It was more than 400 years since a prophet’s voice had been heard in Israel, and that was Malachi who had foretold the coming of John the Baptist as the second Elijah.  Since then there had been a return to the days before Samuel, the first of the prophets, when “…there was no open vision” (1 Samuel 3:1).  So the Psalmist mourned in his song, “…there is not one prophet more: no, not one is there among us, that understands any more” (74:10).

But the Israelites knew that this silence from Heaven would one day be broken when the prophecy of Malachi was fulfilled and the last of the prophets appeared to usher in the King and Lord of all.  It was John the Baptist who broke God’s long silence, “…preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Catholic edition RSV, Mark 1:4).  The news thrilled through the whole land and soon the banks of the Jordan were thick with men and women.

His message hit them like a stone.  “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”.  “Bear fruit that befits repentance…” (Catholic edition RSV, Matthew 3:2,8).  In the judgement that was coming, repentance alone would save them.  The fact that they belonged to God’s Chosen People would avail them not at all.  “…do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.  Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Catholic edition RSV, Matthew 3:9,10).

And he went on to warn them of the coming of a greater and even more disturbing figure than himself.  “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming…will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire” (Catholic edition RSV, Matthew 3:11,12).