John the apostle shared how Jesus told Nicodemus, “as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up. That whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God”, and in chapter three and verse twenty-two of his book, John wrote, “after these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea” where we read:
After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea;
and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
The verse reads, “After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea;” John began with the words, “after these things” which means “following Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus” “came Jesus” or “arose and appeared Jesus whose name means Jehovah is Salvation and is the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate” “and his disciples” which means “and Jesus' students, pupils and attendants” “into the land of Judaea” or “into the arable land, ground, country and region belonging to the Jewish nation in respect to birth, origin and religion”. John shared how “Jesus and His disciples” were on the move again as they journeyed to the “region of Judaea”.
The verse continues, “and there he tarried with them, and baptized.” John added the words, “and there he tarried with them” which means “and in Judaea Jesus stayed and continued with His disciples”, “and baptized” or “and submerged and immersed people in water”. John shared how Jesus and His disciples “baptized” people while they were in the land of Judaea.
When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we discover Jesus and His disciples traveling again as they entered the “land of Judaea”. While they were there, Jesus' “disciples” began to “baptize” people like John the Baptist. (John 4:2 tells us Jesus did not baptize people, but His disciples did). The Kingdom of God was at hand, and the Messiah Jesus was now among the people. The message was, “repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”, and those who desired to have their lives changed turned to God through this teaching. Those who are wise will follow this example and submit themselves to Jesus who came to be the “Savior and Lord” of the world.
Next time John shares how, “John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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