John the Baptist's Testimony

After Jesus resisted Satan's temptations, John the Baptist boldly announced that Jesus was the special King and Savior, God's Lamb, who would take away the sin of the world.

Even though Jesus grew up in an obscure town, supposedly the son of a simple carpenter, there were indications that he was special, that he was the unique God-sent Messiah. A few years after His death, a man would write that He existed with God before time began, that He was actually the creator-God who gives life to men, lights their way, and overpowers darkness. This man saw Jesus as God taking on a human body and coming to earth to live with mankind. Centuries earlier, the LORD God sought to be with His people, Israel, in the desert, and His glory shone through the cloud and the fire. Now, He had come in human form to truly live with people, and some saw His glory as the unique Son of God overflowing with grace and truth. But many—even His own people—did not recognize Him for who He was.

One man did recognize Him and proclaimed it to others. His name was John. God sent John for this very purpose: to be a witness that Jesus was the light that overpowers the darkness. But John didn’t always know who Jesus was. He had an unusual experience that convinced him.

One day, John was in Bethany on the east side of the Jordan River, talking with some priests who had been sent by the Jewish leaders to question him. Among other things, he said, “One is coming after me who is better than I because He existed before me.”

“Are you the Messiah?”

“No.”

“Then are you Elijah returning to us before the day of the Lord as Malachi prophesied?”

“I am not.”

“Are you ‘The Prophet’ Moses told our fathers about?”

“No.”

“Well then, who? We need an answer for those who sent us! Who are you?”

“I am the one Isaiah spoke of when he declared that there would be a voice crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord.’”

The next day, Jesus approached John. When John saw him, he lifted his voice, “Look! Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’ He is the One I spoke of when I said, ‘One is coming after me who is better than I because He existed before me.’ Even though my purpose in baptizing with water was to reveal the Messiah to Israel, I hadn’t recognized Jesus as He. But after I baptized Him, I saw the Spirit come down out of heaven in the form of a dove and remain on Him. I still may not have realized the significance of this event, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ Listen! With my own eyes, I have seen it. I can testify without a doubt to you: This is the Son of God.”

God had promised through Ezekiel that he would put His Spirit in mankind. The Day of Atonement was to take away Israel’s sins. Now, John was saying that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and take away the sins not only of Israel but of the whole world. Simeon saw him as the light that Isaiah had previously predicted. This Jesus was special!