Three Testimonies

Lesson #14

When John the Baptist identified himself as “the voice of one crying out in the wilderness”, he was identifying with the voice that cries in Isaiah 40:3, which reads, “A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (ESV). Isaiah was prophesying the coming of Yahweh, Jehovah; the God of creation. John now stands up and announces that he is that voice and that God is now here among us as a man who is more than anyone has ever dreamed.

When asked why he was baptizing, “John answered them, ‘I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie’” (1:26 – 27 ESV). John is making it clear that the one comes baptizes with the Holy Spirit, which is much superior to his baptizing with water. John baptizing with water is a witness to a baptism that is eternally superior, performed by one infinitely superior to him.

Looking ahead to verses 29 – 30, John links a most important feature of the one he announced in verse 15 where he cries out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’” Verses 29 – 30 read, “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me”’” (ESV). John sees Jesus and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Only God can take away sin and as God Jesus is infinitely superior to John and existed as God before John but was born as a man after John.

Prayer

Father, as I think about John the Baptist and see that you chose him to make preparations for the coming of Jesus, to be a witness of him, and to perform the activity of water baptism as a pointer of something greater that was to come, I realize that you chose me, caused me to be born again for the purpose of obeying your will. Father, as I prepare these lessons, I am overwhelmed by your love for me and the sacrifice you were willing to make to establish an eternal relationship with me. The benefits of your grace that are provided for me cause the offerings of this world to pail into insignificants. Strengthen me to live out this reality.