John 1:15, John the Witness

15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'")

John’s prophetic ministry was unique in two important ways. First, it ended the four-hundred-year silence from God who last spoke through the prophet Malachi (4:2, 5): “But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings . . . Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.” God’s Word was being heard in the land again.

Second, John prepared the people for that awesome day to come after his ministry. His preparation included downplaying his ministry, which was powerful and popular, because his job was to point to the Messiah, who was before him temporally as the eternal Word and positionally as God himself. As Jesus said, “the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve.” John had a similar service mission, preparing the land of Israel for its coming Messiah. Neither John nor Jesus came in great power or might but as servants of God to bring light to people dwelling in darkness.

John the baptizer’s mission was to reveal Jesus Christ to the Jewish nation by bearing witness, and Jesus continues to call all who believe in him to bear witness. Ask the Father to strengthen you today to bear witness to his Son.