The ―horn of salvation" mentioned by Zacharias does not refer to Yochanan, but rather to Y‘shua. For
Yochanan was not of the lineage of King David, but rather descended from Aaron of the tribe of Levi.
We have a considerable amount of testimony from these Scriptures that Yochanan the Immerser's birth was
both miraculous and for a specific purpose – to precede and announce the coming of the Son of YHWH,
Yeshua the Messiah.
The Ministry of Yochanan
It was in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberias Caesar that Yochanan appeared on the scene in his
prophesied role. During the intervening years, he had been residing in the deserts.
―So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to
Israel‖. (Luke 1:80 NKJV)
At about thirty years of age, the "word of YHWH" came to Yochanan, and he began to preach in the area
north of Jericho along the east side of the Jordan River.
―...the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
And he went into all the region around the Jordan,
preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,
as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying:
―The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the LORD, Make His paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled And every mountain and hill brought low;
And the crooked places shall he made straight And the rough ways made smooth;
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God‖.
(Luke 3:2b-6 NKJV)
Yochanan's message to the people was one of complete repentance and the turning away from sin toward a
true Torah-centered lifestyle (Luke 3:7-14). His teaching was so profound and so powerful that the people
began to speculate among themselves whether or not he was the expected Messiah; for after all, the timing
was right.
(15) ―Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was
the Christ (Messiah) or not,
(16) John answered, saying to them all, ̳I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is
coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
(17) His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor, and gather the
wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.
(18) And with many other exhortations he preached to the people‖. (Luke 3:15-18 NKJV)
It was at this point in Yochanan's ministry that a delegation of priests and Levites was sent forth from the
Jewish leadership in Jerusalem to question him about his immersion activities. It must be remembered that
the members of this delegation knew they were talking to a fellow priest when they asked Yochanan directly:
―... ̳Who are you?' He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ̳I am not the Christ (Messiah)‘. And they
asked him, ̳What then? Are you Elijah?' He said, ̳I am not‘, ̳Are you the Prophet?' And he answered, ̳No‘.
Then they said to him, ̳Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say
about yourself?' He said: ̳I am The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the LORD,
as the prophet Isaiah said‘‖. (John 1:19b-23 NKJV)
Following this exchange, the delegation begins to question Yochanan about his immersing activities. Since
he had already told them he was not the Messiah, Elijah, or 'The Prophet‘, they now wanted to know by what
authority he was performing immersions. Yochanan's answer must have given them much food for thought,
since they already were inquiring as to whether He was the expected Messiah.
Please notice, the delegation did not ask Yochanan what he is doing. They knew all about immersion since
that was a central ritual within Judaism with its origins going back to the time of Moses. Baptism did not
originate with John the Baptist. He was merely performing a ritual with which everyone was already familiar.