<TITLE>20. Par 168-175</TITLE>L-168 There was a man sent from God whose name was John, a prophet sign. Before Jesus ever come to the earth to declare Himself, He sent a prophet before Him. Did He do it? He sent a prophet. The Elijah of the Old Testament was prophesied to come in the power of Elijah, of the Old Testament. He was to be a prophet sign that Jesus was coming, that there was to be a Messiah coming.

L-169 And when John came out of the wilderness, he was a sign that the Messiah was on His road. When John appeared, Israel ought to have knowed by their prophets... That's where the people miss it. They don't believe their prophets. They don't believe... They don't believe what Peter said was all right on the day of Pentecost. They don't believe that's right. They don't believe what Paul said--the same thing Peter did--and said, "If an angel from heaven preaches any other word, let him be accursed." They don't believe that. See? They don't believe it. And they didn't believe their prophets. If they'd have knowed, they'd know that Isaiah said, "There'll be a voice of one crying in the wilderness that'll prepare the way before the Lord." They should've knowed it. He was a prophet, a prince of the prophets. He told them, but they didn't believe it. No, no. He said, "There's a Messiah coming."

L-170 This man was a man sent from God. Oh, brother. He had no following. God give him a following, a little flock, just like He did Elijah. God give him his following. He didn't get it from some political organization. He preached the Word, stayed on God's Word, and God give him a little flock. Elijah stayed on God's Word. God give him a little flock.
This man had no cooperation. He had no following, no cooperation, belonged to no denomination, asked for nothing, and feared nothing. That was John. Why? He was a man sent from God. That's the reason he stood. He was the Elijah standing there to prove to the people that the Messiah was coming. He said, "I'm the voice of Him that crieth in the wilderness, as saith the prophet Isaiah. Prepare to meet the Lord."

L-172 Them Pharisees and Sadducees stood out there and argued about their coats and things. Right while they were arguing and fussing about it, right into the midst of them come the Messiah walking. John said, "Behold, there He is." Hallelujah.
Watch him. He hadn't introduced Him. "There He is. He's standing right among you now." About that time, the heavens roared, Jesus walked into the water, and John bare record, seeing 'the Spirit of God like a dove coming down, a Voice screaming "This is My beloved Son in Whom I'm pleased to dwell in." Oh, my, my.
John said, "Now, I must decrease; He'll increase." Oh, what a prophet. A sign to Israel. Yes, sir.

L-175 He was a man sent from God, though his father was a priest. Oh, yes. His father Zacharias was a priest. But did you notice, God wouldn't let that prophet get mixed up with their organizations. His father would've took him over to the school of theology, to the great so-and-so denomination, made him a fine minister, you know, and trained him all up and give him a whole lot of stuff he oughtn't to had. But God wouldn't let his soul get contaminated. Do you understand? He couldn't let that man get mixed up with organizations. He didn't belong to any of them, no sect, Pharisee, Sadducees, or Herodian, or whatever it might be. God wouldn't permit it.


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