The period after the prophet Malachi up to
the coming of John were silent years. God did not speak through another prophet.
So it was natural that when John came, the crowd was curious concerning his identity.
They wanted to know if he was the Christ, the Messiah or the anointed one whom
God had promised long before. He answered them indirectly. Instead of saying
who he was, he pointed to Christ. He said that, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who
is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear
His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up
the chaff with unquenchable
fire.”
John
was fully aware that his ministry was to point the way to Christ. He was here
to prepare the way for the Lord. No matter how dramatic or how far reaching his
ministry was, he acknowledged that the Messiah’s ministry would be far greater.
For while he baptized with water, Christ would do it with the Holy Spirit and
fire. Like a harvester with the winnowing fork, Christ would divide the harvest
and separate the grains from the chaff from what had been harvested. The grain would be gathered into the barns for
use, the chaff will be burned.
What
an unusual way for John to introduce himself! Instead of talking about himself,
he pointed straightaway to the Messiah. He pointed to His superiority in His
person. So much so that John was even unworthy to untie the laces of the Messiah’s
sandals. Then he talked about the Messiah’s superior Baptism. John baptizes with
water, He would do it with the Holy Spirit and fire. He even talked about the
Messiah’s superior judgement.
Luke
summed up John’s ministry by referring to his imprisonment. His ministry was
quite far reaching. He not only spoke to the tax collectors and soldiers, he also
spoke to Herod himself. He was so bold as to denounce Herod’s adultery for he
had taken his brother’s wife. So John was sent to prison. Why did God allow
this to happen? Mark 6:17-20 tell us that John was able to preach to Herod, who
would come to listen to him while he was in prison. Here he was able to warn
and teach this ruler. In calling for repentance, John also ruthlessly dealt
with evil. When confronted by it one can either dismiss the message or deal
with the sin. There’s no neutral ground.
John
points us to Jesus, the Messiah, and tells us that His baptism is not just merely
a ritual rite. In it we are being soaked by the Holy Spirit. And in it we find
our soul burns and is regenerated. Through the Holy Spirit He indwells us; fills
us with His presence; seals us for the day of redemption; sanctifies us daily; teaches
us how to pray; reveals the Word and enables us to live a life for His glory.
When we trust Christ, He reigns through us. As we live and practice the principles
of His Word, we will experience His mercy. His truth will continue to perfect us,
if we let Him.
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