August 16 – Who was John the Baptist? Isaiah 40:3-5; “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”
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Be sure to share factual information about John the Baptist with your Mormon friend when you can. Listed below are some biblical references telling us who John the Baptist was that you can use to compare with LDS teachings. You might want to ask the Mormon how their teachings fit in with what God says in His word!
Prophesied about by Isaiah who lived 700 years before John was born Isaiah 40:3-5.
A Levite. This was the tribe who took care of all work in the temple Numbers 1:50-53.
The son of Zechariah. A temple priest from lineage of Abijah 2 Chronicles 12:16.
The son of Elizabeth. A descendant from the lineage of Aaron Luke 1:5.
God’s ambassador to announce His own coming and appearance on earth John 1:6.
Related to Jesus. Their moms were cousins Luke 1:36.
Lived solitary life. He roamed the mountainous area between Jerusalem, and Dead Sea Matthew 3:1.
Preached repentance for forgiveness of sins Matthew 3:2.
A simple man. Clothing made of camel’s hair and a belt of leather; his diet consisted of locusts, and wild honey Matthew 3:4.
He was beheaded. Matthew 14:1-12
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New Testament Seminary Teacher Manual, LESSON 7: MATTHEW 3 “John held the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood and was the only man at that time who had the authority to perform the ordinance of baptism.
Encyclopedia of Mormonism 757 John the Baptist was among the prophets and saints who were with Christ in his resurrection (D&C 133:55). Approximately eighteen centuries later, on Friday, May 15, 1829, this forerunner of the Savior again appeared, this time as an angel of the Lord preparing the world for the Savior’s second coming, and conferred the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood.”
In History of the Church Vol 6, Pgs 408-409, Joe Smith said::”I have more to boast of than any man. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. Neither John, Paul, Peter or Jesus did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I.” Here, Joseph Smith is elevating himself to a position higher than that of even Jesus or John or Paul or Peter. If the early saints had read their Bibles they would have been weary of such boasting: “Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.” (Proverbs 25:14): “A high look and a proud heart , and the plowing of the wicked is sin.” (Proverbs 21:4)