Mission of Christ
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one crying in the wilderness. Make straight the way of the Lord, as
said the prophet Esaias. John is then questioned as to his authority for
baptizing, and thus agitating the people, when he does not claim to
be Christ, or Elias, neither that prophet. The words, “That prophet,”
has reference to Moses. The Jews had been inclined to the belief that
Moses would be raised from the dead, and taken to Heaven. They did
not know that Moses had already been resurrected.
When John came, baptizing with water, the Jews thought that he
might be the prophet Moses risen from the dead; for he seemed to have
a thorough knowledge of the prophecies, and to understand the history
of the Hebrews and their wanderings in the wilderness in consequence
of their unjust murmurings and continual rebellion. They also called
to mind the peculiar circumstances of John’s birth, and wonderful
manifestation of God to Zacharias, his father, in the temple, by the
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visitation of the angel from the presence of God, and the power of
speech, being taken from Zacharias, because he did not believe the
words of the angel, and the unloosing of his tongue at the birth of John.
These important facts had in the past thirty years been measurably
forgotten. But when John appeared as a prophet, the manifestation of
the Spirit of God at his birth was called to mind.
When the messengers from the highest authority in Jerusalem were
communing with John in reference to his mission and work, he could
have taken honor to himself, had he been so disposed. But he would not
assume honors that did not belong to him. While conversing with the
messengers, suddenly his eye kindled, his countenance lighted up, and
his whole being seemed stirred with deep emotion, as he discovered
the person of Jesus in the concourse of people. He raised his hand,
pointing to Christ, saying, There standeth One among you whom ye
know not. I have come to prepare the way before him whom ye now
see. He is the Messiah. He it is who coming after me is preferred
before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world! This is he
of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me;
for he was before me. And I knew him not; but that he should be made
manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John
bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from Heaven like a
dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not. But he that sent
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