Spirit and Fire Friday 0595

Matthew 3:11 (NASB95) — 11 “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Is it such a humble state that John is looking at himself? To abase oneself can be as much of arrogance as looking too lofty upon oneself, but when comparing to one’s own self-worth to who and what God is, or the His son, then you have the right view of self.

When one was such a position to afford a slave or slaves. One of the duties of the slave was to see to the feet of the master. He would wash his master’s feet and he would also carry his masters’ sandals putting them on the feet of the master while the master attends to more important business.

You might not think that it is a big deal to take off one’s own shoes, but it is for my wife after going about her day walking about and sitting down.

John says here that he is not even worthy to be a slave to this one that is coming.

but He who is coming after me is mightier than I

Oh, would we be so much better off when we recognize the power of Jesus in our lives and over our lives?

2478 ἰσχυρός [ischuros /is·khoo·ros/] adj. From 2479; TDNT 3:397; TDNTA 378; GK 2708;

1. strong, mighty.

a. of living beings.

i. strong either in body or in mind.

ii. of one who has strength of soul to sustain the attacks of Satan, strong and therefore exhibiting many excellences.

Yes, Mightier. Who else could endure what Jesus had endured, all the way up to the Cross and then stand victoriously through it all?

John could not cause a storm to shut up on his command, turn water into wine or save one soul from going to hell.

So many bow arrogantly to their own strength. It is a fool who does not declare and surrender to the power of the mighty one for the protection and control over one’s life when it is He who instructs us

Matthew 11:28–30 (NASB95) — 28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Psalm 55:22 (NASB95) — 22 Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

John may be out there. He may be unusual. Even a sight to see. But do we judge John for his appearance or do we receive John for his message.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

John makes a differentiation between the two baptisms.

John’s baptism was a Baptism of repentance a cleaning of the conscience as one then is able to set their minds upon the kingdom and the receiving of the Messiah. In comparison to the time of Jacob when he was returning to Bethel (Genesis 35:1–4) after twenty years of the Land and returning to the place where he had first encountered the Lord and where the Lord entered Jacob into the covenant. Prior to coming the people gave the idols to Jacob and He hid them out of view. An act of leaving behind those things that the heart was attached to.

There was the washing of one’s garments prior to meeting the Lord at His mountain. ( Exodus 19:10-11)And other places to the required the washing of the body and garments that one would be consecrated in body and spirit to commune with the Lord.

The repentance that John did have its limitations. It stopped at that the conscience, but the baptism of Jesus would go to the soul

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Baptism once again means Identification with.

The clearest example that shows the meaning of baptizo is a text from the Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C. It is a recipe for making pickles and is helpful because it uses both words. Nicander says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be ‘dipped’ (bapto) into boiling water and then ‘baptised’ (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act of baptising the vegetable, produces a permanent change.When used in the New Testament, this word more often refers to our union and identification with Christ than to our water baptism. e.g. Mark 16:16. ‘He that believes and is baptised shall be saved’. Christ is saying that mere intellectual assent is not enough. There must be a union with him, a real change, like the vegetable to the pickle! Bible Study Magazine, James Montgomery Boice, May 1989.[1]

What was it that John is referring to in the meaning in the baptism of fire?

Was it referring to Israel as a nation and gleaning process of what will be accomplished in removing the unrepentant from there presence prior to entering into the Kingdom to fulfill the prophecy?

Joel 2:28–29 (NASB95) — 28 “It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. 29 “Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Malachi 3:2–3 (NASB95) — 2 “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 “He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness.

All will be baptized in such a case. One is either baptized in relation to God’s salvation. Or one is identified with Christ in his Judgment.

It is on the basis of the Righteousness that one is baptized by fire.

The nation of Israel received their baptism when they went through the red sea. The same water was the judgment against Pharoah and His armies.

And John goes on to speak of the willowing process

Matthew 3:12 (NASB95) — 12 “His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Or is the Fire the personal experience with the Holy Spirit as a refining cleansing of the heart burning out the impurities as is the process of Gold.

The people did receive the Holy Spirit but as individuals’ believers who walk according to the flesh quenches and grieves the Holy Spirit where would be little benefit as they are suppressing the ministry, the nation Israel who rejected Jesus have put the holy spirit on the shelf.

It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit that our lives are refined and purified for the purpose of entering His kingdom.

[1] Strong, J. (1995). In Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.

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