Post by foxjj on Dec 30, 2021 8:18:36 GMT
The Forerunner John
In preparation for the ministry of Jesus, an angle appeared to a priest named Zechariah foretelling the birth, and ministry of a son, as recorded in Luke 1:16-17:
“And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” The ministry of Zechariah’s son John would be a fulfillment of a prophecy found in Isaiah 40.
Luke 3:1-6 gives the historical setting of the ministry of John:
"1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"
Luke mentions Herod Antipas and his brother Philip. These are the sons of Herod the Great, who was ruling when Jesus was born. Herod was an Edomite and a friend of Rome, who was first given a mandate to rule in Palestine by Antony in 41 B.C. Herod was at first opposed by the descendents of the Maccabees, and had to flee, later he returned with an army and captured the city of Jerusalem - putting an end to the rule of the Maccabees. Known as a hard ruler, Herod experienced much unrest among his subjects, and many died under his rule including members of his own family. When Herod died in 2 B.C. three of his sons were each given a part of his kingdom.
It was during these turbulent times that God sent John as the forerunner of Messiah in order to prepare the hearts of the people. The repentance that John preached was a change of heart, which included sorrow for sin and a determination to lead a righteous life. In accepting John's message, the people would go into the Jordan to be baptized as a public act of repentance. It is interesting that John did not go to Jerusalem with his message instead, he stayed out in the wilderness. This spoke to the spiritual state of the nation as a wilderness because, there was a spiritual dryness among the people. Consequently, God had not spoken through a prophet for 400 years.
John knew that he was the forerunner - the messenger preparing the way for Messiah - the one who was to come. Came the day Jesus stood before him in the river Jordan: "Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased" Luke 3:21-22. The ministry of John was coming to its conclusion, and the ministry Jesus had begun. Now, as verse 6 of our text states: "all flesh shall see the salvation of God" because, the ministry of Salvation through Jesus would be proclaimed throughout the whole world.
The birth and ministry of Jesus Christ is encapsulated in John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
Today let us give praise to our God for fulfilled prophecies.
John Joseph Fox.
In preparation for the ministry of Jesus, an angle appeared to a priest named Zechariah foretelling the birth, and ministry of a son, as recorded in Luke 1:16-17:
“And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” The ministry of Zechariah’s son John would be a fulfillment of a prophecy found in Isaiah 40.
Luke 3:1-6 gives the historical setting of the ministry of John:
"1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"
Luke mentions Herod Antipas and his brother Philip. These are the sons of Herod the Great, who was ruling when Jesus was born. Herod was an Edomite and a friend of Rome, who was first given a mandate to rule in Palestine by Antony in 41 B.C. Herod was at first opposed by the descendents of the Maccabees, and had to flee, later he returned with an army and captured the city of Jerusalem - putting an end to the rule of the Maccabees. Known as a hard ruler, Herod experienced much unrest among his subjects, and many died under his rule including members of his own family. When Herod died in 2 B.C. three of his sons were each given a part of his kingdom.
It was during these turbulent times that God sent John as the forerunner of Messiah in order to prepare the hearts of the people. The repentance that John preached was a change of heart, which included sorrow for sin and a determination to lead a righteous life. In accepting John's message, the people would go into the Jordan to be baptized as a public act of repentance. It is interesting that John did not go to Jerusalem with his message instead, he stayed out in the wilderness. This spoke to the spiritual state of the nation as a wilderness because, there was a spiritual dryness among the people. Consequently, God had not spoken through a prophet for 400 years.
John knew that he was the forerunner - the messenger preparing the way for Messiah - the one who was to come. Came the day Jesus stood before him in the river Jordan: "Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased" Luke 3:21-22. The ministry of John was coming to its conclusion, and the ministry Jesus had begun. Now, as verse 6 of our text states: "all flesh shall see the salvation of God" because, the ministry of Salvation through Jesus would be proclaimed throughout the whole world.
The birth and ministry of Jesus Christ is encapsulated in John 3:16-17: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
Today let us give praise to our God for fulfilled prophecies.
John Joseph Fox.
