John’s father was inspired to say in Luke 1:68,69,72-77, “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David . . . 72 to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, 73 the oath which He swore to our father Abraham: [The seed promise.] 74 to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. 76 And you, child . . . will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins.
The Davidic promise is the essence of the kingdom which will be established by God. I believe it is referred to as the kingdom of God because He will establish it.
The people were expecting the Messiah and His kingdom (Lk 3:15). The kingdom was at hand because the King was present. John’s commission was to “prepare the way of the Lord” (Lk 3:4) and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. (Lk 3:6).
The kingdom promises would be fulfilled by the one heralded by John. Even just shortly before His Ascension, the apostles were expecting the Davidic kingdom to be restored to Israel. Acts 1:6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
John’s ministry centered around the baptism of repentance. He was calling the nation back into the covenant relationship with God which they had forsaken. He was basing his message on the principles of repentance contained in Jeremiah 18 and Ezekiel 18. He was preparing them to be a kingdom of priests. Apparently, the whole nation would be priests not just the Levites. Ex 19:3-6 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5 ‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 ‘And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
The gospel of the circumcision had the solid undergirding of the covenant of circumcision. The conditional characteristics of the gospel rested firmly upon the similar conditions of the covenant: Lk 3:11-14 He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” 12 Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.” 14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”
Later, James would write the same kind of conditions that John expressed in Matthew 3:10 and Luke 3:19, “and even now the ax is laid to the root of the tree. Therefore every tree which does not bear fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” “Faith without works is dead” Jam 2:14-26 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe - and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Bob Hill
