Rather than the attire of the religious leadership of that day, John showed up wearing clothing similar to the prophets of old and with similar, in many ways, mannerisms.  Now it had been several centuries since the last prophet so the people took notice and they were flocking out to see and hear the one true God of Father Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s special messenger.

It is clear that the ministry of John was quite effective because the people flocked out to listen to him and submit to his call for baptism.  He was living his message 24/7.  He was not one of the Sabbath day saints that shed his saintliness during the rest of the week when it might interfere with his “secular” business dealings.  He was not one of those who, after saying his prayers, would engage in activities that would not be approved by the Messiah as revealed in the Holy Bible and honorably spoken of by the Quran.  Messiah Jesus is the holy one of the one true God who is the God of Father Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

John told people things that they knew in their innermost being that God desires of all of us and he had the voice of authenticity closely coupled to consistency.

The people, interestingly enough, also had a saying “If Israel would only keep the law of God perfectly for one day the kingdom of God would come.”  So when John recommended real repentance he was confronting them all with a decision that they already knew, within their innermost being, they ought to make.  The law of the God of Father Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is found in the al kitab ul muqaddas and it is clarified by Jesus in the Injil.  If Muslims would follow Messiah’s law, even if for only one day then true peace would reign throughout the world because Messiah’s law is the law of life.

Injil Markus 1:7  And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

This is, of course, the Messiah for whom John was preparing the people to receive, Jesus of Nazareth who was born in Bethlehem and was the Messiah, the holy one sent by the one true God to show us the true path of righteousness.  Although His followers have made mistakes, Messiah never did.

John was a humble person who was quietly being in alignment with the character of God.  It is quite safe to say, he was not illiterate as some have tried to suggest.  His credentials included being an Essene – those are the people who are responsible for what we call “The Dead Sea Scrolls.”

John had somehow avoided being indoctrinated into the Pharisaic mindset and stayed true to the message God desired that he should bring.  Still, John felt himself unworthy of even the lowest position in the Messiah’s Kingdom.  It is an interesting fact of life that the most eminent of saints of the one true God tend to be the most humble.

It is when we recognize our need of the one true God’s divine light and His empowerment that He begins to pour out on us that which we need to more fully act accurately on His behalf in this world.  The God of Father Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is close, not to hurt or harm us but because He truly cares about us.  The one true God loves you and wants you to know that, which is why He sent Messiah.

–Pastor Ward Clinton