John The Baptist

It is interesting that John the Baptist is referenced in both the Old and New Testaments.  In fact, the OT ends with the mention of John the Baptist coming.  So we will look at a few passages that talk about him and his purpose in revealing the Lord Jesus.

Right at the end of the OT, at the end of the book of Malachi, it says:  "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord."  We would not know for sure that this is talking about John except for looking at some supporting passages.  For example, we go to Malachi 3:  "Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me."  This is Jesus, long before He was born on this earth, predicting that John would be a preparer, preparing the way for Jesus. 

We see in the preceding passages that there is reference to Elijah.  He had lived in the OT time and wasn't literally going to be returning again.  But here it says that he is coming again.  What it is saying is that one like Elijah is coming, that is, John.  This is all made much more clear by reading the words of Jesus in Matthew 17, beginning in verse 11:

"Then Jesus answered and said to them, 'Elijah truly is coming first and will restore all things.  But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished.  Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.'  Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist."

And we must note John 1:6, "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light."  The Light here is, of course, Jesus Himself.

We know that John suffered an early death because of his dedication to our Lord.  We cannot be John the Baptist......but we can tell of Jesus, tell of His greatness, and tell of His importance in our lives.  We can tell of the salvation that He offers and of His great love for each of us.  And if we ever face adversity--John certainly did--we must stand up for Jesus!

Thank you for reading.  Please keep reading....and feel the love.