Baptizes with the Holy Ghost - John 1:33

John the apostle wrote how John the Baptist baptized people and was confronted by religious leaders, “in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John saw Jesus coming unto him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water And John bore record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him”, and in chapter one and verse thirty-three of his book, John shared how John the Baptist said, “he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending … the same is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost” where we read:

And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost.

The verse reads, “And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, ...” John began with the words, “And I knew him not” which means “and I, John the Baptist, did not perceived, noticed, discovered and discerned who Jesus was”: “but he that sent me” which means “however, nevertheless, notwithstanding and moreover the One who dispatched and assigned John the Baptist” “to baptize with water” or “to immerse and submerge in water”, “the same said unto me” which means “the selfsame One uttered, declared and proclaimed to John the Baptist” the following words. John the apostle shared how John the Baptist said he did not “perceive” who Jesus actually was but was notified by the “One” who dispatched him to “baptize” people with water by telling him the following words.

The verse goes on to say, “... Upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost.” John continued with the words, “Upon whom you shall see” which means “the One who you, John the Baptist, perceive and experience” “the Spirit” or “the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit who is coequal and coeternal with the Father and the Son” “descending” which means “coming down from the sky”, “and remaining on him” or “and abiding and tarrying on that One”, “the same is he” which means “the selfsame One is the person” “which baptizes with the Holy Ghost” or “who immerses and submerges people with the the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit who is coequal and coeternal with the Father and the Son”. John shared how John the Baptist said the “One” who sent him to “baptize” people told him whoever he saw the “Holy Spirit” coming down upon and staying upon was the “One” who would “baptize” people with “the Holy Spirit of God”.

When we consider John's words in this verse, we learn how John the Baptist was unaware of who Jesus was, but John had a sign that the “Holy Spirit” would “descend” and “remain” upon the chosen “One” of God. Jesus was God's Son who came in the flesh, and when this event transpired, John the Baptist recognized who Jesus really was. God's desire is to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus. God sent Jesus to the earth to die for the sins of the world so everyone who believes and trusts in Him as their “Lord and Savior” will be forgiven of their sins and receive everlasting life with God in Heaven. God showed John the Baptist that Jesus was His Messiah, and whoever will yield their life to Him shall be saved.

Next time John shares how John the Baptist says, “I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God”, 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".