promise given to Abraham, and likewise of His prophecies committed to holy men
of God, we ought to be able to find preparation being made for it. In ancient times,
when kings and rulers would travel to distant places, they would send harbingers
before them to announce their impending arrival. If these kings and rulers were
really prestigious, there would be those who would literally flatten the path they
would be taking. Such is no less true with respect to the great "King of kings and
Lord of lords" (I Tim. 6:15). According to the Bible, the work of preparing both the
people and the path for Christ was assigned to John the Baptist.
Despite the fact that the Jewish nation anxiously awaited the day in which the
Messiah would come and deliver them from their oppressor, they would nonetheless
not be ready for His arrival when He finally came. Consequently, it was the duty of
the great harbinger of Christ, John the Baptist, to "turn the hearts of the fathers to
the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people
prepared for the Lord" (Lk. 1:17). He prepared the people by preaching and teaching,
giving them "knowledge of salvation" (Lk. 1:77), and saying "repent ye, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:2). The people desperately needed to dispose
of the vain traditions and wicked deeds that so deeply obscured their spiritual sight.
The Pharisees and Sadducees had for too long abandoned pure and undefiled
religion, causing the people to "sit in darkness and in the shadow of death" (Lk.
1:79). The people needed a guide, and Jesus needed a smooth path. Accordingly, it
was both foretold and fulfilled that a guide would be given and the path would be
made smooth. Isaiah spoke of the "voice of him that crieth in the wilderness", saying
"prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God"
(Isa. 40:3ff). It is certainly not without significance that John the Baptist was one
who came "preaching in the wilderness of Judea" in an effort to point the people to
the Christ (cf. John 3:28-36), thus fulfilling many of heaven's prophecies.
After John the Baptist had finished his work, anticipation for the coming kingdom
began to increase among the people. When the Lord finally appeared on the scene,
preaching and teaching the gospel of the kingdom, this anticipation in no way
dwindled. However, His message, particularly concerning the kingdom, was
remarkably similar to John the Baptist's. He preached: "The time is fulfilled, and the
kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mk. 1:15). Thus, near
the beginning of the earthly ministry of Christ, the kingdom was still not in
existence. In fact, throughout His entire ministry on earth, Jesus spoke of the church
or kingdom as being a thing yet future (cf. Mark 9:1; Matt. 16:18). He commissioned
the twelve to preach, "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 10:17). He told the
seventy to say, "the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you" (Lk. 10:9). The church
was not yet in existence during the life of Christ. Preparation was still being made for
it. Indeed, the fact that the kingdom was not yet established, but was still at hand by
the time He was put to death undoubtedly caused many of the Lord's disciples to
grow distraught and relinquish His cause. At the cross, all hope and anticipation for
the kingdom of the Lord seemed to be lost. But we, knowing the "rest of the story",
as it were, realize how that an empty tomb three days later would revitalize the faith
of the Lord's disciples, thereby making way for the establishment, perfection, and
increasing of the church.
In summation, John the Baptist, Jesus, and Jesus' disciples each played a
significant role in the preparation of the church. Their work in preparing the church
implies at least two things. First, it implies that the church was not an afterthought
of God. Its establishment and existence was clearly premeditated by the Lord.
Otherwise, why should He have prepared for it? Second, it implies that the church
was not yet in existence. This evidently refutes the palpably false notion to which
some today subscribe, which maintains that the church was established during the
days of John the Baptist. John the Baptist only saw preparation for the church being
made - not its establishment. Even Christ, while living on earth, didn't witness the
establishment of the church. Even so, we are indebted greatly to the work that each
of these men performed in bringing "all flesh" to "see the salvation of God" (Lk. 3:6),
and in helping willing souls to find solace in the kingdom of the Lord. It is simply for
us to decide whether or not we wish to be partakers of that salvation, and members
of that purposed, promised, prophesied, and prepared kingdom, the church of Jesus
Christ.
NEXT ARTICLE: "THE CHURCH IN PERFECTION"
