Four centuries had passed without a revelation from God. The prophet Malachi had closed his declaration of "the burden of the word of the Lord" and the sacred canon, with the word "curse." Yet even in this solemn threat was found a note of hope, for the full prediction was, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse" (4:6).
Because of this promise. Rabbinic tradition and Jewish legend had gone to wild extremes. It had long been taught that the miraculous events centering about Israel's early history would be repeated with greater force in Messianic days, and in the manifestation of supernatural power, Elijah was assigned a major role. This was a favorite topic in the synagogue and a subject of frequent discussion among the lawyers and doctors. It would be irrelevant to here record the foolish and ridiculous speculations everywhere current; it will suffice for us to note that common Galilean fishermen knew that the scribes taught that Elijah must come before the Messiah could be introduced (Matt. 17:10).
The divine silence of four hundred years was finally broken. A devout, aged priest from the backwoods hill country of Judea, who belonged to the course of Abia, was chosen to officiate at the altar of incense one morning. He had never performed this service before, nor would he ever do so again, for only once in a lifetime was any priest allowed the honor of presiding at the golden altar. One wonders about the thoughts which must have flooded the mind of the venerable priest on that October morning which brought to him the signal glory to which he had never fallen heir before. Did his heart revert to his faithful wife, also of the tribe of Levi, and to the unanswered prayers they had so frequently offered at the time of the burning of incense? Was there a deep inward pang that he had no son who would maintain the hallowed traditions belonging to Israel?
His reveries were soon broken, for while he stood at the golden altar, and the great concourse of people outside were praying, Zacharias beheld an angel standing at the right side of the altar. Instantly a sense of awe and fright overwhelmed him. But the angel spoke quickly, quieting his fears, and making the simple announcement that his prayers had been heard, that Elisabeth would bear a son, and that his name would be called Jochanan (John). Let us consider some of the characteristics of the child as divulged by the heavenly messenger.
2. John was to be a perpetual Nazirite, which would necessitate scrupulous care against ceremonial defilement. His ascetic wilderness life and refusal to engage in any social function could be attributed to this. One who was under this vow could not cut his hair, nor eat or drink any grape product (Num. 6:1-21). While most men took the Nazirite vow for a brief period, John, like Samuel and Samson, would be amenable to it for life.
3. He was to be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth. It would appear that he was like Jeremiah, in the fact that from the womb he was singled out as a prophet of God (Jer. 1:5).
4. His work was to be that of a national reformer "turning many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God." His appearance was at a time of spiritual and moral degradation. Crimes of lust were frequent. Disregard for the commandments was very pronounced. The language which was current on the streets, filled with sly references to vice, indicated disrespect for self and dignity. Men of wealth built synagogues for worship with money gained by deceit and oppression. The sectarian spirit was rife. The Jewish commonwealth must reform in preparation for the Reign of heaven.
5. John was to go before the King "in the spirit and power of Elijah." This was a concept of prophecy which none of the rabbinical leaders had caught. They were looking for Elijah to return to their land in person, and by some miraculous demonstration to ready things for the introduction of the Messiah.
6. The forerunner was "to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." This point we must never forget in our discussion of the harbinger of the Reign. It was to accomplish this task he was born, filled with the Spirit, and sent on his mission. If he made ready a prepared people, he finished the work that was given him to do; if he did not, regardless of his other accomplishments, his efforts were a failure. It will be the position of this writer that John successfully completed his work of preparation, and the material for the foundation of the temple of God was made ready in advance of the time when incorporated in that superstructure. How this work of preparation was accomplished is a matter for future discussion. Suffice it to say that the solemn pronouncement of Gabriel is sufficient to indicate the coming of a character unique in history. To this must be added that at the birth of John, his father, suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit, uttered a memorable prophecy, augmenting that of Gabriel, and recorded in Luke 1:67-79.
2. We cannot be certain at just what age John began to realize he was destined to begin a work of public proclamation. Indications are that he was about thirty years of age, and if so, he was motivated to begin the prophetic office at the same age as Ezekiel, who also was of the priestly tribe. This was the age at which the Levites "could enter the service" of the tabernacle (Num. 4:3, 23, 30, 35, etc.).
We do know that it was in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, during the joint high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, that "the word of the Lord came to John the Son of Zechariah in the wilderness" (Luke 3:1, 2). The public declaration was not made by John in the forums of populous cities, but rather he went into the sparsely settled region adjacent to the Jordan River. John did not go to the people, the people had to go out to John.
3. In dress, John was like the prophets of old. He was attired in "a garment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his waist" (Matt. 3:4). The pious Jews, familiar with history, would immediately recall the description of Elijah, in whose spirit John came. When Ahaziah sent messengers who were intercepted by Elijah, the king said, "What kind of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?" They answered him, "He wore a garment of haircloth, with a girdle of leather about his loins." The king said, "It is Elijah the Tishbite" (2 Kings 1:7, 8). So distinctive was this garb as the badge of prophets, that false prophets donned a hairy garment to deceive (Zech. 13:4). If those who left the cities to see and hear John, expected to find one dressed in soft raiment, they were greatly disappointed. "Behold, those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury, are in king's courts" (Luke 7:25).
4. The daily fare of John was as rude as his manner of life. His principal diet consisted of locusts and wild honey. The Israelites were permitted to eat four kinds of winged insects: locusts, bald locusts, crickets and grasshoppers (Lev. 11:22). These might be prepared by roasting in one of the outdoor ovens, or by frying in oil, as well as by other means. Honey was obtained from crevices in the rocks or from hollow trees, as well as occasionally from the sun-dried carcasses of animals (Cp. 1 Sam. 14:26; Judges 14:8).
5. John was regarded as possessing an anti-social attitude, and some of his critics inferred that his stern, unbending manner was the direct result of demon possession. He did not fraternize with the people, nor attend their feasts or wedding celebrations, which led Jesus to remark, "John came neither eating nor drinking, and you say 'He hath a devil.'"
Isaiah predicted the coming of one who, as a construction engineer, would go ahead of the Lord, making such alterations in the terrain as would be essential to the development of the "King's Highway." Here are his words. "A voice cries: 'In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low, the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain" (40:3, 4). This prediction John applied directly to himself.
His proclamation in the deserted area near the banks of the Jordan was so stirring, and the people were so aroused by it, that the Pharisees in Jerusalem sent a deputation of priests and Levites to Bethany, across the Jordan, to determine by what authority he was immersing Jews. John answered their questions by affirming he was not the Messiah. They asked if he was Elijah and again he replied in the negative. They asked if he was that prophet (i.e., the one of Deut. 18:15) and he denied it. They said to him then, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said" (John 1:19-23).
The wilderness in the prophecy must certainly refer to the matted, overgrown thicket of human hearts, composing the Jewish world of the days of John. His work was to be upon the hearts of men, as evidenced by the words of Gabriel in his annunciation (Luke 1:17). The pride and arrogance which lifted some up in their own estimation had to be overthrown and dragged down; the valleys of shortcoming and disobedience had to be filled; the crooked, devious paths and patterns of life had to be straightened out; and the rough spots of character submitted to the grading machine of God's truth.
Highway construction through a wilderness area is neither an easy nor a pleasant task. It often requires what may appear to be reckless, ruthless methods as bulldozers tear into huge trees and matted undergrowth, or shove boulders to one side. As construction engineer for the highway of God, John used effective but seemingly harsh methods. The roadway must be readied and the time for completion of his contract was very short. After quoting the words of Isaiah about the preparation of the road, Luke significantly remarks, "He said therefore to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, 'You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits that befit repentance, and do not begin to say, We have Abraham as father'" (3:7,8). The hills of ancestral pride were blasted and toppled into the valleys below.
Highway building is very practical. Once the blueprints are finished and the construction engineer takes over, every phase of it is definite and toward a positive goal. John unhesitatingly removed rocks, uprooted obstacles and cleared away debris. When the multitude asked what fruits befitted repentance, the answer was quick and sharp, "He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise." When the tax collectors asked what they must do, they were told, "Collect no more than is appointed you." When the soldiers asked what they must do, they were told, "Rob no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your wages."
We should never forget the true relationship of John to the Messiah and His Reign. There is a word which you will find in your unabridged dictionary which is directly applicable to John. It is the word "pavior." In older English usage this was a common term descriptive of one who specialized in smoothing out and paving roadways. John was a "pavior"; he was not the Savior. He announced the coming of the Reign, under which he would not personally live, for he met a violent death before the coronation ceremony of the King, for whose coming he prepared the way. It was in view of this that the Messiah declared that John was "something superior to a prophet...Indeed, I say to you, among those that are born of women, there has not arisen a greater than John the Immerser. Yet the least in the Reign of heaven is greater than he" (Matt. 11:10, 11).
1. What was the general purpose of John? "Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare the way before thee" (Matt. 11:10).
2. How was this to be accomplished? "You will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins" (Luke 1:76, 77).
3. How 'did he begin his work? "In those days came John the Immerser, proclaiming in the wilderness" (Matt. 3: 1). "With many other exhortations, he proclaimed good news to the people" (Luke 3: 18).
4. Did he command his hearers to believe in Jesus? "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus" (Acts 19:4).
5. Did he demand repentance? "Repent, for the Reign of heaven is approaching" (Matt. 3:2).
6. What confession was made? "Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan...confessing their sins" (Matt. 3:5, 6).
7. In what did John immerse the penitents? "I baptize you with water" (Matt. 3:11). "They were baptized by him in the river Jordan" (Matt. 3:6).
8. What was the design of the immersion? "John the Immerser appeared in the wilderness proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" (Mark 1:4).
9. Did all of the people prepared for the Lord receive him? "He came unto his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:11).
10. What of those who did receive him? "To all who received him, who believed in his name, to them he gave the privilege to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:11, 12).
The material for the temple of God, like that for the temple of Solomon, was prepared in advance, so it could be builded into the structure immediately. John proclaimed the good news that the Reign was approaching, and prepared men in anticipation for it. Many of those who later followed Jesus were first disciples of John, but left him to follow Jesus. Among these were the apostles. "The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples; and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, 'Behold the lamb of God!' The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus...One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Jesus, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah'" (John 1:35-41).
These men were Jews, and as such they had been born of blood, of the will of the flesh and the will of man. But by their acceptance of the good news of the Reign they were born of God. However, they were children by anticipation, since the family association under the authority of the Messiah could not be set up until the coronation. Only those who received him, believing on his name, were granted the privilege of becoming children of God, and with his accession to the throne were adopted into the family upon the basis of their previous birth. Certainly they did not need to be immersed again. They were prepared stones!
In order to establish a nation in a moment, or to bring a kingdom into existence in one day, it is necessary that preliminary preparation be made to have material to incorporate in it. This was true of Zion, the kingdom of the Messiah. "Before she was in labor she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she was delivered of a son. Who has heard such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in a moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her sons" (Isaiah 66:7, 8).
Normal functions require birth pangs to produce children from the uterus. But Zion produced offspring both before and after travail. Before the regular order was established she was delivered of a son; then, as soon as the regular order was established, she brought forth sons in normal procedure. No one had ever before heard or seen such things, according to the prophet, who hastens to explain that the reason for the production of offspring in advance of the regular order was to make it possible for a nation or kingdom to be established in one day, even in a moment.
The expression relative to those who do not enter by the door but climb in by some other manner, has no application to the entrance of the sheep into the fold, but to those who pretended to be shepherds in order to steal, kill and destroy. The fold is the Jewish economy, and there were many false Messiahs who sought to establish themselves, only to lead the people into acts of violence and death. Jesus says, "All who came before me are thieves and robbers" (verse 8).
The door is that of prophecy, and it was so constructed that only one person could ever enter it, the true Messiah, the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper was John, who opened the way for entrance. When Jesus entered the Jewish fold, he called his own sheep (those who were a people made ready, prepared for the Lord) and led them out of the Jewish fold to create a new flock. "And I have other sheep (Gentiles) which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd" (verse 16).
1. It was valid only to prepare men in advance of the commencement of the Reign.
2. It was performed under the theocracy and was authorized by God. "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John" (John 1:6). "He (God)...sent me to baptize with water" (John 1:33).
3. It was not performed in the name of Jesus the Christ, for the simple reason that he did not yet have any authority. "Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name" (John 16:24).
4. When all authority in heaven and earth was bestowed upon the Christ, and God put all things in subjection under his feet, the baptism of John could no longer be performed validly. Those who had been baptized with that baptism, prior to the coronation of the King were not required to be baptized again, but from henceforth it was not valid for others, because it was not performed under the authority of the regnant monarch, the Messiah. Since his coronation, no act of a religious nature is valid, unless performed in his name, i.e., by his authority (Col. 3:17).
Unfortunately, in remote areas, some who had learned of John's baptism, did not learn of the coronation of the Christ, so continued to proclaim the baptism of John. Of this number was Apollos, the Alexandrian Jew, who had to be brought up to date on events by Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:24-26).
When Paul arrived in Ephesus he found certain disciples who informed him they had been baptized unto John's baptism. Pointing out to them that this baptism was valid only to those looking forward to Christ, those who heard this were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:1-5). This baptism was in the same form and the same element as that of John. The difference was that it was administered under the authority of the reigning King.
John did not fail in his heaven-sent mission. He accomplished what God sent him to do. He produced a reformation in the hearts of many, and he baptized those who confessed their sins, for the forgiveness of those sins. Thus he prepared a people made ready for the Lord, who needed only to acknowledge that Jesus was the Messiah, to be incorporated into the household of God. When the sword of the executioner in the prison fortress of Machaerus, severed the head of John from his body, the "pavior" of the Messiah could die secure in the conviction that he had finished his task on earth.