A Message for Today
When the messengers whom John sent from his prison to interview Jesus, and to ask if He were indeed the Messiah, had departed, Jesus said to the people, "What went you out for to see? A prophet? yea; I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before your face, which shall prepare your way before You. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist." (Matthew 11:9-11)
With this testimony before us, we are justified in saying that John the Baptist was more than a mere man. By this we do not mean that he was divine, or that he was as a creature anything more than any human being, but that he was the embodiment of a great movement that was greater than any man, and which continued after the man died, and which continues today.
He was the one spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God." (Luke 3:4-6)
This prophecy is found in Isaiah 40:3-5. Now read Luke 3:3, in connection with the verses just quoted: "He came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord." (Luke 3:3-4)
From this we see that the message spoken of by the prophet Isaiah is one of remission of sins. The preparation of the way of the Lord is by preparing the hearts of the people. This is set forth in the inspired utterance of Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist: "You, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest; for you shall go before the face of the Lord, to prepare His ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God." (Luke 1:76-78)
This is of itself sufficient to show that the message of John the Baptist cannot cease as long as there is any hope of sinners accepting the tender mercy of our God.
Christ's Coming in Glory
Further, the "way of the Lord," which was to be prepared, is His coming in glory, to give the final reward to His saints. Isaiah had identically the same message that John had, and he was to proclaim it "until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land." (Isaiah 6:11-12)
In the chapter where the work of John the Baptist is specially described, namely, "The voice crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord," (Isaiah 40:3) we read, just following, "Behold, the Lord God will come with a strong hand, His arm shall rule for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him." (Isaiah 40:10)
From Matthew 11:13-14, we learn that John and his work are mentioned in Malachi 4 where we read, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse [or, "with utter destruction"]." (Malachi 4:5-6)
This is the plainest possible statement of the fact that the work of John the Baptist extends until the coming of the Lord in glory. Unless we know this fact, we cannot study the account of his work to any real profit; but when we know that his message is the message for our time, even until the last day of probation for sinners, then we shall know what there is for us to do, and how we are to do it.
The Entrance of Your Word
At a certain time, most minutely described, "the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness." (Luke 3:2)
He was alone, yet he knew the word of the Lord when it came to him, and he did not need to go to Jerusalem, to consult with the priests and doctors of the law, to learn if it was really the word of the Lord that had come to him. If he had done so, they would most certainly have told him that he was mistaken, and that he ought to take a thorough course under them before he thought of such a thing as beginning to preach.
We know as a matter of fact that they did not know anything about his work, nor recognize it as being from God. "And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not. Are you that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who are you? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What do you say of yourself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why do you baptize then, if you are not that Christ, nor Elijah, neither that prophet?" (John 1:19-25) "The entrance of your words gives light; it gives understanding unto the simple. ... Your Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:130,105)
It certainly ought not to be a difficult thing for anybody to see the light when it comes to him. If he cannot, then he is blind; but: "The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." (Psalm 19:8)
So the Word of God makes even the blind to see, if they will receive it when it comes to them. Everybody, therefore, may know the Word of the Lord, and may know just what it says to him, and what it demands of him, as well as did John the Baptist.
The Spirit of Prophecy
John the Baptist was the greatest prophet that ever lived, yet he did not foretell any future event. He simply, quoted the Scriptures, and warned men to repent of their sins. He did no miracle: "John did no miracle: but all things that John spoke of this man were true." (John 10:41)
But John preached the truth as it was recorded in the Bible. This therefore is to be the characteristic of all those who, living in the last days, are prepared for the coming of the Lord, and who give others knowledge in order that they may be prepared.
Let us see from the Scriptures that this is so. At the command of the Lord, Moses in the wilderness selected seventy of the elders of Israel, and set them round about the tabernacle; "And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spoke unto him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders; and it came to pass, that, when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease." (Numbers 11:25)
But there were two men who remained in the camp, with the congregation, and did not come to the tabernacle with the other elders, and the Spirit rested upon them also, and they prophesied as well as the others. When Moses was informed of this, Joshua, full of zeal for his master, said, "My lord Moses, forbid them. And Moses said unto him, Do you envy for my sake? would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them." (Numbers 11:28-29)
This was not an idle wish, but an indication of what might have been; and whatever gift may be received from the Lord, ought to be received. Now that such a state of things as Moses desired is possible, and the right thing to exist in the church, is seen from the words of the Apostle Paul: "Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophesy. For he that speaks in a tongue speaks not unto men, but unto God; for no man understands; but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. But he that prophesies speaks unto men for edification, andcomfort, and consolation. He that speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but he that prophesies edifies the church. Now I would have you all speak with tongues, but rather that you should prophesy. ... If all prophesy, and there come in one that believes not or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. ... For you may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted." (1 Corinthians 14:1-5,24-25,31)
Read still further: When John the Apostle on Patmos was about to worship the angel who showed him wonderful things, the angel said: "See you do it not; I am a fellow-servant with you and with your brethren that hold the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (Revelation 19:10)
Now put with this: "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." (Revelation 12:17)
It is evident from this that the very same people who keep the commandments of God have also the Spirit of prophecy; and it is certain that all the people of God will keep the commandments of God; therefore it is also certain that everyone of the people who are ready to receive the Lord when He comes, having finished the work that He gave them to do, will have the Spirit of prophecy.
What it is to be a Prophet
Let no one mistake the meaning here; there will be no danger of making any mistake, if we keep in mind what the Spirit of prophecy is. People in general have a fixed and narrow idea of what a prophet is, and what the Spirit of prophecy is. A prophet is one who speaks for God. The Lord said to Moses, "See, I have made you a God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet." (Exodus 7:1)
Now read concerning the relation of Aaron to Moses, and what his work was to be: "You shall speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with your mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. And he shall be your spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to you a mouth, and you shall be to him as God." (Exodus 4:15-16)
Aaron was the mouth of Moses, to speak for him whatever he wished to say. Moses instructed the people through Aaron. That constituted Aaron the prophet of Moses.
Just so whoever receives the words of God at His mouth, and speaks them to the people, is God's prophet. He may not foretell any future event, but he will speak the words of God. "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God." (1 Peter 4:10) "For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God." (John 3:34)
Thus may and should all the people of God prophesy, and until they do that, they are not giving the testimony to the world that God would have them give; they are not witnessing for Christ. God gives the Spirit in order that all may speak His words, and be faithful witnesses.
God's People Seers
Still further: "Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, he spoke thus, Come, and let us go to the seer; for he that is now called a prophet was beforetime called a seer." (1 Samuel 9:9)
A seer is simply one who sees. Now God would have all His people see; for He says in a message for the very last days, "Anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you may see." (Revelation 3:18)
Whoever can see will recognize the Word of God when it comes to him, and the Word will itself make him see if he will but gladly receive it. And so will all God's people be seers, knowing God's will, discerning the signs of the times, and making known the truth to the world. He who has not the Spirit of prophecy cannot discern that Spirit; for: "The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judges all things." (1 Corinthians 2:14-15)
How the Gift Comes
Let no one think that this gift comes arbitrarily, or that anybody can have it simply by declaring that he has it, or by any sort of mere profession that he may make. The Spirit of prophecy is the portion only of those who keep the commandments of God,--not of those who have the form of keeping the commandments, mind you, but of those who do indeed keep them. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit: "And take the ... sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:17)
And the Spirit comes to everybody as the reprover of sin, first of all. The promise is coupled with this statement: "Turn at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you." (Proverbs 1:23) "The commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life." (Proverbs 6:23)
He who heeds the reproofs and instruction of the commandments of God, will receive abundantly of the Spirit of God, and will know the will of God; for: "If any man wills to do His will, he shall know of the teaching." (John 7:17)
Here then we have the great lesson that is to be learned from the record of the work of John the Baptist. That which God is waiting for today is a people united not by a formal creed, but by the one Spirit, and thus all speaking the same thing. "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment;" (1 Corinthians 1:10) a people filled with the Spirit, and so seeing light in the light of God, and reflecting the light to others.
The message of John the Baptist--the preaching of the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins--was never more needed than it is today, but it cannot properly be given except by those who know the Word of God when it comes to them, and who are seers. They must receive the Word direct from God, and not from any man, and they must receive the Word first of all as a reprover of the sins of their own lives.
We have not said a word about the sayings of John; if we know what he stands for, we shall not have much difficulty with his message. Yet there is much that ought to be considered in the words that John spoke in answer to those who questioned him, and we shall in another paper call special attention to some of them. [See Prophecies Concerning the Messiah, and This World's Reward of Faithfulness , both in the section, "Middle and Closing Galilean Ministry." Also, see chapter 39: "The Last Loud Gospel Cry," and chapter 41: "Preparing the Way of the Lord," in the book, The Gospel of Isaiah] Those who have read this article will be the better prepared to appreciate the importance of what he said.--Present Truth, January 11, 1900--Timeline: II-1 (Ministry of John the Baptist)--Luke 3:1-17.