A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS
When we think of a wilderness, we think of words like seclusion, isolation and perhaps sparsity. I believe these words would be appropriate in describing not only a wilderness in the natural sense but also one in the spiritual sense. In a spiritual sense the devil would like to back God’s people into a dark secluded place, separate them from one another and then limit the truth that they are exposed to. If that constitutes a spiritual wilderness then I believe the world today qualifies as one.
Without a doubt, we are definitely living in a time when Christian values are under attack and not only in this nation but all over the world. Christian values themselves are not the only thing though that is under attack, Christians themselves are too. Many followers of the Lord all over the world are now experiencing the onslaught of the enemy. Today there seems to be an increasing animosity against Christianity.
There have been other times throughout history where the enemy of mankind has launched attacks on righteousness. Come to think of it, I don’t think there has ever been a time when the devil has said to his following demons, “why don’t you guys take a rest.” The devil has continuously fought against God’s people during every age, at least to some degree. What is inspiring though is to read about courageous people of God, who during those historical times of spiritual battle would step up to the battle front, to hold the line for righteousness. God also needs those kinds of people in this present age who will rise to the occasion and do the same – people who will have the commitment and boldness to step out front and lead the way. There is a word for one who is willing to fill such a position. The word is vanguard. A vanguard is one who is willing to take the lead. He or she becomes the forerunner. They often establish the path for others to follow.
John the Baptist was one such character in history. It was said of him, “For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” Matt. 11:10
Also Jesus said of John, “…Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist…” Matt. 11:11 What a courageous individual and voice for righteousness he was in his day but that was in his day. God is looking for men and women today who will serve in similar ways. I believe that there are some similarities about John’s mission and the church’s mission today that would be beneficial for us to consider. This message looks at three of those things. They are John’s timing, his message and his purpose.
JOHN’S TIMING
John’s coming was announced by the prophet Malachi a few hundred years before John himself appeared on the scene. He wasn’t called by his own name in the prophet’s writing but rather was described using Elijah’s name. It would later be understood what Malachi meant by the use of Elijah’s name. He was inferring that the one who was to come would come in the spirit and power of Elijah. [Luke 1:17] Jesus was making reference to John in His day when he said, “And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.” Matt. 11:14 The prophecy that Jesus was referring to is the following, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:” Malachi 4:5
What a birth date! What a time in history for John to arrive! The world was in dire need of a deliverer - a restorer – a savior. Jesus would be that person that would bring hope to many but John would be His precursor, pointing that generation of people to the messiah. John came in a time when there was much division, even among those who claimed to know Jehovah God. Many of them were separated into various religious sects such as the Pharisees, Sadducees and the Essenes. Also there were many who were separated by bloodlines (for instance the Jews and Samaritans had their religious differences). Much of the Gentile world in that day was saturated with their own religions and gods. There was just an overwhelming force of false religion and ideology that those who were searching for the truth in that day had to contend with.
Prior to John’s day, there had already began a deterioration of the Word of God in the hearts and lives of the people. They had drifted so far from TRUTH that when the people heard the real truth, they hardly recognized it. No doubt both John’s and Jesus’s listeners considered some of the things they were saying as strange stuff.
That day reminds me of our day. There are so many doctrines and religions around that many of those who are sincerely searching for the TRUTH are wondering “What is truth.” I am afraid that the majority as in Jesus day, when they see the truth will not recognize it because they are so far from it. Recently an individual told me how the Lord had led him to open up the bible and start reading in the book of St John. He said, “you know preachers aren’t preaching this.” He was referring to the power of God and all that God can do. Evidently where he had gone they talked about the Lord dying on the cross to pay the sin debt but according to him stopped there. As was the case with John, I believe those of us today are living in a time just before the next coming of the Lord. I believe God also has a people prepared for this time to help turn the hearts and minds of people back to God, His Word and His righteousness.
JOHN’S MESSAGE The first nine verses in Luke chapter three gives great insight about this messenger of God called John and his message for that day. John’s message was one of repentance and holiness. Luke chapter three records a time when the crowds had gathered around to be baptized of John in water. He refused to baptize some of them because there was no evidence of real repentance in their life. Genuine repentance includes the admittance of sin, the confession of it to God and also the decision and willingness to turn from it. There was no sign that indicated to John that these folks had made such a change in their life. [Luke 3:7-9] There evidently were signs in their life that spoke to the contrary. John was able to see they were still headed down the same old road of unrighteousness that they had already been on.
With true repentance comes the end of the old lifestyle and the beginning of a new. [II Cor. 5:17] To take the thought a step a farther, crucifixion and the cross has always indicated the death of something. One cannot experience the cross of Christ without dying out to something. Repentance is not just a prayer that we pray. It includes a change of heart. With it comes the willingness to abandon the old path and the willingness to walk the new. Our day is like John’s in the sense that men are still trying to figure out a way to hold on to the old life and yet have the promises that come with the new. God WILL have a voice today that will preach the message of true repentance and holiness “without which no man shall see the Lord.” [Hebrews 12:14]
JOHN’S PURPOSE
And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Luke 1:17
The time which John was born into was a day of animosity, criticism and division. It was a day when nations were at odds. Also religions were at odds and also even families, they were at odds too. You can see the kind of hatred that existed in that day when you read the bible and other historical records of that time. Malachi 4:6 along with the verse we just used in Luke tells us that God’s purpose for John would include mending relationships between people. Division is not the will of God, to say the least. It creates hurt and robs people of the greatest treasures of life LOVE, JOY and PEACE. John’s call was to deliver to the people the message of repentance which if taken to heart would cause people to turn back to loving God and in doing so also turn back to loving one another.
Luke also points to John’s purpose as, “turning the disobedient to the wisdom of the just.” Again when true repentance is preached and men turn from sin, God in turn places a new understanding of things in their hearts. This message of true repentance when accepted has with it the possibility of mending many things. Even the walls of separation between the Jew and the Samaritan and the Pharisee and the Sadducee were removed when true repentance took place in people’s lives. The things that had kept them apart (their religious views and beliefs) all melted away when the light of God’s wisdom and understanding entered in.
The divisions of John’s day are repeated in ours. Families have lost their love for one another. Churches are divided by doctrinal and various other issues. To many, there seems to be no solution for reconciliation but I believe the answer is right before our eyes. The answer lies in the message of true repentance. The scripture teaches us that if we will turn from sin and walk in the understanding God gives to us we will not only have fellowship with Him but also with one another. [I John 1:4-7]
Many churches no longer believe in the kind of repentance that John, Jesus and the early church preached – a repentance that requires the forsaking of the old life. Just as God had a voice some two thousand years ago that prepared people for the coming of Jesus in that day, so God will have a people in this day that will preach His message to prepare people for the Lord’s next return. How refreshing it is to hear a voice these days that rings to the same tone as John the Baptist’ and sends out the message of true repentance. It’s the only message that can truly bring about the change that is needed in this wilderness of today.
