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My mind has been struggling to stay focused on one thing these last couple of weeks and I’ve found myself missing the Lovely Ladies I studied with for so many years. I was reminded of them again this morning when The Upper Room took me to Matthew 3:1-12; John the Baptist Prepares the Way.

For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.” – Matthew 3:3

A voice is calling in the wilderness, “Clear the way of Yahweh! Make a highway smooth in the desert for our God!” – Isaiah 40:3

One of the studies I led was on the book of Isaiah and it was a hard one. Although I’m sure I was able to store several nuggets in the vault, I’m also sure I would epically fail a pop quiz if presented today. Isaiah was a prophet so he not only wrote about what was happening at that time, but he also prophesied about things to come. He was warning His people. The New Testament fulfills those prophecies which makes it helpful when you learn the writings in both Testaments.

….. and they were baptized by him (John) in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. – Matthew 3:6

My eyes moved over to the footnotes for 3:6, curious about whether or not anybody had been baptized before, a question I remember from the past, but I can’t pull the answer from the vault. There it was suggested that baptisms were derived from the Jewish custom of ritual washings. Jewish baptisms we’re intended to signify spiritual cleansing; John’s baptisms are depicted as preparations for the coming of the Messiah.

The word “baptisms” in the footnote was blue which signified I could find further information if I clicked on it ….. and of course I did. “Though several allusions to baptism exist in the Old Testament, baptism is primarily a New Testament concept.”

His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. – Matthew 3:12

In the book of Ruth we also learn about winnowing: So then, is not Boaz our kinsman whose maidservants you were with? Look, he is winnowing the barley at the threshing floor tonight.” The footnote says, “This image (winnowing) shows that there is nothing arbitrary about judgement: The good, solid grain falls to the threshing floor, while the dry, empty chaff is blown away.” (see Isaiah 64:6)

I hope when it’s time for our winnowing, I’m found to be solid grain. Matthew tells us in today’s reading that the chaff will burn with unquenchable fire. Unquenchable. Fire.

I’ll never forget the moment I realized John wasn’t a Baptist. That earth quaking realization came when some study or some Bible version referred to him as “John the Baptizer”.