The Voice in the Wilderness Luke 1:5-80; Matthew 3:1-11; Luke 3:1-19 The Desire of Ages 10 The Voice in the Wilderness Luke 1:5-80; Matthew 3:1-11; Luke 3:1-19 1

The Nativity of Jesus The Announcement to Zacharias (Luke 1:5-25). The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38). Mary’s visit to Elisabeth; birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:39-80). Mary’s return to Nazareth. The announcement to Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25). The journey to Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7). Birth of Jesus; announcement to the shepherds; circumcision (Luke 2:1-21).

The Ministry of our Lord Timeline Chart

The Teaching of a Great Spiritual Truth In ourselves we are incapable of doing any good thing Birth of Isaac to Abraham What we cannot do will be wrought by the power of God in every submissive and believing soul Birth of John to Zecharias It is through faith that spiritual life is begotten Birth of Jesus to Mary It is through faith that we are enabled to do the works of righteousness

Why was Zacharias Punished? Unbelief Unawareness of the real need Disregard for the instruction of the angel Zacharias needed to be awakened to the importance of heeding the instructions of the Angel

The Need for Temperance In order to fulfill the Task To bring the light of God Give a new direction to the thoughts of men Must impress men with the holiness of God’s requirements Impress men with a need of God’s perfect righteousness In order to meet the conditions of the world Greed for riches Love of luxury Love of display Sensuous pleasures Feasting and drinking Physical disease Degeneracy Benumbed spiritual perceptions Little sensibility to sin In order to meet the qualification Holy A temple of the Holy Spirit A sound physical constitution Mental strength Spiritual strength As part of his training Control appetites and passions Control all his powers Be unmoved by surrounding circumstances

History is Prophecy Elijah John the Baptist 4th Angel’s Movement Temperance Temperance Temperance Reformation Reformation Reformation Coming of the Branch of David Coming of the Messiah Second Coming of Christ

Steps in the Gospel Work Breaking up of the soil Implantation of the seed Growth of the seed Full maturity Harvest “Before the seed of the gospel could find lodgment, the soil of the heart must be broken up.” DA 104

When Are We God’s People? “The Jews had misinterpreted God's promise of eternal favor to Israel...” DA 106 Receiving the Truth Preaching Present Truth When the law is written in the heart Only when all conditions are met are we, and will we stay God’s people

It is not God who destroys, but sin. Does God Destroy? “To sin, wherever found, ‘our God is a consuming fire.’ Heb. 12:29. In all who submit to His power the Spirit of God will consume sin. But if men cling to sin, they become identified with it. Then the glory of God, which destroys sin, must destroy them.” DA 107 The Glory of God Destroying Sin Giving life to repentant sinner Directly Indirectly Destroying Sin Destroying unrepentant sinner It is not God who destroys, but sin. “God destroys no man. Everyone who is destroyed will have destroyed himself.” COL 84

The Birth, Training and Work of John the Baptist The Experience of Zacharias The appearance of the angel Zacharias unbelief The Angel Punishment for unbelief. Why? The Greatest Work committed to Men Therefore he needed to heed the instruction of the angel He had to work a change (Reformation) Therefore temperance (Begins in childhood and youth) Comparison with the preparation of Christ’s second coming Where and how was John trained? Not in rabbinical schools, but in wilderness Here he learned lessons of nature, revelation and Providence He studied the characters of men The work of John the Baptist He saw the conditions of the people He preached judgments He directed the people to Jesus

Questions Is fear and self-condemnation the proper reaction when we see the glory of the Lord? (Compare the experience of Zacharias with that of Isaiah in Isaiah 6!) What significance is contained in the position of the Angel? (He stood at the right side of the altar) What leads us to God? His severity and our fear of the judgment The goodness of God How did John understand Genesis 49:10? How was this prophecy fulfilled in his day? What constitutes God’s people? They have the truth They have the character of Jesus Do you see parallels between the work of John the Baptist and the Waldenses?