Lesson#02

PARABLES OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
LESSON #02
THE PARABLE OF VALLEYS AND MOUNTAINS (LUKE 3:4-6)

• MEMORY VERSE: LUKE 3:6

• WHO WAS JOHN THE BAPTIST?
• THE NAME, JOHN, WAS A VERY COMMON NAME, AND THERE ARE MANY IN THE BIBLE. THEREFORE, TO DISTINGUISH THIS JOHN FROM THE DISCIPLE JOHN, HE IS ALWAYS CALLED JOHN THE BAPTIST BECAUSE OF HIS MINISTRY IN BAPTIZING PENITENT BELIEVERS.
• HE WAS BORN ABOUT 7 BC AND RECEIVED HIS CALL TO BE A PROPHET ABOUT 27 AD. HE WAS OLDER THAN JESUS.
• HE WAS A PROPHET APPOINTED BY GOD TO POINT THE WAY TO JESUS CHRIST.
• HE LIVED AND DRESSED LIKE AN OLD TESTAMENT PROPHET TO CALL ATTENTION TO HIS MESSAGE.
• HE WAS A LEVITE FROM THE PRIESTLY TRIBE.
• HE WAS A BLOOD RELATIVE OF JESUS.
• JESUS’ MOTHER, MARY, AND JOHN THE BAPTIST’S MOTHER, ELIZABETH WERE COUSINS (KINSWOMEN).
• JESUS AND JOHN THE BAPTIST WERE SECOND COUSINS.

• JOHN RECOGNIZED JESUS FOR WHO HE WAS. (JOH 1:29-30)
• HIS CONCEPTION OF JESUS WAS SUPERNATURALLY GIVEN. (LUK 1:18)
• GOD GAVE SPECIFIC PROPHECIES OF JOHN’S LIFE AND HIS WORK:
• ISA 40:3-5 MAL 3:1 LUK 1:15-17, 76-79
• JOHN’S NAME WAS DIVINELY CHOSEN (LUK 1:63).
• JOHN’S TIME OF MINISTRY WAS VERY SHORT, ONLY ABOUT 6 MONTHS.
• JEWISH LEADERS FEARED JOHN BECAUSE THE PEOPLE LIKED HIM. (JOH 1:22-23)
• JOHN’S NAME CAUSED KING HEROD TO TREMBLE. (MAT 14:2)
• HE WAS A HUMBLE MAN WHO PAID WITH HIS LIFE FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREACHING THE TRUTH. KING HEROD BEHEADED JOHN, BUT HIS INFLUENCE LIVED ON. (MAT 16:13,14)
• JESUS SAID THAT THERE WAS NO GREATER PROPHET THAN JOHN. (LUK 7:28)

• THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JOHN’S TEACHINGS:
• IN THE TEACHINGS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST WE HAVE PRACTICALLY ALL THE MAJOR ARTICLES OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH ON WHICH MAJOR CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES ARE BASED.
• FOR EXAMPLE:
• THE PRE-EXISTENCE OF JESUS CHRIST (JOH 1:15 JOH 3:28-31)
• JESUS’ SACRIFICE AS AN ATONEMENT FOR SIN ( JOH 1:29, 36)
• THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST (JOH 1:34 JOH 3:28-31)
• THE EXISTENCE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD (MAT 3:2)
• THE EXISTENCE OF SIN (JOH 1:29)
• THE NEED FOR REPENTANCE (MAT 3:11)
• BAPTISM IN WATER (MAT 3:11)
• BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT (MAT 3:11)
• CONFESSION OF FAITH
• WITH JOHN THE BAPTIST, WE HAVE A DIVIDING OF HISTORY. HE MARKED THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA.
• READ MAT 11:13 AND LUK 16:16
• IT WAS THE END OF THE TIME OF THE PROPHETS, JOHN BEING THE LAST OF THE OLD TESTAMENT TYPE PROPHETS.
• IT WAS A NEW ERA OF GRACE INSTEAD OF LAW.

• BACKGROUND DEFINITIONS FOR UNDERSTANDING THE PARABLE:
• THE USE OF THE TERMS, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND KINGDOM OF GOD:
• FOR MANY THEOLOGIANS, THE USE OF THE TERMS KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND KINGDOM OF GOD ARE INTERCHANGEABLE, BUT SOME SEE A DIFFERENCE.
• THE BOOK OF MATTHEW, WRITTEN TO THE JEWS, USES THE TERM, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
• THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN REFERS TO GOD’S RULERSHIP OVER THE WHOLE EARTH. IT OCCURS IN THE BOOK OF MATTHEW BECAUSE GOD PROMISED THE JEWS THAT A DECENDANT OF DAVID WOULD RULE OVER AN EARTHLY KINGDOM.
• REMEMBER THE MODEL PRAYER JESUS TAUGHT THE DISCIPLES:
• THY KINGDOM COME. THY WILL BE DONE AS IN HEAVEN SO IN EARTH.” (LUK 11:2)

• THE BOOKS OF MARK AND LUKE, WRITTEN TO GENTILES, SPEAK OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
• THE KINGDOM OF GOD REFERS TO A BROADER RULERSHIP OF GOD OVER THE WHOLE UNIVERSE.
• THE WORD FOR “KINGDOM” MEANS = A KINGLY RULE; SOVEREIGNTY; OR REIGN.
• THE FOCUS OF THE WORD, KINGDOM, IS ON THE RULER RATHER THAN ANY PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHICAL AREA OF THE KINGDOM.
• THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS THE INTERJECTION OF GOD’S RULE INTO THE LIVES OF MANKIND. (MAT 6:10)
• A KINGDOM HAS A KING, JESUS CHRIST. (MAT 27:37 REV 17:14)
• THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS EMBODIED IN JESUS CHRIST SO THAT WHEREVER THE KING IS THERE HIS KINGDOM IS.
• JOHN THE BAPTIST SAID THE KINGDOM WAS AT HAND BECAUSE JESUS WAS COMING ON THE SCENE OF HUMAN HISTORY. (MAT 3:1,2 MAT 4:17)

• THE PRESENT ASPECT OF THE KINGDOM:
• THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN BELIEVERS TODAY. (COL 1:12,13 HEB 12:28)
• THE FUTURE ASPECT OF THE KINGDOM:
• THE KINGDOM OF GOD WILL FILL THE EARTH WHEN JESUS CHRIST RETURNS AT THE SECOND COMING TO SET UP HIS KINGDOM FOR 1,000 YEARS. THE BELIEVERS WILL RULE AND REIGN WITH HIM FOR 1,000 YEARS. (2TIM 4:1 JAM 2:5)
• THE ETERNAL ASPECT OF THE KINGDOM:
• THE KINGDOM OF GOD WILL ENDURE FOREVER IN ETERNITY WHERE CHRIST WILL RULE AND BELIEVERS WILL LIVE WITH HIM ETERNALLY. (REV 12:10 REV 21)
• TO BECOME PART OF THE KINGDOM: (MAR 1:15 ROM 10:9-13)
• REPENTANCE: (ROM 2:4)
• A PERSON MUST REPENT. THE WORD MEANS TO TURN IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OR TO RETURN; A RADICAL TRANSFORMATION OF THOUGHT, DIRECTION, ATTITUDE, ACTION, OUTLOOK. (ROM 2:4)
• IT IS NOT A CHANGING OF THE MIND AND NOT A TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF. (GAL 2:20)
• INHERENT IN THE MEANING OF THE WORD IS A GRIEF AND HATRED FOR SIN (2COR 7:10)
• THERE IS NO SALVATION APART FROM REPENTANCE. (2COR 7:10)
• SALVATION: (ROM 1:16-17)
• THE WORD, SALVATION, MEANS = HEALTH, HELP, BREADTH, EASE, SAFETY, CURE, RECOVERY, REDEMPTION, REMEDY, RESCUE, WELFARE, PROSPERITY, DELIVERANCE OR PRESERVATION FROM DANGER OR DISEASE. (2TIM 3:15 ROM 1:16)
• IN OTHER WORDS, SALVATION INVOLVES EVERYTHING THAT MAN NEEDS BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT.

• THE PARABLE OF VALLEYS AND MOUNTAINS (LUK 3:4-6)
• READ THE PROPHECY IN ISA 40:3-5.
• FOR THE CONTEXT OF THE PARABLE, READ LUK 3:4-14
• WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE MESSAGE? (LUK 3:4-6)
• JOHN THE BAPTIST HAD A SPECIAL MISSION FROM GOD TO USHER IN A NEW ERA IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD THROUGH THE REMISSION OF SIN.
• THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS THE RULERSHIP OF THE GOD OF HEAVEN OVER ALL THE EARTH INCLUDING IN MEN’S HEARTS.
• MAN GAVE HIS DOMINION OVER THE EARTH TO SATAN IN GEN 3. NOW GOD IS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING IT BACK.

• TO WHOM WAS THE PARABLE SPOKEN?
• IT WAS SPOKEN TO THE JEWS OF THE TIME, BOTH TO THE LEADERSHIP AND TO THE COMMON PEOPLE.

• WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF JOHN’S MINISTRY?
• JOHN WAS TO MAKE THE HARDENED AND APATHETIC HEART AWARE OF SIN, CALL PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE, SO WHEN JESUS CAME, THEY COULD BE FORGIVEN.
• ON WHAT DID JOHN’S HEARERS BASE THEIR SALVATION? (LUK 3:8)
• PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY WERE SAVED BECAUSE THEY WERE DESCENDED FROM ABRAHAM. (GAL 3:6-14, 26-29)
• WHAT DID JOHN SAY WAS THE REAL TEST OF SALVATION? (LUK 3:8, 10-14)
• REPENTANCE THAT GAVE EVIDENCE OF A CHANGED LIFE.
• WHO IS THE “ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS”? (LUK 3:4)
• JOHN THE BAPTIST.
• WHAT IS THE “WAY OF THE LORD”? (LUK 3:4)
• THE WAY OF THE LORD, OR THE WILL OF GOD, IS THAT ALL WILL COME TO KNOW THE LORD AND BE IN HIS KINGDOM. (1TIM 2:3-6)
• WHAT DOES “HIS PATHS MADE STRAIGHT” MEAN? (LUK 3:4)
• ALL OBSTACLES MUST BE REMOVED THAT IMPEDE THE COMING OF CHRIST AND THE SETTING UP OF HIS KINGDOM INSIDE A PERSON’S HEART.
• WHAT ARE SOME OF THESE OBSTACLES?
• PRIDE
• SIN
• STUBORNNESS.
• WHAT DOES IT MEAN, “EVERY VALLEY SHALL BE FILLED”? (LUK 3:5)
• BECAUSE ALL MANKIND IS UNDER THE CURSE OF SIN, MAN’S CONDITION IS ONE OF A LOW ESTATE.
• THIS REFERS TO THE LIFTING UP OF THE SIN DEPRAVED SPIRIT OF MAN, FILLING IN THAT GOD-SHAPED VACUUM WITHIN EACH HEART.
• AN ATTITUDE OF HUMILITY IN REPENTANCE IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN BE LIFTED UP.
• WHAT DOES IT MEAN “EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL SHALL BE BROUGHT LOW”? (LUK 3:5)
• MAN’S PRIDE IS HIS HIGH MOUNTAIN.
• THE PHARISEES ARE THE EXAMPLE OF PRIDE THAT HAS HARDENED MAN’S HEART.
• THOSE WHO ARE PROUD AND THINK THEY CAN HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH THEIR OWN GOOD WORKS OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL BE DEVASTATED WHEN THEY STAND BEFORE GOD IN THE FINAL JUDGMENT AND CHRIST SAYS, “I NEVER KNEW YOU.”
• WHAT DOES IT MEAN “THE CROOKED SHALL BE MADE STRAIGHT”? (LUK 3:5)
• THE HYPOCRISY AND CORRUPT WAYS OF THE RELIGIOUS HIERARCHY OF JUDAISM AT THAT TIME WILL DISCOVER THEY DON’T HAVE THE ANSWER OF MAN’S ACCESS TO GOD.
• WHAT DOES IT MEAN “THE ROUGH WAYS SHALL BE MADE SMOOTH”? (LUK 3:5)
• THE WAY TO GOD IS EASY, BUT MAN MAKES IT DIFFICULT WITH RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS THAT HIDE THE TRUTH. (ISA 57:12-15)
• WHO IS “ALL FLESH”? (LUK 3:6)
• THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS FOR ALL JEWS AND ALL GENTILES WHO COME BY REPENTANCE FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN.

HOMEWORK
THE PARABLE OF AXES AND TREES (MAT 3:10)
THE PARABLE OF THE VIPERS AND THEIR OFFSPRING (MAT 3:7)
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF LUK 3:4-6
• WHAT OBSTACLES EXIST IN YOUR HEART AND LIFE THAT KEEP YOU FROM COMING TO THE LORD OR FROM GROWING IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST? FOR EXAMPLE, LACK OF REPENTANCE, PRIDE, SIN, ETC.?

• PREPARATION FOR THE PARABLE OF AXES AND TREES (MAT 3:10) AND THE PARABLE OF THE VIPERS AND THEIR OFFSPRING (MAT 3:7)
• FOR CONTEXT OF THE PARABLES, READ MAT 3:1-11 AND LUK 3:1-16
• TO WHOM WERE THE TWO PARABLES SPOKEN? 

• THE PARABLE OF AXES AND TREES (MAT 3:10)
• WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE?

• WHAT IS THE MEANINING OF THE “AX LAID TO THE ROOT OF THE TREES”?

• WHAT ARE THE TREES THAT DO NOT BRING FORTH GOOD FRUIT?

• WHAT IS THE FIRE?

• THE PARABLE OF THE VIPERS AND THEIR OFFSPRING (MAT 3:7 LUK 3:7)
• WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THIS PARABLE?
• READ MAT 7:15-20

• WHO IS THE GENERATION OF VIPERS?

• WHAT IS THE WRATH TO COME?

• MEMORY VERSE: LEARN AS MUCH OF PSALM 1 AS YOU CAN.