The Message of John the Baptist

The Threshing Floor

  • Blessing and Judgement both happen on the threshing floor
    • Uzziah killed on the threshing floor 2 Samuel 6:6,7
    • David judgement against Israel stopped at threshing floor 2 Samuel 24:16-25
    • “Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem where the Lord appeared to his father, David…at the place of the threshing floor.”  2 Chronicles 3:1

Luke 3:15-17, Expectation of the Messiah

  • One mightier – Savior, rescuing hero, who brings salvation
  • Servant will do anything in the house, but only a slave will carry the sandals of their owner
  • He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and Fire at the threshing floor
    • Fire here is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit, it is the fire of judgement
    • When the Messiah comes (our rescuing hero) he will bring a separation between those who repent and turn and those who reject Him.

 Luke 3:18 Gospel, Good News?

  • Peace on earth and good will toward men
    • those who surrender to the Messiah
      • The coming of the Messiah was not good news for Herod who ended up killing the children of Bethelhem
  • Malachi supports this concept, Malachi 3:18 – 4:1,2
    • When our rescuing savior comes there will be a difference between those who are righteous and those who are wicked; those who serve God and hose who do not

Jesus supported this in His parables

  • Matthew 13:24 – 30
    • Sower – the Son of Man
    • Field – present age
    • Wheat – Sons of the kingdom
    • Weeds – Sons of the wicked one
    • Harvest – end of the age
    • Harvesters – Angels
    • Burning of weeds – Gehenna
    • Bundles brought in to the barn – Messianic era begins
  • Parable lines up with John’s message.  Kingdom i snow and is coming to fulfillment at a future date.

Luke 12:49 “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning.”

  • To the unrepentant the fire will consume and destroy them
  • To the repentant it will refine and purity them (Malachi 3:2 – 4)

The threshing floor is going to separate, Luke 12:52 – 53

  • vs. 50 – terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and i am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished
  • a refining fire has been kindled
    • it will destroy you or refine you depending on your heart
    • if you come through it there will be a great reward

The Threshing Floor is a place of Judgement and great Blessing