Are you sure that it was the first?

Most scholars credit the first miracle, which Jesus did with, turning the water to wine, at the wedding in Cana. That might have been His first miracle of His active ministry, of the last three years of His life. There was very little spoken about Jesus during His years of childhood other than His birth, and that one time of lagging behind in Jerusalem. There is another story that is documented in the Bible, that doesn’t seem to be well publicized. At least, I have not really heard very much about it. Then again, it might simply be me tripping over finding a hidden jewel!!

When I read about it, I wondered why this is not talked about more often, than it is. It may be talked about more in the Christmas services, than any other time. The reason being, that this miracle has taken place, while Jesus is still in the belly of His mother.

I would like to try to tie two different stories of the Bible together.  The first is to point out what I would call Jesus first miracle in human form. The second is, to answer the question, of whether John the Baptist actually knew that Jesus was the Son of God, before he baptized Jesus. I believe that I can pull both of these off nicely, since both participants were together during both events.

This story is going to be taken out of the book of Luke, and the first chapter I might as well mention the fact that Gabriel appeared to Zacharias, the husband of Elizabeth.  He was telling Zacharias that his prayers had been heard, and Elizabeth would have a child. Both of them were well into their years, and Elizabeth had not been able to have children all of her life.

By the way the story reads Zacharias rubbed Gabriel the wrong way with the question that he asks. It sounds like he got extremely short with Gabriel, and Gabriel replied to him: Luke 1:19  And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. Luke 1:20  And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

I know that I am a bit warped in the humor department, but I think that this is fall in the floor laughing my butt off, kinda stuff!! We could learn a couple things from these two verses. (1) If you ever are talking with an Angel, be very careful what you say back. (2) This is proof that Angelic beings do have emotions. For all my haters out there……I   laugh at a lot more that I tell you about. You might want to try it yourself. It has healing powers!!

Now the part that I find to be the funniest to me is the fact that Zacharias is a priest, and he is inside the temple, when Gabriel appears before him. Zacharias has all these folks outside of the temple waiting on him to come back outside. His job was to burn the incense, while the multitude prayed. The people got worried when he took so long inside, and when he finally made it outside, he could only gesture at the multitude. They thought that he had seen a vision, and it rendered him speechless.

Anyway, one of the things that Gabriel told Zacharias was that John would be filled with Holy Spirit, while in his mother’s womb. Meanwhile, a few months later, Mary is having that famous conversation, with the Angel Gabriel, about her baby, and about her cousin Elizabeth. He tells Mary that Elizabeth is six months pregnant. I am not sure about the length of time that it took, but Mary went to pay her cousin a visit.

To me this is really strange. As soon as Mary walked into the house, and called Elizabeth’s name, little unborn John leaped inside the belly of Elizabeth. If that was not enough, something else happened. The scriptures read that immediately, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.

Now, I want to break this down a little. I don’t believe for one minute that John leaped, because Mary yelled.  I also don’t believe it was because he recognized the Voice of Mary, because that was the first time Mary spoke around him. However, I do believe that John recognized the presence of Jesus, and Gabriel’s prophecy was fulfilled. When Holy Spirit filled John, it was so strong, that Elizabeth got her a good dose at the same time.

In the book of John it is recorded that John the Baptist did not know Jesus. Joh 1:31  And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. I really have a hard time believing, that these two second cousins never had anything to do with each other. However, if it is recorded in my Bible this way, then I must believe that it is true. As final as that seems to be, it is not the end of this writing.

John may be saying that he didn’t know Jesus personally. However, John recognized Jesus on the spot, as He walked up to the river Jordan. The same as he did thirty years earlier, while both were in the wombs of their mothers. Mary and Jesus walked in the house, and John jumped, and both he and Elizabeth were filled with the Holy Ghost.

Don’t you love how the word of God is relative? Thirty years later Jesus walked up to John, and this is what John had to say.  Joh 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

More important than anything that I have said today, aren’t you glad the Jesus does take away the sins(s) of you and i? I sure am, because I was doomed from the get go!!

              ………Much Love