Preparing The Way For God’s Visitation-1

PREPARING The WAY For GOD’s VISITATION-I—Luke 3:1-10

Need:

Do you feel as if you don’t experience God’s power?

You see Him work in others but not in or thru you?

John the Baptist was instrumental in preparing the way for the Lord’s visitation.

God’s visitation received adequate preparation.

How has God’s visitation received adequate preparation?

6 losses ensuring God’s visitation has received adequate preparation.

1—For God’s visitation We must lose the

TIMING(:1-2)

Explanation: (:1-2)

:1—“Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea & the region of Trachonitis, & Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,”

“Tiberias Caesar’s” fifteenth year as Caesar of Rome(the Roman Emperor) coincided/corresponded with that of Pontius Pilate’s reign as “governor” of Judea. A Roman “governor” had greater authority than did a “tetrarch”(below). Pontius Pilate governed Judea under the authority of Tiberias Caesar.

“Tiberius” was emperor of Rome from 14 to 37 AD.—CBCNT

“Pontius Pilate was a [procuratorial] “governor” of the Judean province between 26 AD(appointed) & 36 AD (removed).—CBCNT

All procurators are governors of lands. Responsible for defense, civil administration & financial management. Could not enforce his personal authority by judicial process but rather depended upon a tribunal of provincial governors. Pilate maintained an estimated 5000 man residential army.—ISBE

This period also coincided/corresponded with the reign of “Herod” as “tetrarch”(a Roman technical term) of Galilee.

“Herod” here is Herod Antipas(4AD—39AD), a son of Herod the Great(37BC—4AD) of Jesus’ birth. Antipas ruled Galilee & Perea—From Jerusalem northward on both sides of the Jordan.

This period also coincided/corresponded with Herod Antipas’ brother, ‘Philip’ acting as “tetrarch”(with him) over the adjoining provinces of Ituraea & Trachonitis(Batanea).

Another brother, Archelaus(tetrarch of Judea), is not mentioned here as Caesar Augustus had him replaced in 6AD by a man named Coponius. As procurator, Coponius installed Annas as High Priest(:2) who actively served until ‘retiring’ in 15AD.

Coponius—6-9AD

Ambivulus—9-12 AD

Annius Rufus—12-15 AD

Valerius Gratus—15-26 AD

*Pontius Pilate—26-36 AD

This period also coincided/corresponded with Lysanias being “tetrarch” over Abilene. There is no extant record other than Luke in which a particular Lysanias in mentioned. Inscription suggest it may be a dynastic name with clearly many Lysanias’ ruling in this period. Abilene is adjacent to Trachonitis.

“Tetrarch”(‘ruler of a quarter’)—A Roman governor—one of four rulers, each having sovereignty over a portion of a country/province, which is divided politically into four parts. Supposedly Archelaus was given ½ Herod’s kingdom while the other ½ was split between Philip & Antipas. A tetrarchy ruled by a ‘triarchy.’

*The time period spoken of appears to be ~29AD.

“All these characters...” including Annas & Caiaphas below, are “...a part of the machinations of Gentile occupation of the land of Israel, a part of what was the oppressive invasion of the freedoms of the Jews”—John MacArthur

:2—“while Annas & Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.”

This period also coincided/corresponded with the high priesthood of both Annas & Caiaphas in Judea. there were at least two high priests alive in Judea. Caiaphas was appointed to active office(18-36AD) while Annas acted in a ‘retiree’ role having served from 6-15AD. Caiaphas was the son-in-law of Annas.

During this time(29AD), the word of God came to John(the Baptist) who was the son of Zacharias(1:5-25, 57-80).

John was located/living in the “wilderness”/desert when the word of God came to him.

Evidently “the word of God” convicted/called/compelled John to preach(:3).

The word of God “came” to John. How/in what manner did it come?

Argumentation:

Heb. 4:1-2, 7—“Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.”.....“again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.””

2Thes. 2:3-12—“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, & the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes & exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth & destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, & lying wonders, & with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”