JOHN THE BAPTIST PROFILE: “ PREPARING THE WAY OF THE LORD!”

I was born to a priest’s home, Zachary and Elizabeth, who were my elderly parents. My mother, Elizabeth, became pregnant after my father had a visitation by the archangel Gabriel at the temple and who promised my birth. My father became mute until I was born because he did not believe Gabriel initially! ( Read Luke 1: 5-25).

Six months after my mother became pregnant, Mary, Elizabeth’s cousin, became pregnant with Jesus . When I was 30, I went out into the wilderness, where I only ate locust and honey, dressed in camel’s hair( Read Matthew 3:4) and started proclaiming the message of repentance, where I was saying: “ Repent , for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”( Read Matthew 3:2).

I was preparing the way of the Lord where I was baptizing in water. Then one day, Jesus, my cousin, came to be baptized but I felt unworthy to even unbuckle His sandals! I was the one needing to be baptized by Him. But He insisted and when I submerged Him and He came out, the clouds parted and the Spirit descended in the form of a dove and a voice said:” This is My Son in whom I am well pleased.” ( Read Matthew 3: 14-17).

He was the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He became empowered by the Holy Spirit. I heard about Him on and off and one day I was put in prison for correcting Herod, in that he had taken for himself his brother Phillip’s wife, Herodias.( Read Matthew 14: 3-4). My disciples came to visit and I told them to go to Jesus and ask Him if He was the One Messiah promised by God! They did come back and told me all the signs and wonders that were following Him in an anointed ministry! ( Read Matthew 11:2-6).

I am what you might call a ‘nerd’; but I did my best in inviting the entrance of the kingdom of heaven through my ‘cousin’ Jesus! It was an honor and I know Jesus honored me! I became His ‘cousin’, Him being God! I know whatever happens from now, He is empowered by the baptism of the Holy Spirit to do ministry here on this earth!
P.S. I hear that I am going to be beheaded as that is what Herodian’s daughter requested of Herod! Lord have mercy on me!

JOHN THE BAPTIST PREPARES THE WAY
“For this is he who was spoken of
By the prophet Isaiah when he said,
‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’” Matthew 3:3 ( Isaiah 40:3).