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
- those who surrender to the Messiah
- 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