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| A River of Baptism |
History, as we know, often repeats itself. To not know history, is to be vulnerable to making the same mistakes. According to a note in my NASB Chronological Bible, during
the inter-testimental period, much of Israel came to belief that satan had managed to
take control of the earth away from God. Today there might be some who would wonder if that's not true in certain places in the earth. Either way, we can see how being blind to God’s goodness,
presence and sovereignty can become through sin and unbelief.
Despite the well intentioned actions of a priest known as Judah Macabbee and his five sons to free Israel from Titus and his desecration of the
temple and imposition of paganism in the Hanukkah story, that same
family only two generations later became as apostate as Israel had ever known
before. They perpetuated much of the same things Judah and
his sons had fought again.
Israel was divided between those who aligned with ungodliness and those who held to various forms of traditional Hebrew religion. Inner
conflicts in the land were so bad that the leaders invited the Roman’s in to
arbitrate. They came and never left, having taken over as rulers of the land. Any Israeli leadership from then on operated under the auspices and permission
of Rome. That Israel would turn to pagan
powers rather than to God to solve their problems gives indication of how far
they were from Him.
The lesson to be learned here is that for Israel to look
elsewhere other than to their God
to resolve any crises is to put themselves
under subjection to those to whom they look or defer.
Case in point: America has played a significant part in what was
originally and ironically called “Peace Accords” to try and resolve the crises
between Israel and her unfriendly neighbors. In doing so Israel was put under great
pressure by America and other nations who are in alignment with America to refrain from defending themselves, only resulting in making matters worse. Would America refrain from retaliating if our cities were being bombed daily? But there is another point I'm trying to make here.
With such sin in their hearts and such disregard for God’s
word, it is easy to see how a prevailing thought would have emerged that God
was no longer sovereign in the world but that satan had won over Him and now
had charge of the earth and the affairs of men. Perhaps people think even today that God has been found to be ineffective and weak and of no real influence for good among men. If that is the case in people's
minds, then there is nothing to keep them from acting like the devil, even if they don't believe in the devil. Where there is
no fear of God in this life or the afterlife to maintain godly order there will be no
motivation for righteousness among men.
How we see God will influence how we live our lives!
But there is always a voice of reason, of hope, of truth., There is always the Voice of God for those who will listen and hear. It is into this that Yohanan
ha-mahtbeel, John the immerser (Baptist), arrives, preaching a baptism of
repentance for sins. Finally, there was a way back to God! It is no wonder
that so many came out to this strange man with the message of salvation and a word that God was still there for them. Let's face it, everyone knows they sin. Even if they don't believe in God, they know they've lied, lusted, hated, stolen.... They may not label it sin, but we all know we're not without violation somewhere.
God always has a
remnant that remains faithful to Him - or at least wants to but isn't aware that it's God they want. I became an athiest at the age of eleven, yet within me I had a deep quest to know truth. I just hoped I'd recognize it if I ever found it. To me, beyond all else Yeshua is, He is truth! It may have been a truth-seeking remnant that came
out to Yohanan at the Jordan River. Mikveh required living water, that is to say moving water for
immersion in order to be made clean for God. The
Jordan would have provided that moving water and the people apparently welcomed
the chance to find God again, to repent of their sins and to re-align
themselves with Him.
When Yeshua (Jesus) came to Yohanan at the waters of mikveh (baptism) His first recorded words are, “We must fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew
3:15). What a statement! What man had ever fulfilled all righteousness? Not
even David. Not even Samuel whose sons did not follow God as he did. And surely
not Shlomo (Solomon). Yeshua fully intended that He would fulfill
all righteousness, not one jot or yod of the word of God left out.
He uses the pronoun “we” in speaking to Yohanan, but that “we” can be
extended to all who would follow Him. To those people who would hear those words
of His, what He was saying was that righteousness can still be fulfilled. All
is not lost. Satan has not won and righteousness not only can still be
attained, here was a Man who would prove to embody all righteousness.
When voices speak to the contrary, and when circumstances appear as if God has lost control of the world, even your own world, Yeshua was, is and always will be the Voice of God, the Savior of not just the world but every situation we find ourselves in. He will never, no never forsake anyone who looks to Him, who trust Him and who desires to fulfill all righteouness - that is to say, be in right standing with God. He still is the only one to whom we can look for all hope and goodness.
Once we have been baptized as a new believer to profess your faith in Yeshua, we need not enter the waters of mikveh again to be made clean before God (though if someone feels to do so, say in starting anew with God after a difficult time or time of uncleanness, go right ahead. I've done it.) Repentance, and turning away from whatever unrighteousness has troubled you, is available just by going to Yeshua and confessing your sin and receiving the forgiveness He offers to us all. It is that easy. He already did the hard part.You may not need this message today, but I pray God tucks it somewhere in your spirit to bring it back to mind should you ever need to be reminded that He is still the One to fulfill all righteousness on our behalf.
