The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 3:16-17,
"One more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
Here is John the Baptist's confession of Jesus Christ. From the lips of the one of whom the Son of God himself said "Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist" Matthew 11:11, we learn important things of Jesus Christ.
John speaks of the power of Jesus Christ. This power is evidenced in his command over all of nature, Matthew 8:23-27, where we read of the winds and waves obeying him. This power is evidenced in his command over all of the spiritual domain, Mark 5:9-20, where we read of the spirits, the demons, cowering before him. This power is evidenced in his enemy's astonishment of him, with them being silenced, Luke 20:26, not even daring to ask him anything, Luke 20:40. This power is evidenced in his restoring of life to a dead man, John 11:43-44. This power is evidenced in his securing the forgiveness of the sins of all mankind by his own death on a cross, 1 John 4:10.
John speaks of the lofty position of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, of whom John was unworthy of - even to untie the thongs of his sandals! We read of the stature of Jesus Christ in Philippians 2:9-11, "God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." In Hebrews 1:3-4 we read, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs."
Perhaps Paul's comment about Jesus Christ to the Colossian church says it best, "He [Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant." Colossians 1:15-23.
John also speaks of the harvest Jesus Christ gathers into his barn, while burning the chaff with "unquenchable fire." We read of Jesus Christ coming to earth in the future to do just that. "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." Revelation 19:11-16.
In the following chapter in Revelation we read of this burning of chaff: "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
As we read John's words about Jesus Christ, we find he knows of what he speaks. Surely he provides us a clear understanding on someone so many seem to be confused about.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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