The Word Divides

Part VI

John 1:19-24

"Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ." They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'"

The Characters: priests and Levites, and John (the Baptist)
Numbers 18:1-7 (excerpts); The LORD said to Aaron, “you , your sons and your father’s family are to bear the responsibility for offenses against the sanctuary, and you and your sons alone are to bear the responsibility for offenses against the priesthood. Bring fellow Levites from your ancestral tribe to join you and assist you when you and your sons minister before the Tent of the Testimony. They are to be responsible to you and are to perform all the duties of the Tent, but they must not go near the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar, or both they and you will die. They are to join you and be responsible for the care of the Tent of Meeting—all the work at the Tent—and no one else may come near where you are.”

1 Chronicles 23:28, 31 ”The duty of the Levites was to help Aaron’s descendants in the service of the temple of the LORD: to be in charge of the courtyards, the side rooms, the purification of all sacred things and the performance of other duties at the house of God. They also cast lots. (31)”

Luke 1:8, 9 John (the Baptist) father was Zechariah, a priest (all priest are Levites) whose division “was on duty and he was service as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.” (Luke the Gospel writer whose work was to investigate to determine and record the truth, THE WORD of GOD)

Do you want to know the truth or do you prefer to believe a lie? John is not a stranger, nor is his lineage unknown. However, it is problematic for the priest and Levites to acknowledge that one of their own is now clamoring the Lord is here. It is easier to treat John as an unknown and fail to acknowledge before the people, he, John is of their priestly ranks. The strategy was to divide and conquer cutting John off from having any priestly credentials. Luke did a thorough investigation years after John was martyred and he was able to confirm John’s lineage so those present this day in our text certainly should have known.

It is heartbreaking as you read the pages of scripture how often; the religious leaders are those who are often godless leaders, “blind guides” leading others to destruction. I am sure the leaders are somewhat threatened that John has a following and is operating outside the temple walls conducting “ceremonial washings”, baptism’s. “The Jews, priests and Levites” are focused on those things that are a “foreshadowing” of what was to come, the creator of all those things, GOD.

John’s response is simple and straight forward:
“I am not the Christ or the Prophet (John wore attire and ate similar to the prophet Elijah).”
Then who are you? God is so gracious to even those who have rejected the “light”, God gives more “light” as John responds not with his words, but with the Word of God, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” I hope we become bold like John and as competent in our knowledge of scripture. When others ask you who are you, how do you respond? Do you declare you are a servant of the living God? John responds with the words of the prophet Isaiah, reminding the hearers that the temple did not save, nor the sacrificial system, nor can being born a Jew, Levite or priest, only the Lord saves, the one who Isaiah declared will “be a lamb led to the slaughter.” However, that will require “the Jews, priest and Levites” to change their minds and Forsaking All I Take Him, Jesus the Christ.

Jesus is coming again, go and tell others.