Faith, The Birth Of John The Baptist. Series

The words that follow from Isaiah 40 are a kind of celebration of faith in that Isaiah was proclaiming a time of comfort for the people of Israel. Isaiah forecast a messenger who would make a way for the Messiah.

Isaiah 40:1-5 & 9-11

Comfort, comfort my people,

says your God.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,

and proclaim to her

that her hard service has been completed,

that her sin has been paid for,

that she has received from the LORD’s hand

double for all her sins.

3 A voice of one calling:

“In the wilderness prepare

the way for the LORD[a];

make straight in the desert

a highway for our God.[b]

4 Every valley shall be raised up,

every mountain and hill made low;

the rough ground shall become level,

the rugged places a plain.

5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,

and all people will see it together.

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

and

9 You who bring good news to Zion,

go up on a high mountain.

You who bring good news to Jerusalem,[c]

lift up your voice with a shout,

lift it up, do not be afraid;

say to the towns of Judah,

“Here is your God!”

10 See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,

and he rules with a mighty arm.

See, his reward is with him,

and his recompense accompanies him.

11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:

He gathers the lambs in his arms

and carries them close to his heart;

he gently leads those that have young.

As we are in this season of Advent, as we look to the coming of the Messiah, we can take the opportunity to investigate some of the things that were prophesied about the Chosen One who would come into the world. Into the world not riding on the clouds, but as we saw last week Isaiah stated that the Messiah would come as a child who will have the royal titles: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

We live at a time in history when we have the advantage of retrospect, we can look back and say that we know due to the events of history who the Messiah is, actually, anyone who is really interested can, if they enter into their research desiring to know the fulfilled prophecies.

Looking at the passage from Isaiah 40 we see this declaration that the Messiah will have the way prepared for him, and it was prepared for him as recorded in the gospels of Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:1-2, Luke 1:76, and John 1:19-28

John says it this way about the voice who Isaiah says will ‘cry out in the desert.’ God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. (John 1:6-8 NLT)

There is a dynamic around John the Baptists life that centred on the faith of his parents, Luke starts his gospel not just with the story of Jesus birth, a large part of the first chapter of his book is wrapped up in the events that involve the birth of Jesus’ cousin John. A baby born to an elderly Mum and Dad both from priestly lines. The priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth a descendant of Aaron. Interestingly Mark also starts his Gospel referencing John the Baptist, his first nine verses of the book of Mark are about John the Baptist. This eccentric prophet cousin of Jesus is an interesting proclaimer of faith in declaring the coming of the messiah, the Son of God.

Luke’s portrayal of the Birth of John the Baptist, reading from the NLT, Luke 1:5-25

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”