~john The Baptist- Forerunner Of Jesus Christ ~

Gen.3:6 ~JOHN THE BAPTIST- Forerunner of Jesus Christ ~ 11-30-13

~Genesis begins with a perfect creation and a paradise in the Garden of Eden, all went well for a length of time that only God knows, we all know the story, how Satan working through the serpent beguiled Eve even as Adam was there with her.

>Gen. 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, (flesh) and that it was pleasant to the eyes, (eyes) and a tree to be desired to make one wise, (pride of life) she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. -- The three avenues of sin cover any and all ways to sin.

>1st. John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

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~ So Gen. begins with a perfect creation, but the last verse in the O.T. ends with "a curse." -- All because of sin.-- it was not because of all the many sins that Adam may have sinned during his life time, it was because of Adams original sin, the sin of disobedience. -- Found in --

>Gen. 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

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>Malachi 4:5-6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

6And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

~The Elijah prophecy is yet to find a second fulfillment, which will take place in the future, possibly in one of the two witnesses of Rev. 11. - Moses and Elijah.

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* John was a type of Elijah, but was not Elijah.

>John 1:19-21 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

20And he confessed, and denied not; (he admitted the truth, and did not try to conceal it)

but confessed, I am not the Christ.

21And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

* The Jews knew the scripture to do with a Prophet to come.

>Deut.18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; (Moses talking) unto him ye shall hearken;

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>John 3:28-29 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. Notice, John was sent, God sent John.

29He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30He must increase, but I must decrease.

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~John's father Zechariah was a priest, so that means he was a Levite, this makes John a Levite, also Zechariahs wife, Elizabeth was of the daughters of Aaron, " a Levite" Gabriel comes to Zachariah in the temple as he was going about duties, his job, his lot, his course. -- Certain time of the year.

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~Lets remember that no recorded revelation from God had been given to men for over four hundred years, Malachi was the last one; so naturally, Zechariah was afraid and stunned.

~ The content of Gabriel's message was twofold. (1) Elisabeth was to bear a son and name him John. (2) John would have the spirit and power of Elijah and was to prepare the way for the Messiah.

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>Luke 1:13-17 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. (Named before he was born)

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There are seven people that we read of in the Bible that God gave them their names before birth, ~ and God had plans for all 7.

Ishmael- Gen. 16:11~ Isaac- Gen. 17:19--Abraham was the father of both--

~ Solomon was the third child that God gave a name for before his birth.- 1 Chronicles 22:9 ~ Josiah named about 300 years before born- 1 Kings 13:2~Cyrus "a gentile, Persian" named 173 years before born-Isaiah 45:1--7~~~ then after 400 years, John the Baptist, John means "God is gracious' Luke 1:13~ And last but certainly not least, JESUS our Savior- Luke 1:30-33.

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~The angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah, who was suddenly shaken with fear, and told him that his prayer had been answered. ---