Waiting for the Judge
For Meditation
Almost no one is a better example of waiting for Jesus than his cousin, John the Baptist. Prophesied of by the prophet Isaiah, John lived a life of complete sacrifice, a reclusive life, away from the everyday life of his people. He ate locusts, honey, lived in the desert, dressed in camel’s hair, and spent most of his time preaching. Even for the cultural setting of the Bible, John was pretty weird.
John’s eccentricities must not have been too off-putting because he attracted quite a following. People from all over the region were coming to hear about the coming kingdom from the peculiar preacher in the desert. He eventually caught the attention of the religious elite, who showed up to hear his messages as well.
John’s reaction to the gatekeepers of the faith might well have been shocking to onlookers, or it might have been right in line with the perspective of most people. In any case John points to Jesus’ role in discerning truth and falsehood, true believer and hypocrite, and light and dark. The one for whom John has been waiting and preparing will come as the Righteous Judge.
Where are the places in our hearts, lives, and homes that we need to allow the True Judge to exercise his lordship? Let’s prepare ourselves for the truth of Jesus to discern our thoughts, intentions, and motivations.
Matthew 3:1-12
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”