There are striking similarities between the life of John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the First Coming of Christ, and God’s people today, who should be preparing others for His Second Coming. Yes, we are not only to prepare ourselves, but should be preparing others for the momentous event, just as John the Baptist did.
Here are some things to note from John’s life and ministry that might help us…
- John’s father, Zacharias, was told that his son should not drink wine, which was part of the Nazarite vow described in Numbers, chapter six. The purpose of this vow was to enable someone to be holy for a designated period of time. However, only three people are mentioned in the Bible who were under this vow their whole lives: Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist. God’s people in the last days must consider themselves under a similar vow and do all they can to live holy, pure lives.
- Many things about John the Baptist indicate that he was a humble person. For instance, John said he was not worthy to loosen the sandal strap of the Messiah. When asked if he was Elijah or some other important prophet, John replied that he was just “a voice crying in the wilderness”. John’s disciples, worried about Jesus’ rising popularity, caused John to humbly declare that “He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease.” John claimed no exalted position for himself, and neither should we. Our lives should be marked by humility.
- To get a taste of John’s style of preaching, read Luke, chapter 3. There were many in the multitude who asked what they could do to be saved. John then pointed out their sins. His preaching, like ours, should be focused on the coming Messiah and our need to repent.
- As we know, John’s life ended tragically. Some have questioned whether John’s faith may have wavered when he sent his disciples to find out if Jesus really was the Messiah. Like others, he understandably may have wondered why Jesus didn’t rescue him from prison. But in the persecutions during the end times, we can be comforted by Jesus’ words about His servant John. Jesus said in Matthew 11:11 that “there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist.” God will commend us at the Judgment as well with saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
For more information on how to prepare ourselves to be God’s servants, disciples, and missionaries, read this article about the Holy Place at this link: https://www.outlookmag.org/who-am-i-in-the-holy-place-of-gods-sanctuary/
