-- Intro of Petronius the Centurion --
My name is Petronius. I am a Centurion responsible for the garrisons in Jericho and Jerusalem. Tiberius Caesar has been reigning for fifteen years. Pontius Pilate is governor of Judea. Herod is king of Galilee.
Annas and Caiaphas are high priests for the Jews. They are corrupt so the priests follow suit. Not only are the people angry at us for occupying their land, they are very unhappy with their own religious system. The rules they have to keep are endless but there just does not seem to have any hope in their practices. I have not been able to figure out their God. So much work yet there does not seem to be any rewards in what they do.
This has been a rough year for us. We've had to quelch an uprising on a monthly basis. There is some prophecy about a Messiah coming. This Messiah is going to drive us out of their land. Ah... I haven't seen anyone that comes close to opposing us. These Jews hate us and they are an explosive group of people. Anything little thing sparks a riot in the streets. In order keep order, we have to jump on anything that looks and smells funny before it gets out of hand.
-- Intro of John the Baptist --
Well, one day we started hearing about this man by the Jordan river preaching about this Messiah again. He was attracting thousands of people from all over the land. People from Judea, Jerusalem, and even from Galilee were coming to hear him. His words seem to have power. The people come away changed.
This is exactly the type of event that can send the whole country into chaos. With so many people in one place and a charismatic personality... We can have a revolution on our hands in a matter of days or weeks. Pontius Pilate sent me to see what was going on. We didn't know what to expect so I sent some of my men to investigate before going to the Jordan river in force.
We found out that this man's name is John. They call him the Baptist because he baptizes people. This baptism thing comes from their cleansing process before their big festivals. They would dunk themselves into the water to symbolizes the washing away of their evils. There is a very large pool on the temple grounds that they would wash themselves. After they wash themselves, they would enter their temple to worship their God.
We have control over the situation at the temple because Antonio's Fort is just above the temple grounds. We are able to look over the walls onto the court yard to make sure everything is in order. But this ... this is totally different. This Baptist person is out in the middle of no-where. Thousands come to listen to him. The people line up after his speeches to be baptized. He has them eating out of the palm of his hand. If he wants these people to attack us, they would listen to him.
He claims to be the one that is making the "crooked road straight." Well that is a real problem because everyone knows that before an emperor arrives, there is a whole army of people that makes sure all the roads are repaired and potholes filled. John is claiming to be that person that announces the coming of the king. I guess he is quoting this prophet called Isaiah.
Even some of my troops that go to do surveillance come back changed. They say His words have power. Some of them even go through their baptism ritual. This guy has the people mesmerized.
We have a real problem on our hands. Since he is treated as a prophet by the people, we cannot just go up to him and arrest him.
-- Growing up in the Wilderness --
We found out that John grew-up in the wilderness. He wears very rough camel's hair clothing. He eats only honey and this plant call locust.
His birth was said to have been a miracle in itself. His father and mother were very old. His father was a priest. One day when his father was in the temple performing the evening sacrifices, rumor has it that he saw an angel. The angel told him he was going to have a son. The angel gave him very specific instructions on how to raise this child. He was not to drink strong drinks and his hair is not to be cut. There were to teach him at home.
Unlike their leaders, he did not seem to want money or even fame. According to people, he dresses like a prophet called Elijah that lived about 300-400 hundred years ago. Elijah was a powerful prophet that opposed the wicked kings of his time. According to the stories, he cursed the sky and the sky did not rain for three years. Now that is some crazy stuff. Can you imagine a man having the power of the gods? I'm not even sure the gods can stop the rain much less a man.
Well, this John seems to want to prove something because he is stirring up the people. He wears cloths to remind them of Elijah. And there is some prophecy that fore tells Elijah back coming just before their Messiah arrives. If this Messiah is going to create a revolution, we need be stop John now..
Intel says that John is not educated by their rabbis. He is a counter culturalist. The people say he learned from their Spirit God. This Spirit taught him through nature, the Torah and writings of their prophets. His thought process and philosophies are totally different from those of the religious leaders. He does not seem to be affected by popular culture or even the events of the day. People say his theology is pure.
The amazing thing is that he doesn't seem to fear anyone. If you are wrong, he will tell it to your face.
-- Visit to Jordan --
After gathering all this information, I decided it to pay a visit myself. Since there was going to be hundreds and possibly thousands of Jews by the Jordan valley, I wanted to make sure I had enough troops to handle any situation. Yet, I did not want to create a situation. So I told half my troops to dress as civilians and the other half accompany me as Roman soldiers. They were to group themselves in small groups for five or six scattering themselves among the people.
As we started our descent into the valley towards the river, I could hear the voice of this John. He has a powerful voice. I estimated that there were probably a thousand or more gathered to listen to his speech. There were all types of people there in the crowd. There were your normal citizens, the poor, and the rich. Some of the priests and Pharisees were there too. The drunks and the prostitutes came to listen to this man. Even the hated tax collectors had come.
Scattered around were the zealots, ever ready to create a riot against any authority. You can tell who they are. Their faces gave them away when they saw us. They were ready to jump at the command of their leader. We had to be extra careful to watch them because they could attack us at anytime.
I wanted to get a closer look, so a small group of my best men accompanied me down to the banks of the Jordan river. John was standing on a rock directly above me and people were crowded all around.
-- John's Speech --
John speaks unapologetically. His eyes seemed to pierce your very soul. He seemed to be able to look right into the your very depth and know all your secrets.
With his booming voice he said: "Repent, my people. It is time to set yourself right with God. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent before the judgment is upon you and your are found guilty.
• Have you sinned against your father and your mother? - Repent.
• Have you wronged your neighbor and stolen from him? - Repent.
• Have you been committing adultery and sinned against your husband or wife? - Repent.
• Do you love your material goods more than you love God? - Repent
• Have you been unfair to your God with your tithes and offerings? - Repent
Even now the judgment axes is at the root of your vine. Repent before judgment comes and you are found wanted. Do not wait to be cut down and thrown into the eternal fire - where there is gnashing of teeth. Do not wait until it is too late. Repent now."
-- The Challenge --
One of the priests called out to challenge John: "Who are you? By what authority are you speaking? Who gave you the right to baptize?"
Another person further out yells: "Are you Elijah come back to life?"
Still another said: "What are we to do?"
John answered: "I am not Elijah. I am just the voice crying in the wilderness. I make the crooked roads straight. You think I have power and authority now? There is someone coming that I am not even worthy to tie his sandals or wash his feet. I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the fire of the Holy Spirit."
People started to line up to be baptized and some of the priests and Pharisees also got in line.
John looked at the priest and Pharisees that had come to be baptized: "You vipers!! You think that by being baptized you will escape the wrath of God that is going to be pour up on you?"
Back in the crowd someone yells: "Yah, you vipers."
John continues: "You must repent. Do not think the one coming after me will not be able to see through you. You must repent before you are baptized."
I guess John saw through their fake repentance as they wanted to make sure they had their bases covered. If this Messiah was truly coming, they wanted to make sure they had an opportunity to be part of his inner counsel.
John continues: "If you truly are repenting, come forward and I will be happy to baptize you. But if not, you will be judged even more harshly than the tax collectors."
Someone else asks: "What are we to do?"
John replies: "Do no wrong and seek the will of God first. Make God your priority and treat everyone as you would like to be treated."
Then one of my soldiers said: "What are we to do?"
He answered: "Do not treat citizens unfairly. Seek God and he will direct you. Come and be baptized."
-- Jesus Coming Forward --
Then a man stepped forward to ask John to baptize him. He did not look any different than everyone else but John treated him as though he was seeing royalty. He looked like he had been expecting this man all his life and now the expectant one was in front of him.
I thought to myself: "Is this the one? He certainly does not look too kingly."
The man asked to be baptized but John said: "You should be baptizing me."
The man said: "Do this to set an example to all the people."
When the man came out of the water, he walked directly towards me on to the bank of the river and knelt to pray.
As he was praying, the heavens opened up and a beam of very bright light shown on him. I had to jump back because it was so bright. This beam of light had holy power and I was not going to be anywhere close to it.
An image like a dove came down the beam of light and landed on the head of this man. Then all hell broke loose. The whole heavens started to rumble. I did not understand it but it sure sounded like a god was speaking. I've never heard a god speak but if I had heard one, it would sound like that.
The sound was tremendously loud but it did not hurt your ears. You could feel the voice and the ground rumbling but you felt save. It was high and low, loud and soft all at the same time. The sound was fierce but gentle. I have never heard anything like it nor have I ever since.
After the light dissipated and everything returned to normal (if you can call anything normal after the heavens opening up), John points to the man and declares: "This is the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world."
The man did not acknowledge the declaration but rather tried to avoid the attention. He just slip into the crowds and disappeared.
I thought about that. "Lamb of God that takes away the sins of this world." What does that mean? How can a king be a lamb? Why would a judge take away the sins of this world? These statements seem to be oxymorons.
**** take off the helmet ****
-- Modern Day Cry in the Wilderness --
My friends let us reflect on this story a bit.
When John walk on earth, he announced the coming of the Messiah. He message was non-apologetic about the need for repentance. He was a straight shooter and his message cut right to the bones of his listeners.
Today we have a similar message that we are to preach. The Messiah is coming again. But our message is weak and our voices carry no confidence.
Why? Why is our message so anemic and our voices weak? Is our message less important than that of John? If our message is just as important, why do we not preach with force?
Is it because we are not convinced of this message? After all, we have been preaching the second coming of Jesus of about 150 years and he hasn't come. It is kinda embarrassing to be like Noah. Preach and preach and preach with no results.
Or maybe we ourselves need to repent first?
-- Removal from the Environment --
When I reread the chapters in the Desire of Ages, I was so touches by the Holy Spirit that tears started coming down my eyes. I was in the middle of a Starbucks with my chair facing the entrance. It took all my strength not to cry.
When I read about how John removed himself from his surroundings to be with God, I was a shamed that I would not even spend an hour with God in the morning.
-- Words of Repentance --
Then the words of repentances hit me. It was as though I was standing by the Jordan river. And John was pointing at me and saying to me - "Repent." His eyes piercing through my very soul and all my hidden sins are exposed. I stand before God naked and dirty. There is no place to go but to confess. I look down at myself. Filth and the dirt was caked all over my skin. I was so dirty that I could not recognize myself. There was so much mud of sin on me that it actually felt heavy.
As I entered the water, I felt the flowing stream of the Jordan river loosen the mud. The cakes of mud just fell off of me as I rose out of the water.
I entered the water with sin and come out a clean man. My dirt mixed with all the rest of the dirt was carried down to the dead sea.
At first I was overwhelmed with guilt, then I was overwhelmed with the peace. More tears started to come.
**** Song - Make it Real ****
-- Glory of God --
Then I closed my eyes to imagine what it would have felt to be John the Baptist. Jesus comes to him to be baptized. After the baptism, Jesus walks to the river bank to kneel and pray. Heaven's window opens up and this great glory shines directly on Jesus.
The day was already bright but when this light straight from the throng of God shines on Jesus, it make everything else look dark. Can you imagine God Himself opening up the window of heaven? A stream of glory straight from His throng to that little river bank. Wow...
Then God speaks directly to him. Affirming the fact that the one he just baptized is the Son of God.
Maybe we have not seen the glory of God, hence we are not excited about our message.
My friends, this message is as much for me as it is for you. I've spent many hours asking God to revive my spirit. I've asked God to give me a new heart so I can approach people without fear. I've asked God to transform my soul and take away all the guilt.
Many of you need to do the same. I am not going to ask you to come up or stand, but you know who you are. God has been calling you to repent. God has been calling you to stand for Him. God has called you to go to the wilderness to learn from Him. God has been calling you.
Yet we are slow to answer. It is time to take up our places and make the crocked places straight. It is time to be that voice in the wilderness where ever you are, where ever you go - you are the voice in the wilderness.
Can you find someone near you? Gather in twos and threes. Ask God to forgive. Ask God to remove those fears. Ask God to show you His glory. As God to give you the strength to spread His message.
**** Prayer ****
Jesus is coming soon - repent.
