John spoke many exhortations to the people and was the first one to preach the gospel to them. His sermons are clearly related and had the same flavor as what the Lord preached later before the congregation. And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.”

Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.” Such fundamental truths should scarcely be written off and why not the more complicated ones could have been the solution also?

Yet it is a simple solution to the complexity of thoughts that arose from unclear thinking, the more focused your thoughts are, the clearer the mind and the fewer the words that encapsulates the wisdom needed. Do not allow greed to overtake you, do not covet and be content with what you have. These and many other exhortations of the Baptist had significantly increased his popularity among the people so that even the elite come to hear him at his meetings.

Others prepared their ears to listen and be saved, while a few more did so to watch him commit errors and find fault to drag him before their courts. In the course of time while listening with the crowd, I found myself drawing near to the Baptist. He had a lot of disciples but few of them stands out as the two who would later become Jesus’s disciples. These two men brought me before the Baptist who was obviously surprised about my visit. I placed the blanket aside as I struggled to get nearer and the multitudes dispersed into their places. It was this day that he had finally pointed Jesus as the Lamb of God but it was only him who had seen the dove descending upon Him and heard the voice of the Father saying, “this is my beloved Son of Whom I am well pleased.” I knew that John would soon be arrested so I drew nearer to interview the prophet.

One of his disciples took three burnt stones that could have been previously used to cook some fish and bean stew. Then they began putting coals and started the fire. I quickly scanned the disciples around John…most of them are still talking about the man whom he has pointed as the Lamb of God. It distills to them the image of the calf whom Aaron laid his hands and transferred their sins to the sacrifice. Some of them did not understand what it means so they asked the others who heard it clearly. The two who were to become Jesus’s disciples were seated together and were musing about it wondering about what their master has truly meant by that. The younger one who could not wait to ask their master spoke, “Andrew, do you think our master was saying the truth about the man he had baptized today?

“Are there reasons to doubt him?” replied Andrew, feeling a little bit irritated with the question of John. “But what about the Lamb of God that he has mentioned many times? How sure are we that this is He who was to come?” John asked, “For that matter we need more signs from the master and ask him how we can really recognize Him when he comes.” As he has told us, He will be a light to this world, Who enlightens every man and he will give us the right to become the children of God not by blood or by flesh but by His Spirit.”

Then the Baptist motioned his hands for us to come nearer. He just arose from praying at the nearby rocks and with a light in his face he said to everyone, “come my brothers, let us enjoy the night and eat.” His voice does not have the tone of fire that he carried in the previous days and weeks and who knows even years previously. It made the others who were used of his voice a little bit discomfited; gentleness seem to have changed that. We all moved closer around the fire and the man who had awakened and charged the spiritual atmosphere of Judea, Galilee, Jordan and even Syria. For a short period of time, he too proclaimed the Word in season and out of season, always keeping his eyes to the One who has charged him to prepare the way of His Son. His father has spoken about the angel who visited them when he was in his mother’s womb and Mary who visited them.

It was a happy recollection, and painful too as he had been driven to the desert not to escape but because his parents had passed earlier. Poverty is all over the land, the oppression of the Romans had been unbearable to many peasants and being from the lineage of Priests, he does not own any land nor inherited a sizable fortune. Even so, his destiny and purpose became his only consolation; the voice of the Bridegroom became his comfort and joy, his food and nourishment. In the desert, the Lord did not forget his messenger but just as he provided Elijah of old with a raven to send his daily bread and cheese, He had also given honey and locusts for His friend.

It was the ultimate fasted life, one whose only craving is to feast on His Words, to know Him and His love for His people.

Then one day, the Word came to John, he must arise and preach the message that He has for His people. Finally, the period of incubating His Word has ended, the water that God has poured on His vessel has become a fine aged wine, it is time to rise up and go. “Preach the gospel, speak up and do not be afraid,” He encouraged him. At first, only a few handful came to hear the man from the desert. It was not the usual fixture and fashion during those times to see a Wildman preaching in the wilderness and baptizing at the river Jordan. Some were turned off because of his rough clothing, and his shady look. While the poor saw in him the prophets of old like Moses and Elijah bringing new revelation and truth to a barren generation.

Word of mouth quickly spread that a great prophet has arose from the desert. Elijah has come…The Messiah has come…the great Prophet has come…the news spread like bird with wings, far and wide. The angels of God breathed on the message and the people carried the fire in the market place. Quick, quick, let us go down to Judea said the merchants and the peasants. Because most people stopped attending the synagogues, even the Pharisees and Sadducees were forced to close down their buildings and see the roughshod guy preaching in the desert. They wondered where he took his wisdom and knowledge, they studied his features if he was just a pretender and young sleuth skilled in fooling people. Where did this babbler come? Why have we not seen him earlier? “Brood of vipers” sounded the Baptist and suddenly all of them were stunned by those powerful words. They have been standing together and plotting, wondering what to do with the babbler who stole their congregation. There was rapid buildup of blood on their faces. It was as if they attended the Spanish tomato feast and they were thrown all over with a basket of tomatoes. They could not stand the power of his words so that many drew back. Some whispered that others should continue and observe the way he performs baptizing the people. During that day, it was not only the Pharisees who were present but also the rulers of their people. John did the baptizing himself and when the group of Priests and Levites were near him, they asked him,

“Who are you?”

And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

He said, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” (John 1:19-23)

Hearing about these questions, the other set of curious group asked,  “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

John answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.

“It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” (John 1:25-27)

Baptism of the Holy Spirit and Fire

Because of the host of people that day, many were still wondering about John, he explained more fully of himself before them, saying, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  “His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” I do not know if the people really understood what he just said. The images of winnowing fork and the threshing floor and the barn could be easily understood by the farmers and probably even by the children. Some who were rich however could take a while to understand that imagery. Jesus indeed will come to call sinners to repentance, make disciples who will stand for truth without fear of death or dying. These will stand the tests of fire but only the hay, the stubble and clay will be burnt to dust.

He did not pretend nor claim anything of being the Prophet but many saw him as if he were that Prophet that God will be sending them. It is often hard to distinguish between two close friends, their ideas and sometimes their faces do look the same. In fact later on, Christ Himself would proclaim the same words that the Baptist had first preached, repent for the Kingdom of God is near.

My thoughts had travelled far, and John had already begun speaking to the group;

With a subdued tone he announced to us, “My friends, my time has come and from the beginning, I have told you that I am not that Light, but I came to testify of that Light. I am not even worthy to be his servant.” From this time on you must behold the Lamb of God. He is among us now and I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.  “I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ “I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

God is Spirit
“God who is Spirit could not be discerned with eyes and ears. You have to bend your hearts and will to listen to His voice and see Him for yourselves.” “The Son of God is from heaven, I am from the earth and it is He who will speak of heavenly things.” Most of the disciples who were with us that night could not believe what their ears have heard. “Are we disbanding tomorrow?” Whispered some as they munched the fish. “No, it is not yet final,” John quipped with a question in his eyes, searching for Andrew. To my amazement, our comrade has already covered his eyes with his thick blanket and busy snoring by the corner. “Okay everyone, goodnight and have a nice sleep. Pray that the Lord will open your eyes to behold His Lamb.”

Those were his last words before withdrawing again to pray and sleep. It seems a very simple lifestyle, no cellphones to beep, no I-Phones or Blackberrys to look at or laptops to pound your fingers with. He had no advertising agencies or even website to draw people and tell them he has arrived, the “voice of one crying in the wilderness.” I could have wished to have lived in his time; but the voice of God spoke within my heart, “I have called you to stand and be counted in another time, for My purpose. God calls everyone to work in His vineyard, to do specific tasks to the end that mankind would be saved and God be glorified.” “Your generation will have to fight in the last battle, the first will be last and the last will be first.” “Fight for life; overcome the deeds of the flesh and save others.”

The next day, we arose early and as we were walking towards the Jordan John saw Jesus and proclaimed before all, “Behold the Lamb of God,” and two of his closest disciples left him. They stood together for so many times but this moment has come for them to continue their journey and the Baptist to finish his lingering task.

There was no tear in his eyes as the three left in haste. He knew this was the way it should be. I continued walking with him, some of his disciples too walked away already for their daily tasks at home. Many recognize him and waved their hands to us. He was aloof and quite distant to many but this time it is like walking with a brother nearby. Where are we going sir? I asked. “Let us take a walk to the Jordan,” came the fast reply of the man who changed Judea.

Unlawful wife

Later on that day, many still came to John asking him many questions such as about their ruler, Herod the tetrarch. They could not ask directly from their priests and the Pharisees because of fear that they could be brought before Herod on false charges. John seems to be the closest ally they have and the only friend who could intercede on their behalf. He told the people that it was unlawful for Herod to take his brother’s wife and murdering many innocents for the sake of greed and many other wicked things which Herod had done.

These words rapidly found their way into the guarded palace of the King; afraid that his brother would come and fetch for his wife, he has surrounded his palace with the best guards of the land and paid them well. It was a big engagement that he has planned, it was worth the risk to fulfill his desires and drink the poison of the asp. The woman he has dreamed continually pushed him into lull, the dullness of his mind must have made him drunk of her poisoned lips. Both were drunk of the blood of the innocent they killed for properties and gold; he had inherited not only a name but also the wicked deeds of his father.

None could reprimand him, not even the Priests or the Levites. Yet John did not stop, nor his mouth could be stopped by the presence of the mighty sentry of the fox. He knew that those who were with him are more than those who were with the tyrant. The knowledge of his Lord has kept him strong, and he deliberately exposed the evil of his deeds. Unlike many today who could be silenced with money or with gun-point and asked to proclaim lies deviating from the truth, John continued unswervingly, till his last breath, to proclaim the truth that could set man free. Such was the constitution of the man, he never forgot the exhortations of his father Zacharias who prophesied that his son would serve the Most High without fear of enemies and to shine God’s “light upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”