St. John the Baptist, Leonardo da Vinci. Perhaps the most famous depiction, includes a cross made of reeds to reflect the words of Jesus, and camel’s hair garment, pointing to Jesus. Depictions often include a lamb, or the latin “Ecce Agnus dei “, “behold the lamb of God, who takes aways the sins of men”.
Americans have come to an almost cult like worship of freedom. Due to the misleading history of our founding we have set up rebellion as a national tradition. No one will tell us what to do. Though many today want only the freedom and glory without the responsibility. They want to make their own decisions and then have someone else to blame for all the problems. This will soon lead to a despot. as is usually the case. But for the time being we have very little respect for authority, and certainly not a king. We like to think of our President as something entirely different than a king. But this is mostly foolish. Most kings of the past would never dare to control the private lives of it’s people as our modern presidents do. Many Americans do view their President as the people viewed the kings of old. They look to him as a provider and protector.
We tend to look at the Old Testament king as a judgement to Israel, because of our dislike for kings. Saul was a problem only because the people wanted a king like the other nations I Samuel 8:20, the problem was not the office. God made provision for a king in the law long before Saul Deuteronomy 17:14-20. A king was always God’s plan. So, God comes to his people as a king and tells them he has the right to rule them because he has provided for them, he has protected them. God wanted to be their king, and he had a legitimate claim to rule because he had earned it by taking responsibility for them. This is how humble leadership works, it takes responsibility and thereby earns authority. God does not ask for blind faith. He first proves himself by mighty works and then asks us to trust him because he has proven faithful. There are many examples of this in Scripture. All throughout the Old Testament law God reiterates that “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery”. Then he goes on to give them law. He is basically saying ‘you can trust that my law will be a blessing, because I have blessed you in the past’. Exodus 20:2, Leviticus 22:33, Numbers 15:41 This is why we are continually told to remember the works of God.
It is really not that much different today. We elect politicians who we think will do good things for us. Unfortunately they are often just sophists who have no past accomplishments to point to, other than getting elected. We stupidly take their word for it and get fooled time and again. In the last election Romney came to the people and told how he fixed many broken companies, he cleaned up the 1998 Olympics, and so he though he had earned the right to rule. But we chose the person with no history of success. We chose a worse president than many peoples who chose kings of old. The king must serve.
Birth of St. John the Baptist, Luca Giordano c. 1680
Now a man’s testimony about his past acomplishments is valid. But what is more powerful is testimony from a third party. And so our politicians have many people who speak on their behalf, telling of their past deeds or more commonly how they will make the oceans calm and bring peace and unity to all. These are like the heralds of old, this is John the Baptist. This over the top clip illustrates the duty of a herald in medieval England, but it is not much different from all times and places. Great kings have others speak for them, running ahead to tell of their glorious deeds and virtue. And God did not shy away from the occasion, he sent a herald, chosen before he was born. A herald that was so special he had his own herald, an angel of the Lord. Luke 1:11-25 And he had his own miraculous birth, not the birth from a virgin but a birth from a woman probably in menopaus. This would immediately invoke the promise made to Abraham and Sarah. This was a big deal, the biggest deal on the planet, ever.
So it might take a little imagination to prepare out minds for the message this herald delivered. The Jewish people had been almost 400 years without a word from God. Then this man appears in the wilderness and people start flocking to him. John 1 tells us the religious leaders noticed and sent messengers to question him. His message is simple repent and be baptized, for the Messiah is coming. The king is coming, get ready. Then shortly there after another man, Jesus, goes about performing miracles, which had not been done for 800 years. Then the two come together and then there is a voice from heaven and the Holy Spirit descending. Then Jesus goes about providing healthcare and food for everyone who walks around with him. He takes responsibility for them, without asking anything of them. He has power over even the demons. The religious leaders aren’t even able to stand up to him much less stop him. Who wouldn’t want to make this man king? Sadly many of the Jews did not.
Preaching of John the Baptist, Bartholomeus Breenbergh c. 1634
Mark begins his gospel connecting the 40th chapter of Isaiah with John the Baptist. This is not just a convenient phrase adapted for this situation. This should bring the whole force of Isaiah to bear on this situation. This chapter is a major turing point in the book. In the previous 39 chapter the prophet Isaiah has detailed the impending destruction of Israel. They will be carried off to Babylon. Babylon had special connotation for the people of Israel. This became the typological name for the wicked city of Man. We see this immagery first in the tower of Bable Genesis 10, 11 and finally in Revelation 14:8, 18:1-21 At the time of John the Baptist’s ministry, Israel was under another Babylon, the Roman Empire. The Jewish people longed to be free of their opressor. Then in Chapter 40 Isaiah details the promises of future restoration. God’s people will be freed from Babylon and restored to the land. It all begins in the wilderness, which also had special meaning for the people of Israel. But by including Malachi 3 Mark shows us they type of restoration, it will be a refinement by fire.
Where a herald runs out before the king, a minstrel follows him weaving his great deeds into grand poems sung for generations. There is a sense in which this is our job as Christians. We should often sing the praises of our great God and king. We can recount his works told to us by the testimony of Scripture, as well as the great works he has done in our own life. And by carrying this good news to the peoples of our neighborhood and our world we become the heralds of our Lord’s return. For the trumpet will sound and our Lord will return.
Silly Minstrels
Further listening here.