The Messiah Manifested

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · May 14, 1908

The Messiah Manifested

In the Sabbath-school lesson for May 23, the general subject, “The Work of John the Baptist,” is continued; and in connection with it we will consider the second phase of the Baptist’s work; namely, his witness to the fact that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Messiah, the Saviour of the world.

In the prophecy of Isaiah, the message of John the Baptist is summed up in the two contrasted statements, “All flesh is grass,” and, “Behold your God.” In interpreting this message, and in applying it to the circumstances of his time, John the Baptist did not quote the exact words of Isaiah, but he brought home to the hearts of the people those principles of truth in a way to impress upon them their need of a Saviour, and to direct their faith to that Saviour manifested in their midst. Thus he prepared the way of the Lord.

The expectations of the people had been aroused to the highest pitch by the teaching of the priests, who had so perverted the prophecies concerning the advent of the Messiah as to make them teach the coming of a political deliverer, and the message of John the Baptist was therefore not in harmony with the spirit of the times. He rebuked the sin and formalism of both priests and people, and boldly said to those people whose greatest pride it was that they were descendants of Abraham, and therefore heirs of the covenant blessings, “Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And even now the ax lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

But the message of John did not consist simply in a rebuke; having declared unto them their need of help, he pointed out that help in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Among those who had gathered to listen to the prophet of the wilderness came one from Nazareth, who was known simply as the son of Joseph and Mary. To him the Baptist directed the attention of the wondering people in these words: “Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!” These words conveyed a wonderful meaning to those familiar with the services of the sanctuary. Repeatedly had they brought to the temple a lamb, upon whose head they had confessed their guilt, and now the true meaning of this ceremony was unfolded to them by the words of John. The type was now giving way to the antitype. The true sacrifice was about to be offered, and the new and living way through the veil was about to be consecrated.

From the time that the gospel was first proclaimed in Eden, in the promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head, the revelation of divinity in humanity had been set forth in type and in prophecy as the basis of hope. Jacob had declared:—

“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh come; And unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be.”

Through Isaiah the prophetic word had been uttered: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Jeremiah had testified: “Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king, and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness.” The definite time of this manifestation had been made known through Daniel, the prophet, in these words: “Know therefore and discern, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the anointed one, the prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks.” Now the fulness of time had come, the mystery of godliness was revealed, God was manifested in the flesh; and to this wonderful fulfilment of the divine purpose John the Baptist bore testimony by interpreting the message of Isaiah, “Behold, your God,” into the declaration “Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!” It was not to the revelation of the power of God in nature that John directed attention, but to the manifestation of God himself in the flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the efficacious sacrifice for sin, the Saviour of the world. His message was a specific one, which he did not dissipate into glittering generalities nor pervert into a pantheistic philosophy, but presented as a direct testimony to the manifestation of a personal God.

The work of John the Baptist in preparing the way for the first advent of our Lord, was typical of the work to be done in preparing the way for the second advent, and the same principles of truth, based upon the same prophecy of Isaiah, are to be proclaimed again to the people. John the Baptist so interpreted the words, “Behold, your God,” that they revealed the Saviour of the world in the very place where he then was in the fulfilment of the prophecies concerning his work. In the same way, this same message is to be interpreted in our time so that it will reveal the Saviour of the world where he now is in fulfilment of

the prophecies concerning his present work. Then Jesus of Nazareth was pointed out, a man among men, as the Lamb of God, the divine Sacrifice. Now the same message, rightly interpreted, will point him out as our great High Priest in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, engaged in the final work of atonement before laying aside his priestly robes to be revealed in the clouds of heaven as King of kings and Lord of lords.

As in John’s day the true Saviour from sin had been hidden from the people’s eyes, and a round of forms and ceremonies had taken the place of saving faith, so that confidence in the flesh and self-salvation were the main features of their religion, so it is to-day; and there is the same need as in John’s time that a voice should be lifted up with strength, proclaiming, “All flesh is grass,” “Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.” This is the very essence of the third angel’s message,—a message of righteousness by faith which will reveal Jesus as our great High Priest in the closing work of his ministry. This is “the everlasting gospel” which is to be proclaimed in this generation “unto every nation and tribe and tongue and people.”