By the Mosaic propitiatory system the Lord Jesus was chiefly set forth as both sacrifice and priest; but differing from His illustrious predecessor Moses, John's ministry unmistakably revealed Jesus to be both Sacrifice and Baptizer. John never led anyone to an altar; he called them to a river, where later He who was the Lamb of God and the Baptizer in the Spirit was to be presented. Whether or not John knew what his actions and preaching would effect among men we do not know, but by his light we see that baptism has now replaced the practice of that former sacrificial system.
History reveals that by John's day the Mosaic system had already ceased to be anything more than mere ritualism. Behind the Temple veil in Jerusalem there was no Ark of the Covenant, no tables of stone, no Mercy Seat, no blood, no glory, no Holy of Holies, no God. But this was not the only reason why God was making moves to replace that old system. He was revealing the greater and more wondrous fact that the onus which had lain upon people under Moses' law to provide themselves with their own sacrifices for sin was not God's original and eternal purpose for man.
For those who had eyes to see it, He had revealed to Abraham long before Moses' day that He Himself would provide the Lamb. Through John He was giving men a glimpse of the fact that His method for mankind is gracious engulfment in love, which is by floods of Holy Spirit in which to baptise dead men into life, regenerating their spirits and saving their souls, Of necessity God had imposed upon His people the historic sacrificial system, but He did so reluctantly and then only until the time when according to His original purpose, the symbols should be swept away in the reformation brought in by His Son.
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G.W. North (1913 - 2003)
G. W. North was born in London England in 1913. As a young man he became aware that the Lord was calling him into the work of the ministry. At timely stages the Lord placed folk in his path who were able to direct him into the truth of heart purity and a more expansive understanding of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He held pastorates in Kent and Bradford. By the late 1960s, following a significant period of ministry in Liverpool, he began a more itinerant ministry. This led him to many parts of the world, and occupied him until well into his eighties. His powerful preaching and the unique sense of the Lord's presence, which seemed to brood over his meetings, were always intensely challenging.The true secret of his remarkable ministry stemmed from his personal communion with the Lord Jesus. To him, 'entering the holiest' was not merely a theological concept; it was a distinct spiritual reality - and the central feature of his spiritual life. It was here, in the place of worship, that his revelatory ministry found its source. He preached from understanding and conviction. He was never the echo of another, nor did he take on board the ebb and flow of various contemporary emphases. He was not a man of 'books'; he soaked himself in Scripture and allowed it to saturate his heart and mind. Truly, this is a man who has lifted up a standard for the people. Mr North went to be with the Lord on 29th April 2003, shortly after his ninetieth birthday.