John The Baptist Spring

Today I walked where the prophets walked. The bus trip from our hotel in Amman to the Jordan River took us on a descent to the Jordan Valley. As we descended the mountain we could see the Dead Sea, the mountains surrounding the east side of Jerusalem and the city of Jericho. We traveled to Elijah’s hill on the east side of the Jordan River.

2 Kings Chapter 2

Elijah Taken into Heaven

When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal. ² And Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Bethel.”

But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you!” So they went down together to Bethel.

³ The group of prophets from Bethel came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”

“Of course I know,” Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.”

⁴ Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Jericho.”

But Elisha replied again, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together to Jericho.

⁵ Then the group of prophets from Jericho came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”

“Of course I know,” Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.”

⁶ Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to the Jordan River.”

But again Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together.

⁷ Fifty men from the group of prophets also went and watched from a distance as Elijah and Elisha stopped beside the Jordan River. ⁸ Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The river divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground!

⁹ When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.”

And Elisha replied, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor.”

¹⁰ “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah replied. “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won’t.”

¹¹ As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven. ¹² Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” And as they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his clothes in distress.

¹³ Elisha picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen when he was taken up. Then Elisha returned to the bank of the Jordan River. ¹⁴ He struck the water with Elijah’s cloak and cried out, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” Then the river divided, and Elisha went across.

I was standing on the west side of the Jordan, Elijah’s hill. The place where he was taken to heaven. The land of Moab.

This is also the place of John the Baptist.

Mark Chapter 1

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.* It began ² just as the prophet Isaiah had written:

“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,

and he will prepare your way.*

³ He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!

Clear the road for him!’* ”

⁴ This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. ⁵ All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. ⁶ His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.

⁷ John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. ⁸ I baptize you with* water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”

As Elijah was so was John the Baptist

The Testimony of John the Baptist

¹⁹ This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants* from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” ²⁰ He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.”

²¹ “Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”

“No,” he replied.

“Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”*

“No.”

²² “Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”

²³ John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah:

“I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,

‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’ ”*

²⁴ Then the Pharisees who had been sent ²⁵ asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”

²⁶ John told them, “I baptize with* water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. ²⁷ Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”

²⁸ This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.

It all comes together in my mind now. When people asked John if he was Elijah it was a natural question. He was ministering on Elijah’s hill. The place where Elijah was taken to heaven. The people believed that Elijah would come again. And Jesus later told the people that in fact the spirit of Elijah was in John the Baptist.

This is a real place. This is a real story. The accounts that I read and believed as a matter of faith are on a firm foundation.

The terrain is filled with hills, but there are springs. making this a perfect place for one who would baptize.

This is Moab just out of reach of the officials of the day, here is the place where John could speak freely. When given the chance to build his own following, he chose obedience. When John’s followers asked about the increased popularity of Jesus, John humbly said: “He must increase and I must decrease.”