Did John the Baptist doubt Jesus Christ?
Did John the Baptist doubt Jesus Christ?
Samuel Machado
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Matt 3:2
We all are clearly taught from the Scriptures on the role of John the Baptist's in preparing the way for the Lord.
We read about John's detailed birth and prophesies about his life in Luke Chapters one and two.
Also in the Gospel of Mark: "the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight'”
Mark 1:3
John the Baptist not only fulfilled it, but boldly conveyed to the religious system of his time that he is not the Messiah but he came to show Him.
Later we also see John the Baptist guiding his disciples to follow Jesus, the Messiah after the Baptism in Jordan where He identified Him as the Messiah.
Let's read: And the day after, Yohannan saw Yeshua Who came to him and Yohannan said:
“Behold, The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!”
John 1:29
Top of all, John had received a sign from the Father (God the Father) to identify the Messiah, Jesus Christ His Son:
"Suddenly, the heavens opened up for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him."
Matt 3:16
And when John saw the vision during the Baptism of JESUS in Jordan, He was thoroughly determined on Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God.
And from that moment on , He directed his disciples and the Israelites to Christ the Anointed One.
It all went well until then in John's perspective.
After a little more time, He was arrested and chained in prison by Herod.
"Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife."
Matt 14:3
John was locked indoors for his vibrant attack on Herod's sin.
But the reality was: God was bringing John's call to a close. He had done his part in the Kingdom.
And as John was stuck with no way out, He started to rig his brains.
Finally, We find John the baptist loosing his cool. He was doing fine in his call and purpose until he comes to this point.
John decided to send a delegation of disciples to JESUS for knowing; "Is He the Coming One?"
And Yohannan called two of his disciples, and he sent them to Yeshua and he said,
“Are you The One who was coming or are we waiting for another?”
Luke 7:19
What happened to John the Baptist?
Why did he doubt? Isn't he the one who identified the Messiah?
Don't he know that it was he who confessed that Jesus is the Messiah?
We can pose all sort of questions! Church.
But there will come a time in all our lives where we will be stuck like John.
Where God remains silent to test our hearts.
Where your thoughts and fears will flood your soul with anxiety and depression.
Like John the Baptist, we would make our own assumptions.
John thought Jesus was going to reign in the place of King David as promised in the Scriptures; by delivering the Israelites.
John staunchly believed, Jesus Christ was going to topple the Roman reign by his many wonders.
He should have painted the scenarios like Moses did to the Pharaoh and his army.
But it all didn't seem to happen.
He felt he made a mistake. Yes! he made a mistake by depending on his own understanding.
And many Christians do the same mistake!
Prov 3:5,6
Here John was in prison, without any hope of being delivered.
May be he even got frustrated that Jesus didn't pay him a visit in his life's toughest trial :).
We also like John have misunderstood our dear Lord many times.
It can be a prayer that went unanswered. It can be a person whom you wanted to marry but he left. The Lord didn't seem to intervene.
It can be anything. It can be a loss or a disease.
We don't know the whole picture. And we need not. All we need to know is: He is true and faithful. Romans 8:28, Gen 50:20
All we have to do it totally trust Him. Psalms 25:3
Like the Christians in Rome who denied denying Christ even when they were slaughtered.
Let's see what Jesus replied to John's disciples:
Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him,
“Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.
And then Jesus adds this remarkable statement:
"And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
Did you get it?
Jesus will never mean wrong to you even if you have misunderstood Him.
He is incredibly good.
All those lies that He has forgotten or forsaken you is a lie.
The Father of lies does it to remove you as he did to Adam and Eve.
Never give room for the deceiver. James 4:7
As Jesus said in Jeremiah 29:11; He has great plans for you. And He will never forsake you. Josh 1:5
All He expects is to see you trust and obey His word. Deut 28:1
And now see what Jesus told the crowd about the Baptist after the disciples left :
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John:
“What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing?
Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
What then did you go out to see? A prophet?
Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
Matt 11:2-11
This is he of whom it is written,
“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ Isaiah 40:3, Mal 3:1
Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.
Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
WOW! What a Commendation our Lord gave John who doubted him.
That is how good our God is!
HE knows your frailties and HE shows up.
HE will save you from all embarrassment you fear and all failures you dread.
He will make your name great when you truly humble yourself into His Mighty Hands.
He cannot help only those who are prideful and not turn to Him in faith.
God Bless You!
Shalom,
Sam Mac
Never doubt Him
Judges 6:24