John The Baptist, Prophet Of The Highest A Devotional Study -- By: Kenneth C. Fleming

Journal: Emmaus Journal
Volume: EMJ 17:2 (Winter 2008)
Article: John The Baptist, Prophet Of The Highest A Devotional Study
Author: Kenneth C. Fleming


John The Baptist, Prophet Of The Highest
A Devotional Study

Kenneth C. Fleming1

Part 1: The Birth Of John The Baptist
Luke 1

Introduction

The man who first appeared on the stage of the New Testament in the ministry of Christ was a herald, or announcer. We know him by the name of John the Baptist. He stands as an equal with the greatest men who have ever lived. He did no miracles (John 10:41), had no wealth or social standing (Matt. 3:4; Luke 7:25), and was not eloquent like Isaiah; just a “voice” in the wilderness (Isa. 40:3; Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luk. 3:4-6; John 1:23). Yet the Lord said of him that among those born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist (Luke 7:28). He was certainly great in his loyalty to the truth and in his humility and devotion to God. In a period of six months the whole land went out into the wilderness to hear him, including Pharisees, Sadducees, soldiers, and publicans. The Jewish Sanhedrin, or governing religious body, was forced to investigate his claims, and the Gentile governors of the land were afraid of him.

John the Baptist has been called the “clasp” or link that joins the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. John was, perhaps, the noblest preacher of the entire Old Testament period. In him Judaism reached the pinnacle of devotion to God. He was unrivaled by any prophet before him, yet he is the one who announced that the Law and the Prophets were temporary and transitional. And he also looked forward. He was the one who could point to Jesus as the focus of all Old Testament prophecy and say, “This is he” (John 1:33, cf. v. 45). John was

chosen by God to open the door to the gospel of the New Testament concerning Jesus the Son of God and the Lamb of God.

John and Jesus had many things in common. They were born only six months apart. They grew up in similar circumstances. Each had a strenuous but short ministry (six months for the one; three years for the other). Each started by enthusiastically announcing the kingdom of God. Each soon encountered the hatred o...

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