-
tell a friend goes here
tell a friend goes here
Isaiah 40:3 (King James Version)
3The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
The Prophet Isaiah proclaiming the prophesy of John the Baptist, without saying his name, only what he will be doing.
700 years later.
John 1:22-24 (King James Version)
22Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
24And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
John the Baptist had a very special birth. The angle Gabriel appeared to an old priest named Zacharias and told him that he was going to have a very special child. This was a miraculous birth considering his wife Elisabeth was well past the child baring age.
Luke 1:13-17 (King James Version)
13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
16And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Six months later The angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary she would conceive Jesus. John the Baptist went about preaching a baptism of repentance to the people, and gave the exact same message that Jesus was to bring, and John announced the coming of the messiah to all.
Luke 3:2-17 (King James)
2Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
3And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
4As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
7Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
9And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
10And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
11He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
12Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
13And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
14And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
15And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
16John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
17Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
John the Baptist lived outside the city of Jerusalem, and people went to him to hear him speak, and to be baptized in the river Jordan. John wasn’t attached to the world. He wasn’t vain, or into money and material possessions. One would say today he was a bit out there. But in fact he was 100% a man of God. A stark contrast to many of today’s showboaters.
Matthew 3:1-11 (King James Version)
1In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
6And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
John went on to Baptize Jesus when the time finally arrived.
Matthew 3:13-17 (King James)
13Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
16And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
John’s Martyrdom.
John the Baptist was respected and revered as a great prophet by the people. John one day preached and warned against King Herod for taking his brothers wife Herodia. This was frowned upon by Herodia. John was thrown in jail and Herodia wanted John killed but Herod respected John as a holy man. One night during during Herod’s birthday party Herodia’s daughter danced and seduced King Herod to the point he promised her anything, up to half his kingdom. She asked her mother, and her mother asked for the head of John the Baptist.
Mark 6:14-29
Jesus spoke highly of John the Baptist calling him the greatest of the prophets. But even the least in heaven is greater than he. Just goes to show how awesome it will be to enter heaven. Why would anyone turn down that invitation?
Matthew 11:11 (King James Version)
11Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Luke 7:28 (King James Version)
28For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
“Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”.
-John the Baptist
Tuesday, February 22, 2011