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REPENT!
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16
Mark 1:1-8

Malachi 4:5-6

 

“…Behold, I send

my messenger before thy face…”

 

REPENT!
 
Mark begins his account of Christ’s life with these words: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” This is a good introduction to what the Gospel is all about. The term “Gospel” (Greek: euangelion) literally means “good news.” The Gospel is all about Jesus Christ, and the good news that He brings. The good news is about Jesus Christ who died, was buried, and on the third day rose from the dead according to the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:1-4). Mark (and all the other Gospel writers) elaborates on what actually happened in the life of Christ which led to His death, burial, and resurrection for the salvation of His people.
 
John the Baptist began his ministry as the Messiah’s heralder at the age of 30 (AD 26). In the wilderness of Judaea, he preached “the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins… and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3). Would anyone listen to such an unpopular message in such a sparsely populated place? This surely goes against the worldly church growth techniques taught today. There is no doubt that John had a nation-wide ministry for we are told that the people went out to him from “Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan.” The people came to him. Surely there must have been a thirst for the Word of God for there had been no prophets in Israel since Malachi. There was no prophetic voice for 400 years. However, Malachi did prophesy that a prophet in the spirit and power of Elijah would one day appear (Mal 4:5-6).
 
Four hundred years had already passed. Could John be Elijah? John certainly looked like Elijah in the way he dressed. He “was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins.” His camel fur robe and leather belt bore similarities to Elijah’s outward appearance (2 Kings 1:8). His diet consisted only of locusts and wild honey. John’s appearance and conduct stood out prominently. His message was all the more striking. He denounced the sins of the people, and called on them to repent. This kind of preaching had probably not been heard since the time of Malachi. It had a familiar prophetic ring. Finally, God had sent a prophet.
 
THOUGHT: “Every chastisement is a call to repentance.” (Calvin)

PRAYER: Father, I repent of my sins.

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