Noah and the Baptist

This past January 6th I had an Epiphany.

I saw Jesus speaking with John the Baptist convincing John to baptize Him. “But You should be baptizing me!” John cried.

Moments earlier John was hollering for the crowd to hear, “Repent for the Kingdom of God is near!” When he spotted a few Pharisees approaching for baptism, he became indignant, yelling, “Who warned you to flee from the wrath that is to come?”

I stood in the crowd watching the scene, wondering where John got the idea to invite us to enter the Jordan River. I never read anything in the Torah about baptism. The Jordan River I know —of course— Elisha healed the leper in here, maybe that’s it. Healing water? What else do I know? The Jordan was the gateway into the land of Canaan who was the son of Ham who was the son of Noah. The one who made fun of Noah’s drunken nakedness. Noah was so angry, he cursed his own son. It couldn’t  have been much of a curse since the holy city of Jerusalem emerged in Canaan then King David conquered it 500 years later.

But baptism? Why does John want us to go into the water; aren’t the sacrificial lambs and goats good enough to cleanse my soul of sin?  Watching that innocent animal die because of my sin should change my way of thinking. Now water? Why? How? This has never happened before.

But here I am, waiting for my turn.

“Just do it!” Jesus commanded John.

There He goes! What’s that sound? Where’s that Voice coming from?

Before I could try harder to listen to the booming voice an angel landed on my shoulder.

“Do you really want to know about baptism?” articulated the angel louder.

"Of course, why else would I ask?” I replied to the angel.

The angel said matter-of-factly, “It wasn’t long after the Creation (in God-time) that He was disgusted with everyone and everything: man and beast, even nature itself and so He decided to destroy it all and had Noah build an ark before the world had ever experienced rain. The people made fun of him.”

“I know that story! Wait! SOooo this Jordan River, in the land of Canaan goes back to Noah?”

Without answering, the angel continued, “Noah with his wife, his 3 sons and their wives, and animals of every kind, male and female entered the ark just in time. The rains fell, the world and everyone it in it died, except the sea animals. Almost a year later, exhausted and starving, Noah and his family were finally able to land. The olive branch, was their sign of mercy; some of them thought they would die in that ark; they ran out of food! What a relief mercy is!

The catastrophe that was “The Flood” disturbed God almost as much as the wickedness that provoked it. And yet, the opportunity to start over, to give new life, rebirth, still appealed to God, so after the flood He didn’t look back, instead He promised the rainbow as a sign that He wouldn’t destroy the world again …. with water.

Water killed and water preceded Creation, so again water plays a key role in re-Creation.”

I nodded, “Wow. I never thought of that!”

My angel smiled. “There’s a lot you’ve never thought of.” and continued, “Unlike the masses of repentant sinners who are here to be baptized by John for repentance and forgiveness of sin, Jesus is here, not because He needs to repent, but to initiate His new life, not as the carpenter’s son, but as the Messiah. His baptism marks a new beginning, in His life and for mankind, as the Flood marked a new beginning for Creation.”

“WOW” I repeated staring as I watched Jesus walk away. “Jesus’s baptism is His dove bringing the olive branch to herald new life! I want that!”

My angel smiled at my attempt to be clever. I was still watching Jesus disappear into the crowd. I wanted to follow Him but the angel kept talking. I wondered why other people were not trying to follow Him, didn’t they hear the loud voice?

To wrap it up, the angel finished by saying, “God requires this re-birth of human beings, for the same reason that He endured The Flood. The Flood with all it’s destruction marked a rebirth. It’s not only water, the symbol of death, but the Spirit that humans are baptized with.”

I blurted out! “That’s the olive branch from the dove! The dove showing the olive branch says, ‘All the death has ended; you may start your new life now!’ Relief! Mercy! Repentence!…..am I right?!”

Even the angel seemed impressed by my answer. … at least I think he was impressed  because he disappeared! After that, I elbowed my way to the river and answered John’s nod that I was next!

“The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned.”

Jesus.