CONTRASTING THE MINISTRY OF YESHUA THE MESSIAH & JOHN THE BAPTIZER

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CONTRASTING THE MINISTRY OF YESHUA THE MESSIAH & JOHN THE BAPTIZER

John the Baptist, the great forerunner, prepared the way for Jesus and directed the whole of Israel to follow Him. However, there is a vast difference between John's message and Jesus' message. John's message was one of correction and repentance from sin. Yeshua also called people to repent from sin, but He went further by inviting them to enter the Kingdom of God which was "at hand," as He had come to be "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" and give them New Life - His own Spirit. John showed Israel that, despite having the Temple, the Scriptures and living in the physical Promised Land, they were not yet a righteous people. He called an entire nation - blinded by their own self-righteousness and the spirit of religion - to repent.

John was the key figure of a revival of repentance that awakened the nation of Israel to its sinfulness and its need of cleansing. This awakening was demonstrated by mass mikvahs (immersions in water which we call 'baptisms') which urged the people to publicly renounce their sins, commit themselves to return to God, obey Him and live by His Word. He exposed the hypocrisy of those who relied on their national identity and religious rituals to make them righteous instead of putting their faith in God and obeying His ways. He confronted and exposed the moral corruption of the political system under Herod. Speaking boldly in the same spirit as Elijah, John the Baptist challenged the nation and its leaders. His courageous confrontational preaching eventually cost him his life, and he became a martyr for biblical truth.

• John brought his followers to the threshold of the Kingdom God, Jesus brought His followers into it and gave them the power to live there.
• John pointed to Yeshua as the Lamb of God to 'takes away the sins of the world' by His death, which John himself could never do.
• John was a forerunner standing on the banks of the Jordan River pointing to the new Yehoshua (Joshua) who would lead them into the true promised land.
• John exposed the nation's sin, but Jesus takes away the sin of Israel and the world for those who believe in His finished work on the Cross.. (John 1.29)
• John baptized in water, but Jesus baptizes (saturates) those who come to Him with Hiss own Spirit. (Matthew 3.11)
• John showed Israel its unrighteousness, but Jesus makes His followers righteous, through His death and resurrection. (2 Cor. 5.21)
• John's' message was a message of condemnation but Jesus' work releases from condemnation and brings grace and healing. (2 Cor. 3.9)

John was the forerunner of the Messiah foretold by the prophet Malachi. "And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come". (Malachi 4.5-6; Matthew11.14) As the forerunner John exposed the self-righteousness which hides behind religion. He confronted people with their unrighteousness and prepared them for the gift of righteousness which the Lamb of God, Yeshua, was bringing. John prepared the way for Israel and the entire world to realize its unrighteousness so that it could be ready to receive the righteousness that can comes from God as a gift, through His death and resurrection.

Today we can again see this "Elijah/John the Baptist anointing" emerging globally as many are being raised up and anointed to confront the atheism and moral decay in our culture and political systems. However, these ministries of confrontation and correction do not represent the full gospel of the Kingdom. They are mere forerunners to a worldwide awakening that will emphasize the greater ministry of Jesus. From these forerunners will arise many who will proclaim the transformative ministry and message of Jesus to fallen humanity.