Mark 1:4-13 - The End Of The Downward Spiral With The Coming Of Christ

In Judges we saw that after Moses and Joshua led Israel God’s people were continually caught in a cycle of decline for 350 years. Over that time Israel steadily declined more and more into faithlessness and apostasy. You probably remember the cycle that Israel experienced:

• Israel would experience God’s blessing but then turn away from the LORD.

• Israel would not repent, therefore, the LORD would discipline them.

• Eventually Israel would become miserable and cry out to the LORD for help.

• God would mercifully and graciously raise up a deliverer to save them.

• Israel would enjoy His blessings but they would turn away and the cycle started over.

With every cycle that Israel experienced they would decline farther away from the LORD. By the end we noticed two things. First, we never saw an upward trend from one generation to the next. In other words, Revival, reformation, or restoration never continued into the second generation. On the contrary, these things ended as that generation died off. In some cases it didn’t even continue among those who had gone through this cycle.

Secondly, we saw that as the people declined so did their judges. Israel’s first judge, Othniel, was a model judge.and the prototype that all of Israel’s judges should have reflected but they didn’t. In the end, the judges who God had raised up to deliver His people lacked character, biblical knowledge, and were more a reflection of their culture than the ways of the LORD.

As we studied Judges you probably found yourself asking,

• What would it look like if Israel was not caught in this downward cycle of faithlessness and apostasy?

• What would it have looked like if a strong faith was passed down from generation to the next so that the decline into apostasy and faithlessness was reversed?

• What would it have looked like if there had been a judge who was not like the people he lived with, but was godly, holy, and faithful?

If you have asked yourself these questions, you will find the answer to these things in the Gospel of Mark. Last week we discovered that God sent His faithful Son into the world to deliver His people. The prophets had spoken about the Christ many times, but in Mark 1:9-11 the other two persons of the Trinity introduced us to Jesus Christ when He finally came on the scene. When this happened the heavens were torn open and the Father said, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Simultaneously, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus and remained on Him. The Holy Spirit anointed Jesus and set Him apart for the calling He had received from the Father. Jesus would redeem a people from their sins and this work continues from one generation to the next. Though the gates of hell assault Christ’s church tirelessly and without mercy Satan cannot prevail! (Matthew 16:18) Every day Jesus is still delivering people from their enemies: indwelling sin, sin in the world, and from Satan.

Let’s read Mark 1:4-13, “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, ‘After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized (passive) by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open (passive) and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.”

Our text begins with these words (4), “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” This was the right time for a dramatic and divinely planned moment in Israel’s history. (Romans 5:6) The backstory to these events had begun thirty years earlier. We know from the other Gospel’s that John’s conception was miraculous, he was filled with the Spirit in his mother’s womb, and he was called by God to prepare the people for the coming of Christ.

When John began proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins he ended 400 years of silence in Israel. John’s coming ended 4 centuries where there was no prophetic voice among God’s people. Malachi had prepared God’s people for this in Malachi 4:4-6, “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

Mark does not explicitly connect John the Baptist to Elijah in our text, but he does do this in a subtle way in verse 6, “Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locust and honey.” This description of John is intended to remind us of the prophet Elijah and show us that he was the fulfillment of these prophetic words.

This connection can be made when you read 2 Kings 1. As you begin to read you see that king Ahaziah had fallen and was in poor health. The king wondered if he would recover but he did not inquire of the LORD; instead, he sent messengers to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron. (2) Because he had done this the LORD sent Elijah to these messengers, saying, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus says the LORD, ‘You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’” (3-4)

The messengers return to the king and tell him what they were told. They must have known that it was was a prophet who spoke to them because they returned to the king without continuing on their way to inquire of Baal-zebub. When king Ahaziah heard the message he asked, “What kind of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?” (7) They answered, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” (8) This brief description of the prophet, along with his bold, strong and courageous message, was all the king needed to determine who this prophet was. The king replied, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” (8)

John the Baptist was that Elijah-like prophet who was to come before the Christ and prepare the people. The bold, courageous, and fearless preaching of John the Baptist broke the silence of the last 400 years and fulfilled the words of Malachi. The Spirit worked through John and large crowds from all over Jerusalem, Judea, and the surrounding area of the Jordan River were coming to him.

You would agree with me that 400 years of silence is a very long time for God to be silent. You might wonder, “How would Israel fare during these 400 years of silence? What was to occupy their thoughts, build up their faith, direct their affections, instruct their actions, and support their hope in God’s promises during this long season of silence?”

God did not leave His people without a testimony. The LORD had given His people His Word and during this period of silence they were to learn it, live it, and obey it. During these 400 years of silence the Word of God was to occupy Israel’s thoughts, build up their faith, direct their affections, instruct their actions, and support their hope in the promises of God.

My friends, it is no different for you and I because we have been given the Holy Spirit and God’s living Word. Hebrews 1:1-2 says, “Long ago (a reference to the OT Cannon and it’s last voice in Malachi that had ended long ago), at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son…”. (1:1-2)

Jesus taught His apostles and commissioned them to teach future generations all that He had taught. (Mt. 28:19-20) Since that time, every generation has been given the responsibility of passing on the faith that was once and for all given to the saints. (Jude 1:3; 2 Timothy 2:2) The downward cycle of faithlessness and apostasy is to be broken.

Community Church we believe that God’s Word is sufficient for all things that pertain to life and godliness. It is His Word that we learn, we do, and we teach as we wait for the coming of Jesus Christ. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3, Ezra 7:10) Until He returns God’s Word is to occupy our thoughts, build up our faith, direct our affections, instruct our actions, and support our hope in the promises of God until His return.

Before we move on from Mark 1:4-8 let me make another connection with the Old Testament. This was not the only time in Israel’s history when Israel experienced 400 years of silence. In the book of Genesis you find that God was often revealing himself Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. But after they passed away, Israel is in Egypt and for 430 years no prophet was raised up until Moses. During that time, they were to remember the things that God had said to them through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

• For example, in Genesis 15:13-14 the LORD said to Abraham, “Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.”

• They were to remember that God had revealed to Isaac these words, “And the Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” (Genesis 26:2-4)

• They were to remember what had been revealed to Jacob in Genesis 28:13-15 when the LORD said to him, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

While in Egypt Israel needed to remember the things that God had spoken to them. At the end of those 400 years of silence, just as He had promised, the LORD raised up Moses. Through Moses, God performed great signs and wonders and delivered His people from Pharaoh. Moses was mighty in word and in deed and he knew that his ministry foreshadowed the future coming of someone greater. (Acts 7:22) Moses, like John the Baptist, did not point to himself but to the Christ, saying, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers- it is to him you shall listen.” Then the Lord said through Moses to His people, “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-19)

When we read Mark 1:9-13 we see that God had raised up this Prophet. The person that Moses spoke about was Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Therefore, we are to listen to Him. (Hebrews 1:1-2) His voice comes with authority and His message is greater than Moses’. (Mark 1:21,27) Anyone who does not listen to Him is liable to judgment. (John 12:47-48)

The parallels with Israel’s history continue in the two stories contained in Mark 1:9-13. In these stories we see that Jesus Christ succeeds where Israel always failed. (Isaiah 1:2) For example, it is revealed during the Exodus that Israel had a special relationship with the LORD. Moses reveals this relationship to Pharaoh, saying, “Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, and I say to you, ‘Let my son go that he may serve me.’” (Exodus 4:22) Through great signs and wonders the LORD delivered His people. And yet, despite this they proved to be faithless during times of testing in the wilderness.

In contrast to Israel, Jesus comes to the Jordan in verses 9-11 and God identifies Him as His beloved Son in Whom He is well pleased. When the LORD does this Jesus is in the water of the Jordan being baptized. Jesus is sinless and did not need to repent, but He identifies Himself with all sinners who will repent of their sins and look to Him for salvation. Like Israel, when Jesus comes through the waters He is going to be tested. Israel failed, but will Jesus succeed?

In Mark 1:12-13 we read, “The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.” During this time Jesus was continually tested and tempted by Satan. Through it all Jesus was proven to be God’s faithful Servant. Once again, Jesus succeeds where Israel has failed. Think of it this way, Jesus comes out of the Jordan River, He is faithful in the wilderness, then He enters the Promised Land and takes possession of it.

When Jesus comes from the wilderness into Israel He is full of the Holy Spirit and power. This is seen in all He says and does. He conquers His enemies and frees His people from Satan’s Kingdom. The faithful and obedient Son brings His people into His Kingdom. All of those who come to Him find rest. He began that work and He continues this work today.

When the 400 years of silence ended with the coming of John the Baptist (1:4-8) and Jesus Christ (9-14), exciting times started to happen. A bright light began to shines into the darkness. Mark 1:1 tells us that this was just the beginning of the things that were to come. Ever since then things continue to happen. (Mark 1:1,Acts 1:1, Acts 2:38-39) Today as we take communion we remember that just as Jesus Christ began these things, He continues to do these things, and He will one day return to defeat His enemies and take His bride to Himself once and for all. (1 Cor. 11:26)