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The Desire of Ages
The soul of the prophet, emptied of self, was filled with the light
of the divine. As he witnessed to the Saviour’s glory, his words were
almost a counterpart of those that Christ Himself had spoken in His
interview with Nicodemus. John said, “He that cometh from above is
above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: He
that cometh from heaven is above all.... For He whom God hath sent
speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure
unto Him.” Christ could say, “I seek not Mine own will, but the will
of the Father which hath sent Me.”
John 5:30
. To Him it is declared,
“Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God,
even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy
fellows.”
Hebrews 1:9
. The Father “giveth not the Spirit by measure
unto Him.”
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So with the followers of Christ. We can receive of heaven’s light
only as we are willing to be emptied of self. We cannot discern the
character of God, or accept Christ by faith, unless we consent to the
bringing into captivity of every thought to the obedience of Christ. To
all who do this the Holy Spirit is given without measure. In Christ
“dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and in Him ye are
made full.”
Colossians 2:9, 10
, R. V.
The disciples of John had declared that all men were coming to
Christ; but with clearer insight, John said, “No man receiveth His
witness;” so few were ready to accept Him as the Saviour from sin.
But “he that hath received His witness hath set his seal to this, that
God is true.”
John 3:33
, R. V. “He that believeth on the Son hath
everlasting life.” No need of disputation as to whether Christ’s baptism
or John’s purified from sin. It is the grace of Christ that gives life to the
soul. Apart from Christ, baptism, like any other service, is a worthless
form. “He that believeth not the Son shall not see life.”
The success of Christ’s work, which the Baptist had received with
such joy, was reported also to the authorities at Jerusalem. The priests
and rabbis had been jealous of John’s influence as they saw the people
leaving the synagogues and flocking to the wilderness; but here was
One who had still greater power to attract the multitudes. Those leaders
in Israel were not willing to say with John, “He must increase, but I
must decrease.” They arose with a new determination to put an end to
the work that was drawing the people away from them.