How does John 1:28 connect to Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah? Setting the Scene in John 1:28 “All this happened in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.” (John 1:28) Bethany beyond the Jordan is more than a geographic footnote. God chose this exact spot to weave together several Old Testament strands so that, when Jesus steps onto the shoreline, every initiated reader can whisper, “The promised One has arrived.” Old Testament Echoes in the Jordan Location • Isaiah 40:3 — “A voice of one calling: ‘Prepare the way for the LORD in the wilderness…’ ” – John’s wilderness preaching and baptizing at the Jordan marks him as that very “voice,” setting the stage for the LORD Himself to appear. • Malachi 3:1 — “Behold, I will send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me.” – The “messenger” is expected to operate outside the temple system, calling Israel to repentance—exactly what John does at the Jordan. • Malachi 4:5 — “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD.” – Elijah’s last earthly steps were taken at this very river (2 Kings 2:6–11). John’s appearance here—dressed and preaching like Elijah—signals the Elijah-forerunner has come. • Joshua 3:13–17 — Israel’s first entrance into the Promised Land happened when the Jordan parted. By placing the Messiah’s forerunner at the same river, God announces a new, greater entrance into His promises. Bethany beyond the Jordan and the New Exodus Motif • The Exodus began with water deliverance through the Red Sea; the conquest began with water deliverance through the Jordan. • John’s baptism of repentance reenacts those water crossings, proclaiming that Jesus will inaugurate the ultimate deliverance—freedom from sin (John 1:29). Cleansing Waters and Prophetic Promises • Ezekiel 36:25–27 — “I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean… I will give you a new heart… and I will put My Spirit within you.” • Zechariah 13:1 — “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David… to cleanse them from sin and impurity.” John’s Jordan baptisms preview the cleansing Jesus will accomplish; the physical river hints at the spiritual “fountain” God promised. Identifying the Messiah in the Place of Transition • Psalm 2:7 — “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.” • Isaiah 42:1 — “Here is My Servant… I have put My Spirit upon Him.” At Jesus’ baptism (just a few verses later, v. 32-34), the Father voices Psalm 2, and the Spirit descends in fulfillment of Isaiah 42—both events happening exactly where John 1:28 situates us. Key Takeaways • John 1:28 roots the gospel narrative in prophetic soil; the Jordan backdrop fulfills Isaiah, Malachi, Ezekiel, Zechariah, and more. • Every Old Testament promise about a cleansing, Spirit-anointed King launching a new exodus converges at “Bethany beyond the Jordan.” • By spotlighting this location, the Spirit of God certifies that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, and Scripture’s storyline holds together with perfect, literal accuracy. |
    |