8
Hindi baga manginginig ang lupain dahil dito, at mananaghoy ang bawa't tumatahan doon? oo, sasampang buo na gaya ng Ilog; at mababagabag at lulubog uli, gaya ng Ilog ng Egipto.
Amos 8:8
True Christianity # 689
689. John's baptism prepared the way because, as shown above [677-678], it brought the baptized people into the Lord's church that was to come, and brought them into the company of those in heaven who were awaiting and desiring the Messiah. Therefore angels protected them by preventing devils from breaking out of hell and destroying them. This is why we read in Malachi, "Who can endure the day of his coming?" (Malachi 3:2), and "so that Jehovah will not come and strike the earth with a curse" (Malachi 4:6).
There are similar statements in Isaiah: "Behold, the cruel day of Jehovah has come, a day of indignation and wrath and anger. I will shake heaven, and the earth will quake out of its place in the day of the wrath of his anger" (Isaiah 13:9, 13; see also Isaiah 13:6; 22:5, 12).
In Jeremiah that day is called a day of devastation, vengeance, and disaster (Jeremiah 4:9; 7:32; 46:10, 21; 47:4; 49:8, 26). In Ezekiel it is called a day of anger, cloud, and darkness (Ezekiel 13:5; 30:2-3, 9; 34:11-12; 38:14, 16, 18-19). Amos, too, refers to it in similar terms (Amos 5:8, 18, 20; 8:3, 9, 13). We read in Joel: "Great and dreadful is the day of Jehovah. Who will endure it?" (Joel 2:11; see also Joel 2:1-2, 29, 31). Also in Zephaniah: "In that day there will be the sound of a cry. The great day of Jehovah is near. That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and repression, a day of devastation and desolation. In the day of Jehovah's wrath the whole earth will be consumed, and he will make an end of all the inhabitants of the earth" (Zephaniah 1:7-18). There are similar statements in other passages as well.
[2] These passages make it clear that if baptism had not prepared the way for Jehovah as he was coming down into the world - a baptism that had the effect in heaven of closing off the hells and protecting the Jews from total annihilation - [all people there, as stated above, would have been struck with a curse and would have perished]. Likewise Jehovah says to Moses, "If I rise up among you, I will consume the entire population in a single moment" (Exodus 33:5). This is further reinforced by what John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him: "Brood of vipers, who warned you to escape from the impending anger?" (Matthew 3:7; Luke 3:7). For references to John teaching about Christ and his Coming as he was baptizing, see Luke 3:16; , 31-33; 3:22 and following. All the passages just given clarify how John prepared the way.
Luke 3
1
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
2
in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
3
He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.
4
As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.
5
Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth.
6
All flesh will see God's salvation.'"
7
He said therefore to the multitudes who went out to be baptized by him, "You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8
Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and don't begin to say among yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father;' for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones!
9
Even now the axe also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doesn't bring forth good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire."
10
The multitudes asked him, "What then must we do?"
11
He answered them, "He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise."
12
Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what must we do?"
13
He said to them, "Collect no more than that which is appointed to you."
14
Soldiers also asked him, saying, "What about us? What must we do?" He said to them, "Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages."
15
As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Christ,
16
John answered them all, "I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire,
17
whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
18
Then with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people,
19
but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done,
20
added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison.
21
Now it happened, when all the people were baptized, Jesus also had been baptized, and was praying. The sky was opened,
22
and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form as a dove on him; and a voice came out of the sky, saying "You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased."
23
Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,
24
the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25
the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,
26
the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah,
27
the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
28
the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er,
29
the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,
30
the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim,
31
the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,
32
the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
33
the son of Amminadab, the son of Aram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
34
the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
35
the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,
36
the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
37
the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,
38
the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
