Saturday 3rd January
Read Matthew 3:11-12
“‘I baptise you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’” (NIVUK)
Water and fire. Two things that are not often considered natural mates. John came preaching a baptism in water and a fiery judgment. The One who comes after Him will combine them into a baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire. Water, Spirit and fire. This message is not unique. John stands on the shoulders of Isaiah and Malachi. Consider Isaiah’s early message:
“In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. 5 Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over everything the glory will be a canopy. 6 It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding-place from the storm and rain.” (Isaiah 4:2-6) (NIVUK)
We are meant to meditate closely on the images John places together and ask the question – how and why can water and fire mix? The answer lies perhaps in purification. Water is a cleansing agent and fire separates out the dross from the pure. John’s message is preparatory – he seeks to render a people ready to meet God, before whom impurity has no place.
Isaiah’s message matches perfectly. Those who produce good fruit (v2), will be pure and holy (v3) because they are washed in fire (v4) and the glory of God will shelter them from the heat and water that would otherwise destroy them (v5-6).
How prepared are you to meet with God in all His glory? Will you be consumed like chaff or covered like wheat?
