Bonjour Julian,
I do catch very interesting exchange on your question , between 2 sisters, readers of TUB.
Let’s tender ear … see what they have to said about ….
Posted December 2010 • http://urantia.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/942-john-the-baptist/
post • 5
I’m thinking that John was also sent to revitalize or reawaken the spirit … The new Baptist, like the old, would have to be one of strong, courageous and impeccable faith.
post • 15
What would a modern day John the Baptist look like? What would he/she be saying and doing to proclaim that the kingdom of God is at hand. He/she won’t be allowed to include any of the organized religions in the message, but will the scriptures be quoted? Will ancient prophets and modern wise men be held up as examples? He/she will not be allowed to mention the return of Christ, but will Christ’s life and teachings be held up as a standard and applied to modern times? What will be the “wake-up” call be that will be powerful enough to focus attention on the indwelling Spirit?
John the Baptist used racial guilt, but that succeeded only because the entire nation was already in a state of expectation, their hearts and minds were already open to the idea. My gut feeling is that we have to wait until God prepares the hearts and minds of modern men and women to expect such a messenger. But is there a way to encourage this process? Surely, there are great men and women in today’s world who are attempting to do just that. Some we know and others will always be in the shadows.
post • 17
There sure are a lot of effective Jesus preachers around, and they are effective because the Spirit of Truth is with them too! Yes. The Spirit of Truth is abroad in the world wherever there are truth seekers. Are people looking for a John the Baptist, like before?
Maybe. Maybe people are looking for a spokesperson of God – some actual person who will tell what to do to fix the awful problems we have in the world today. I think lots of people see the answers to the problems of the world in terms of one or a combination of several human cultural arenas: social, economic and political. Some people really want and expect Jesus to show up for the instant fix to our material and relational problems, thereby making earth a sort of heaven (or maybe making it the hell of one’s imagination). Depends on one’s world-view. I do not look for a John the Baptist type of person (one greater than John the Baptist), because I’m of the opinion that the world is very behind in spiritual evolution, though we’ve evolved materially and scientifically. It’s just my opinion. We’re too backward in places. There’s too much discord. We haven’t learned to war no more. We haven’t learned brotherly love.
While the Urantia Book is about our origin, history and destiny, for me its mainly about personal religion, as you point out Nigel. But we approach the revelation through the mind and the intellect needs the stimulation, don’t you think, to attain the psychic circles? Anyhow, a John the Baptist type will need to convey his/her messages via the mind/intellectual arena of communications in modern day language. Even on the Internet.
post • 18 Bonita
The world was not very spiritually evolved prior to any of the prior epochal revelations. In fact, I would say that the world had actually regressed very far prior to some. But, do you think that a new John the Baptist would only appear immediately before a new epochal revelation? In which case, there’s no sense in talking about it for another millennium or so. Or, is it possible that he/she may need to come centuries before or possibly not at all in connection to an epochal revelation?
post • 19
I don’t have a comment about the timing of a new preacher greater than John. But while studying a different aspect of the teachings, I came across this paragraph referencing John the Baptist as the greatest prophet of the old order, and additionally telling us more – to whit, . . . that the least of those who saw the great light of the new way and entered thereby into the kingdom of heaven was indeed greater than John.”
Jesus began his public work at the height of the popular interest in John’s preaching and at a time when the Jewish people of Palestine were eagerly looking for the appearance of the Messiah. There was a great contrast between John and Jesus. John was an eager and earnest worker, but Jesus was a calm and happy laborer; only a few times in his entire life was he ever in a hurry. Jesus was a comforting consolation to the world and somewhat of an example; John was hardly a comfort or an example. He preached the kingdom of heaven but hardly entered into the happiness thereof. Though Jesus spoke of John as the greatest of the prophets of the old order, he also said that the least of those who saw the great light of the new way and entered thereby into the kingdom of heaven was indeed greater than John. P.1509 – §1
Sooner or later another and greater John the Baptist is due to arise proclaiming “the kingdom of God is at hand” — meaning a return to the high spiritual concept of Jesus, who proclaimed that the kingdom is the will of his heavenly Father dominant and transcendent in the heart of the believer — and doing all this without in any way referring either to the visible church on earth or to the anticipated second coming of Christ. 170.5.19
Verily, verily, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen a greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is but small in the kingdom of heaven is greater because he has been born of the spirit and knows that he has become a son of God.“ P.1627 – §1
If the least of those who saw/see the great light of the new way and enter thereby into the kingdom of heaven were/are greater than John, does it not follow there will be many who were/are greater – past, present and future? Therefore many heralds, proclaiming the kingdom is the will of God dominant and transcendent in the heart of the believer? I can visualize this, but I cannot visualize one single individual arising to proclaim the high spiritual concept of Jesus. It’s just my opinion – my current thinking on the subject. I think there will be many who saw/see the great light of the new way. Many preachers greater than John. At least in these times. I can’t imagine much beyond where the world is at this stage.
post • 21 Bonita
It stands to reason that the new John the Baptist will be greater than the old in terms of seeing the great light of the new way. The quote does state a greater John the Baptist”. John was a preacher; not everyone, even if he/she has seen the great light of the new way, has the gift of preaching that would proclaim the kingdom of God in such a way as to illuminate inner truth.
The quote you provided above sheds light on the possible method the new Baptist might use. It contrasts the Baptist’s preaching and Jesus’ teaching. Perhaps the new Baptist will teach much like the Master, calmly, happily and never in a hurry, always willing to offer comforting consolation and live his life as an example. When you think about it, Gandhi was just such a man, who taught truth without referring to the Church (Hindu or otherwise) or to the second coming of Christ. With him as an example, how many others have there been? How many of them have been slaughtered? How many more do we need? Do we need one even greater than he?
Hope Bonita, it’s pleasing you review those posts. I figured out both of you circumspect, well this thread.
André
