9. John the Baptist’s Testimony:
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we come before You to sit at Your feet. We pray that Your word will speak to each one of us individually, in Jesus name, Amen.
John 1:19 to 23:
This is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He declared, and didn’t deny, but he declared, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.”
Reflection:
When priests and Levites questioned John the Baptist regarding his identity, he confessed readily that he was not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet of Deuteronomy 18:15.
According to Mathhew 11:3 and Luke 16:16, John the Baptist was the last prophet of the Old Testament even though he lived in the New Testament period. His appearance on to the scene ended 400 years of prophetic silence since prophet Malachi. He was an ascetic, living in the wilderness, clothed in camel hair, subsisting on locust and wild honey. He preached a message of repentance by water baptism and moved in the spirit of Elijah. According to Jesus In Mathhew 11:11, he was the greatest man ever to be born by a women.
Matthew 11:13, “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.”
Luke 16:16, “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.”
Matthew 11:11, “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
Verses 22 to 23, They said therefore to him, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ Isaiah 40:3 as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Reflection:
Quoting Isaiah 40:3, John the Baptist replied that he was the voice in the wilderness preparing the way for the Messiah. John was the voice, Jesus is the WORD. John was the messenger, Jesus is the MESSAGE. John was the way maker, Jesus is the WAY.
Isaiah 40:3, “A voice of one calling in the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
Matthew 11:9 to10, But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’
John 14:6, Jesus answered, “ I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
Application:
John the Baptist testified about Jesus Christ so that through him others might believe in Him. He pointed his disciples and others to follow Jesus Christ. Are you testifying about Jesus so that other may believe in Him? Are you pointing others to follow Jesus?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending John the Baptist to be a voice, a messenger, and a way maker for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Thank You for raising up such a great and faithful servant, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
