Who was the Forerunner to Jesus Christ?

Jesus left his home in the part of Israel called Galilee. He went to the Jordan River and asked to be baptized by John the Baptist. Now God had sent this man before Him to announce the coming of the Messiah and to spiritually prepare the nation for His arrival.

Who gave him (John the Baptist) his name (Luke 1:13; compare Luke 1:57-63)?___________________. He was called a forerunner. Did the Old Testament Scriptures predict that the Messiah would be preceded by a forerunner who would prepare the way (Isaiah 40:3-5 compared with Matthew 3:1-3 and Mark 1:3; Malachi 3:1 compared with Matthew 11:7-10 and Mark 1:2)?  _______.

What message did John give to those who were baptized by him (Acts 19:4)?___________________________________________________.

You see, John constantly pointed away from himself, who did he point to (John 1:29,36)? ___________________________ The person who faithfully points to Christ (by life and lips) is called a W______________ (John 1:7).

What message did John the Baptist preach (Matthew 3:1-2; compare 4:17,23; 10:5-7)?

John commanded the people to repent (to change their whole way of thinking concerning sin, self and the Saviour) and therefore his baptism was a baptism of _______________________ (Acts 13:24; Mark 1:14). This baptism was an outward ritual which symbolized and pictured an inner reality of a changed heart and mind.

Repentance is an inward transaction that takes place between God and man. It is something that takes place in the heart and mind of a person and it cannot be seen by others. It is impossible to look at a crowd of people and to know which ones have really repented and which ones have not.