John the Baptist as Witness of the Light

The feast to remember the birth of Christ has again passed by. He became poor, although He was rich, that we through His poverty would become rich in heavenly treasures.

It was already thirty years ago that Jerusalem was moved when some wise men of the East came and asked for the new born King. Most of it was forgotten by now; the older people had died and the young people had become fathers and mothers. Several foreign rulers had come and gone in the meantime. Israel still sighed under this yoke of oppression, “Oh, when will the day of deliverance come that the enemy will be driven out of the country? Then the throne of David will be restored and Israel will become a mighty nation as before!” This was the national expectation of the Jews in those days.

One day rumors were heard in Jerusalem about a strange man who was in the desert of Judaea. His clothing and way of life were similar to the Prophet Elijah of former centuries, of whom we read in 2 Kings 1:8: “He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins.” This man preached that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, which pointed to the new dispensation, a dispensation which was to begin with the coming of the Messiah. The people hastened to see and hear him.

This man was John the Baptist: “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.” God’s Word speaks of him in a number of places. The prophets spoke about him as the forerunner. This was the labor which he was to perform, as he himself testified. As a herald of the King, he was to announce His coming and prepare the way for Him as was customary in those days for a king. Of him is written, “There was a man.” This man was John. What the apostle had said before of the Lord was so different. Christ was from eternity, but John came. Christ is the Word, but John preached the Word. Christ is God Himself; John was a mere man. Christ is the Light, John was a witness of the Light. He was a man of like passion as we all are—weak, frail, and sinful. This is applicable for all God’s servants and they will not deny this either if they may be in their right place.

Although the Lord Jesus said of John: “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist” (Matt. 11:11), still he was a man, which means a sinner before God. Whatever office we may have, we are and stay sinful, mortal beings. For all men it is applicable what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” In their own estimation, there are no saints here upon earth in the church militant, for they are a people with many shortcomings. Moses became angry; Peter denied the Lord; Thomas would not believe, except he felt with his own hands. Later on John the Baptist had his doubts about Jesus being the promised Messiah. “There was a man.” The Apostle John, the author of this book, was fully aware of this truth, even as Ezekiel had heard it so often said by the Lord: “son of man.” This is to keep God’s servants in a low place and to show them that they are only instruments in God’s hands.

The name of this man was John, which means “God of grace,” or “God is gracious.” If it had been up to the neighbors of Zacharias and Elizabeth, then he would have been called after his father because none of their kindred was called by the name John. When this name was confirmed by the father, then his tongue was made loose and he began to praise the Lord. For nine months he had been silent because of unbelief. Is it not the same many times in the life of God’s children? Because of unbelief our mouth is closed and we are unable to speak of the deeds of the Lord. How suitable was this name, because John received grace, great grace of the Lord. It was especially a fitting name for the messenger who could preach that the fullness of time had come. The Lord would be gracious through Him of whom John was the forerunner.

The apostle said in this chapter, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (vs. 17). John the Baptist was sent by God, says our text, and herein was his glory. This divine calling and sending were his authority to speak as he did. This is the strength of all God’s servants from the days of old until now. It is such a great comfort in days when enemies make it so difficult for God’s servants, that they may know they are not sent by man, but by God.

The Lord would be gracious through Him of whom John was the forerunner.

In our denomination there are many empty pulpits. It is our longing that the Lord may remember us and send men in His favor—this means that they must be called by the Lord from death to life, but also to labor in His vineyard. Are there any among our readers who know of such sighing for a token of God’s favor? The need is greater than we realize in the midst of our congregations, especially when we think of our young people, who are confronted with so much evil today.

Under the Old Testament we find that there were also false prophets who were not sent by the Lord and did not speak His Word, but sought themselves. In former days it was said: “You can better be a ‘sewer-man’ than to assume the office to yourself in your own strength.” How true this is especially when we think that one day we must give an account before the Lord and that the blood of our hearers will be required at our hands.

Of John it was written that he was sent by God and he received a special mission of God. How did he perform his mission? His word was definitely not a song of praise about the Jews. This was not possible in those days because they lived so far away from the Lord. His word was a living protest against the spirit of his days. He rent away the cover of shame and showed them the reality of their sins. He saw Israel as proud trees which lifted up their heads in self-righteousness. He also showed them the ax which was already laid at the root of the tree. He set his feet upon the field to plow, which is necessary before it can be sown. He was no respecter of persons. He did not ask for praise or blame. His words, under the operation of the Holy Ghost, sank into the consciences of the hearers, stopped them on their way, and forced them to think.

John called the Pharisees a generation of vipers. He warned the Jews not to rest on their ties with father Abraham according to the flesh. He warned the publicans to be honest. He told the Roman soldiers to be satisfied with their pay. He had a word for everyone and the Lord used it. This is the way all God’s servants have to speak: “Thou art the man.” Whatever the consequences of their words may be, they have to speak. Sometimes it has brought them in prison or even to death, as it happened later with John the Baptist himself.

Some of the hearers did not think it was necessary to be converted because they believed they were of the seed of Abraham and had received the sign of the covenant. Why should they fear? In their self-righteousness they tried to maintain themselves. But John emphasized the necessity of conversion. We all have a corrupt heart and will not enter into the kingdom of heaven except we are born again. This message we may yet hear from Sunday to Sunday. My friends, has it ever touched our heart? It is indispensable because we must first learn our misery before there is a need for Christ in whom the deliverance is possible.

John not only spoke about God’s wrath, but he also testified of God’s grace and mercy: “The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light.” This example of light, of which John spoke, is well-known in Scripture. The Lord Himself said, “I am the Light of the world” (ch. 8:12). Christ is the Light of whom the prophets have spoken before as the Star out of Jacob, the Sun of Righteousness with whom there is healing. He is the Light which must drive away the darkness.

John’s mission was of such importance that the apostle described it in two ways. “The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light.” As the sun does not need the light of the moon, neither did the Lord Jesus need John to give Him this glory. But God did a special work for the welfare of mankind. Christ not only merited salvation, but sent also the preparation for it. There was not only the King, but also His herald who announced His coming. Here is not only the Light, but also the witness.

To bear witness of Christ is the work of all God’s servants, as the Lord Himself said, “And ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8b). They have to bear witness of the truth, but especially of that most important truth that Jesus Christ came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost. It is their calling to speak of Christ who is the only way for a poor sinner. A poor sinner and a rich Christ go together, which is often forgotten in our days. We would like to be saved as converted men or women, but we have to lose everything from our side since salvation is only by free grace.

To what shall the witness of John about the light tend? “The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through Him might believe.” Through Him is by means of Christ. John was sent to Israel that they might believe in the Lord Jesus.

John rejoiced when people were led to Christ through his labors, but he knew it was God’s work from the beginning to the end. Therefore he pointed away from himself saying “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” The demand of God that we believe and be converted is also a gracious gift of God to His people. Without faith and conversion there is no hope for man to be saved. To believe is to acknowledge God as God again and to turn to Him in whose communion there is true happiness.

But how is it possible that a sinner who has departed from the Lord and has rebelled against Him can believe in Him? A holy and righteous God is also wise and merciful. From eternity He made a plan of salvation, that in His beloved Son sinners would be reconciled with God. The Son of God is the Savior of the Church. Of Him John the Baptist bore witness; he pointed to Him.

What was the outcome of John’s preaching? We would surmise that all his hearers came to conversion—such a preacher he was! But this is not true; the majority did not. They were offended by John’s preaching. Conversion and baptism were not necessary for them. They thought to live according to the law. By keeping God’s law and institutions they thought their conduct was blameless. For the Gentiles it was necessary to be baptized, but they did not believe it was necessary for the children of the covenant. This does not mean that his preaching was in vain. No, for some it was an eternal blessing. And where did the Lord receive the first disciples? They came from John and after John’s death his disciples came to Jesus. A minority came to believe in Christ by the preaching of John about the Light, the light of the knowledge of God and of His grace. It is still the same as it was with John. In the course of the centuries God’s servants have borne witness of the Light to millions of hearers, but the majority have remained in unbelief and in darkness— which means they remained strangers of the work of salvation. A remnant is saved out of free grace.

We must first learn our misery before there is a need for Christ in whom the deliverance is possible.

This seems to be in contradiction with verse 9 where we read, “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” Many interpretations are given of this text. We will mention a few, but only the last is true. The first says that Christ who is the Light actually grants spiritual illumination in the highest sense to every human being dwelling on earth, without exception. We reject this because God’s Word does not teach universal redemption. A second explanation is that the Lord renews both heart and mind of every covenant child. This is not scriptural either; think only of Israel. The third says that the Lord grants this blessing by Word and Spirit to every man who is saved out of free grace. This is the scriptural truth!

But what now is the experience of this in our life? My friends, how is it personally? We believe there is only one Light of the world, one Sun of Righteousness. Without Christ we remain in darkness. But the Word of God must go further than our mind; it must shine as a light in the darkness of our heart. If it has not yet happened, then we hope the Lord will yet grant it unto you. Use the means of grace with a praying heart. It is free grace only when the Lord gives this, which means that the greatest of sinners can be saved. There is yet a people among us who are not strangers of the work of grace. May the Lord cause the Light to be seen, which is Christ. Of Him John has testified!

Rev. A.M. den Boer is pastor of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Sunnyside, Washington.

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