier. These questions were from the religious leaders of His day, and they were asked from inside the Temple, the House of God. We assume that all answers given were correct.

Mary nursed her own child. So it was said of her by envious mothers many years later. Certainly it would have been the blessing of blessings to give one's milk to the Son of God! Yes, but greater blessings are pronounced on those who receive the pure milk of the Word of God, and honor it, said Jesus.

Jesus also had dealings in the desert. He too was not "protected" from the evil. Though only there for 40 days, during that time Jesus did not eat or drink. Following this awful hunger the enemy came and tempted Him, to no avail. This would be only one of many victories over the Enemy that would serve to secure our salvation. The Lamb of God had to be a perfect one. Though tempted in every point as are we, never did Jesus sin.