Baptism
81
Every sin, every discord, every defiling lust that transgression had
brought, was torture to His spirit.
Alone He must tread the path; alone He must bear the burden.
Upon Him who had laid off His glory and accepted the weakness of
humanity the redemption of the world must rest. He saw and felt it
all, but His purpose remained steadfast. Upon His arm depended the
salvation of the fallen race, and He reached out His hand to grasp the
hand of Omnipotent Love.
The Saviour’s glance seems to penetrate heaven as He pours out
His soul in prayer. Well He knows how sin has hardened the hearts
of men, and how difficult it will be for them to discern His mission,
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and accept the gift of salvation. He pleads with the Father for power
to overcome their unbelief, to break the fetters with which Satan has
enthralled them, and in their behalf to conquer the destroyer. He asks
for the witness that God accepts humanity in the person of His Son.
Never before have the angels listened to such a prayer. They are
eager to bear to their loved Commander a message of assurance and
comfort. But no; the Father Himself will answer the petition of His
Son. Direct from the throne issue the beams of His glory. The heavens
are opened, and upon the Saviour’s head descends a dovelike form of
purest light,—fit emblem of Him, the meek and lowly One.
Of the vast throng at the Jordan, few except John discerned the
heavenly vision. Yet the solemnity of the divine Presence rested upon
the assembly. The people stood silently gazing upon Christ. His form
was bathed in the light that ever surrounds the throne of God. His
upturned face was glorified as they had never before seen the face of
man. From the open heavens a voice was heard saying, “This is My
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
These words of confirmation were given to inspire faith in those
who witnessed the scene, and to strengthen the Saviour for His mission.
Notwithstanding that the sins of a guilty world were laid upon Christ,
notwithstanding the humiliation of taking upon Himself our fallen
nature, the voice from heaven declared Him to be the Son of the
Eternal.
John had been deeply moved as he saw Jesus bowed as a suppliant,
pleading with tears for the approval of the Father. As the glory of God
encircled Him, and the voice from heaven was heard, John recognized
the token which God had promised. He knew that it was the world’s