The Jordan river, AD 29. John the Baptist was strongly calling all in the huge crowds who came to him that they needed a “mind-change immersion”. The people came, each with his or her own deep concern about the bad within them, in order to be immersed in river water because, in that way, they were able to indicate to all others their own sorrow for sin, their own need to be cleansed.
Unlike the other prominent leaders and teachers at that time (and today), John made it totally clear that he was unable to help them. “I myself indeed immerse you in water.” He could not change people inside.
But, like Christian churches today, John could point to a man who did have power to change people inside. He said, “In fact, the one mightier than I comes: he of whom I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He himself will immerse you in the Holy Spirit and fire.” Who was this?
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How would being immersed in “the Holy Spirit and fire” be “good news” for “the people”? Is immersion like marination? What is it like to receive from Jesus “the Holy Spirit and fire” actually within?
In fact, Herod the tetrarch, being convicted by him concerning Herodias, the wife of his brother, and concerning all the evil that Herod did, he also added this above all: he also locked down John in prison.
For some people, consciousness of evil within leads to opposition towards the one who has given rise to that consciousness of sin. Messages can either be listened to or “locked down”. Herod chose the latter.
Have you noticed that many notable people today lock down their sins rather than admit them? They lock down the evidence as well. Sometimes those in the know about our sins need to be permanently “locked down”. In the end, does that work? In the end?
It came to be in fact, during immersion of all the people - with Jesus having been immersed and praying heaven to be opened and the holy one, the spirit, to move down in physical appearance, like a dove – that upon him a voice came to be from heaven, “You yourself are my son, the beloved one; in you I delight.”
Having himself been immersed in water, Jesus was praying – praying for others to be greatly blessed from above by “the holy one, the spirit” coming upon them *in physical appearance like a dove”. Instead, rightly, the voice from heaven identified Jesus: “You yourself are my Son, the beloved one; in you I delight.” Son of God. Beloved son of God.
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And Jesus himself, at the beginning, was, as it were, thirty years, being a son (as he was regarded) of Joseph, he of Heli, of Matthat, of Levi, of Melchi, of Jannai, of Joseph, of Mattathias, of Amos, of Nahum, of Esli, of Naggai, of Maath, of Mattathias, of Semein, of Josech, of Joda, of Joanan, of Rhesa, of Zerubbabel, of Shealtiel, of Neri, of Melchi, of Addi, of Cosam, of Elmadam, of Er, of Joshua, of Eliezer, of Jorim, of Matthat, of Levi, of Simeon, of Judah, of Joseph, of Jonam, of Eliakim, of Melea, of Menna, of Mattatha, of Nathan, of David, of Jesse, of Obed, of Boaz, of Sala, of Nahshon, Amminadab, of Admin, of Arni, of Hezron, of Perez, of Judah, of Jacob, of Isaac, of Abraham, of Terah, of Nahor, of Serug, of Reu, of Peleg, of Eber, of Shelah, of Cainan, of Arphaxad, of Shem, of Noah, of Lamech, of Methuselah, of Enoch, of Jared, of Mahalaleel, of Cainan, of Enos, of Seth, of Adam, of God.
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