Spiritual Truth Awakening

Chapter 10: The Lifestyle of John the Baptist

Down through the centuries there have been many controversies concerning eating meat and drinking wine or other forms of strong drink. There have also been many disputes concerning fasting, which is abstaining from food for a period of time for Spiritual purposes. We will take a look at these subjects, and see what the Bible has to say about them.

Matthew 3:1-4 NIV in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the desert of judea. John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

John the Baptist was a Nazirite. He was chosen by God before his birth, for the job God wanted him to do, as all of us are.

Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV) "before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;

A Nazirite is a person who is set apart by God, and for God, for a special purpose.

Numbers 6:2-8 NIV "speak to the israelites and say to them: 'if a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of separation to the Lord as a Nazirite, he must abstain from wine and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar made from wine or from other fermented drink. He must not drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins. As long as he is a Nazirite, he must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins. "'during the entire period of his vow of separation no razor may be used on his head. He must be Holy until the period of his separation to the Lord is over; he must let the hair of his head grow long. Throughout the period of his separation to the Lord he must not go near a dead body. Throughout the period of his separation he is consecrated to the Lord.

This was the law of the Lord concerning Nazirites. They were not to drink any alcoholic beverage, or cut their hair, during the time of their vows.

Luke 1:5-8 NIV in the time of herod king of judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of aaron. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years. Once when zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,

Luke 1:11-15 NIV then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: "do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.

John the Baptist, was a Nazirite from birth, even his mother could not drink alcoholic beverages while he was in the womb. The verses below pertain to samson, the deliverer of Israel in ancient times. Samson was also a Nazirite, and the same rules applied to him, as to John the Baptist.

Judges 13:3-5 NIV the angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, "you are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean, because you will conceive and give birth to a son. No razor may be used on his head, because the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the philistines."

Judges 13:7 NIV but he said to me, 'you will conceive and give birth to a son. Now then, drink no wine or other fermented drink and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite of God from birth until the day of his death.'"

John the Baptist, before the day of his birth, already had work planned for him by God, just as we do.

Luke 1:16-17 NIV many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the Spirit and power of elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

Zechariah Asked For A Sign, And He Was Given One.

Luke 1:18-20 NIV Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."

Gabriel, the archangel, one of the three highest in command in the kingdom of God was the spokesman for God to zechariah, announcing to him the conception, birth, and future of his son. Zechariah asked for a sign, to confirm the words of Gabriel, and Gabriel gave him a sign, he made zechariah mute until the birth of his son, John the Baptist.

Luke 1:21-24 NIV meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak. When his time of service was completed, he returned home.after this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.

Luke 1:57 & 59-66 NIV when it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, "no! He is to be called John." They said to her, "there is no one among your relatives who has that name." Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "his name is John." Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, " what then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.

God had already named John, before his birth. God has everything planned for those who love him before their birth, even our names are not an accident.

John had a job already planned for him before his birth, he was to prepare the way for Christ, and to baptize him.

Matthew 3:13 NIV Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.

Matthew 3:16-17 NIV as soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "this is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

John was the ultimate holiness person. He was filled with the Holy Spirit while he was yet in the womb. His lifestyle was cleaner than the strictest holiness person you have ever met or heard of. His diet was more limited than the most avid vegetarians. He never drank wine or strong drink, all the days of his life. Jesus spoke about John in the book of matthew.

Matthew 9:14-15 NIV then John's disciples came and asked him, "how is it that we and the pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" Jesus answered, "how can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

Matthew 11:7-11 NIV as John's disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "what did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: "'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' I tell you the truth: among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Jesus said that John the Baptist was the greatest human that had ever lived, as far as holiness was concerned. He also said that the least in the kingdom would be greater than John. Jesus said this, because even though John was almost perfect, he was still human, had a human body, and was a sinner in need of salvation.

At the resurrection we will be given new bodies that are totally free from sin, so even the very least person in Gods kingdom will be greater in holiness than John was on earth. John at this time will also have his new body, and will be rewarded for the work he did, and will be great in the kingdom of heaven.

John 3:23-30 & 4:1-2 NIV now John also was baptizing at aenon near salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. (this was before John was put in prison.) An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John and said to him, "rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the jordan--the one you testified about--well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him." To this John replied, "a man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' the bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less. The pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples.

John had completed his work, Christ had now arrived and John had prepared the way for him, as it was prophesied. Johns disciples were jealous over the fact that Jesus and his disciples were gaining more new converts than they were.

John told his disciples plainly that Christ would become greater, and he (John) would become less. After this, John was put in prison by herod, because herod had taken his brothers wife and was living with her. John had rebuked herod for this, and herod, at the urging of his brothers wife, put John in prison.

Matthew 14:3-13 NIV now herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of herodias, his brother philip's wife, for John had been saying to him: "it is not lawful for you to have her." Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet. On herod's birthday the daughter of herodias danced for them and pleased herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, "give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist." The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.

John the Baptist, the most perfect human to ever walk the earth, (other than Christ) died young. He was murdered by herod, at the request of the woman herod was living with. The point of all this is that holiness and doing Gods will is no absolute guarantee of a long life, but it is the guarantee or a quality life, and of accomplishment of ones purpose before dying.

Johns work was finished, and God allowed him to die. John died for the word of God, and has much treasure in heaven. John the Baptist was only six months older than Jesus, so he died being only about thirty two years old.

John in his life, was the apostle to the pharisees and the teachers of the law of God. They rejected him. God sent them a man whose lifestyle was far beyond their own, in outward holiness, so that they would have no excuse for not believing his words. Johns life was more pure than the strictest of the pharisees, and they will be without excuse at the last judgment.

Now, we will take a look at the life of Jesus and some more of his comments about John the Baptist.