“Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil”
Matt 4:1
Before Jesus began to preach, John the Baptist prepared
Biography: John the Baptist
John was Jesus’ cousin, about six months older than Christ. He had been filled by the Spirit from his birth, being readied for his mission (Luke 1:14-17). We don’t know how long John lived a hermit’s life in the Judean wilderness (Matt 3:4). But when Jesus was about 30, John appeared on the banks of the
John’s appearance excited the Jewish population. Burdened by heavy taxes and ruled by an increasingly brutal Herod, there was an intense yearning for the Messiah to appear. John, austere and ascetic, burning with passion for God and holiness, seemed a likely candidate. His announcement that “the kingdom of heaven is near” stirred Jewish yearning into bright expectation of a better future.
John persistently denied that he was the Messiah (John 1:19-28). Instead he called for his listeners to confess their sins, repent, and prepare themselves spiritually for the true Messiah, whom God had revealed to him was even then living among them.
Matthew quotes from Isaiah 40 to define John’s role. That passage launched the second half of the mighty Old Testament prophecy; a half in which the dominant theme shifts from judgment to joy. John’s mission of preparation was to ready the people spiritually, for in a brief moment “the glory of the Lord [would] be revealed, and all mankind together will see it” (Isa 40:5).
I suspect that when John denied being Messiah, many turned away. “Nothing but a messenger,” they may well have thought. Yet this messenger readied hearts for Jesus, and thus for endless joy.
There is no greater ministry any of us can have than John’s. We cannot meet the deepest needs of others. But we can introduce them to Him who meets every need.
