JESUS FROM JOHN THE BAPTIST POINT OF VIEW
Many times we don’t recognize the significance of God’s design for our lives,
The family line we were born in, the parents we were born in and the conditions
We were born in are all important aspects of our lives. In Biblical days names had
Meaning that sometimes signified the plan God had for the person. You can see this
In Jesus life and in the life of John the Baptist.
Jesus’s name means savior, deliverer. His parents. Mary and Joseph were descendants of David in keeping with the promises God made to David to be King on the throne forever. The same is true for John the Baptist.
HIS PARENTS
Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron, her name means “the oath or fulness of God”.
Zacariah was a Levite priest, his name means “remembered by the Lord “.
In their old age, God remembered their prayers for a son. Because they were faithful
God reward them with a child that brought them great joy.
The father and the mother of John the Baptist were both of a priestly line. The Ministers of the Gospel need to know the word and be obedient. John would be a minister baptizing a priest. A priest of the order of Melkesideck, not a Levite priest.
The name John means ” mercy or the grace of God”. It was the grace of God that John’s Parents were favored to have a son in their old age, It was the mercy of God that John would be a forerunner preparing the way for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Elizabeth, “the oath of God” fulfilled the prophecy of John’s birth made 700 years
Earlier in Isaish 40:3 and conformed in Malachi 2:4-6 300 Years earlier.
THE PROPHECY OF HIS COMING
Isaiah 40:3
A voice of one calling:
“In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God.
John was timed to be a forerunner of Jesus, preparing the way for His introduction to
The world. John got those who were serious about God ready to receive the true and
Living God.
Elizabeth would have to keep the oath made to the Angel Gabriel that John would be
Raised as a Nazarite given in Numbers 6:2-8 and repeated in Part in Luke 1:15
Luke 1:15
15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.
Elizabeth had to keep the oath of naming her baby John
Luke 1:59-63
59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”
61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”
62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.
HIS MISSION
Malachi 2:3-5
4 And you will know that I have sent you this admonition so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says the Lord Almighty.
NIV
Malachi 2:7-8
7 “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction — because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty.
THE MIRACLE BIRTH
Luke 1:11-15
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
As the angel told Mary, there is nothing too hard for God. Every prayer from you is valued
By the Lord. He answers according to His will and His timing.
HIS TRAINING
It was Zachariah’s job to train John in the Word of God and the importance of the role of the priesthood. Although John was not a priest, he preached the righteousness of God the Jesus, the eternal priest forever.
HIS TYPE AND PURITY A NAZARENE
John’s parents took a vow which is described in Numbers 6:1–21. This vow required John to be raised as a nazirite.
Abstain from wine and all other grape products, such as vinegar and grapes[5]
Refrain from cutting the hair on his head[6]
Not to become ritually impure by contact with corpses or graves, even those of family members.[7]
You can see why Jesus didn’t go to funerals. Every time He saw death, He reversed it.
The widower of Nain, whose only son had died, He rsised. Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha was raised from the dead. Jarius’s daughter was raised from the dead. We find no record of Jesus taking part in the burying John the Baptist.
HIS CLOTHING
Matthew 3:4-6
4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
NIV
HIS MESSAGE OF REPENTANCE
Luke 3:7-15
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
11 John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.”
12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely — be content with your pay.”
HIS INTRODUCTION TO JESUS
Luke 1:39-43
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43
John was introduced to Jesus for the first time in the womb of His mother
A note to mothers, the unborn child can feel the pain of the mother in the womb according to many studies after 20 weeks of fertilization. If unborn babies can
Feel pain perhaps they can feel the joy of the mother in the womb. John at
Six months in the womb felt the joy of Elizabeth. Perhaps babies are alive in the
Spirit in the womb.
Mothers and fathers should create a happy environment for themselves and in the
Home. We never know how the unborn baby is affected by our attitude.
HIS DIET
According to the text, John ate Locast and Wild Honey.
A locust is what we call grasshoppers in my part of the country. How did John
Prepare the grasshoppers to eat? How many grasshoppers was enough for a
Meal?
Whatever God provides is sufficient for us. We have no need to complain.
HIS HUMBLENESS
John 1:25-27
“Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
John the Baptist knew his mission and his place
John 1:29-31
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
John the Baptist prophecy is given in Malachi 2:4-6, Jeremiah 33:22-24
KNOW WHEN YOU JOB IS DONE OR TIME TO MOVE ON
John 3:28-30
28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.
BE TRUE TO JESUS EVEN UNTO DEATH
John did not hesitate to preach the truth
Mark 6:17-20
17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. NIV
Mark 6:22-24
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
THREE POINTS FROM JOHN THE BAPTIST LIFE
BE DEDICATED TO THE LORD CALL ON YOUR LIRE
STAY IN YOUR LANE
KNOW WHEN YOUR JOB IS COMPLETE
