. . . and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.

This morning I read Mark 1:1-8 in my personal bible study. Eight simple verses that have taken me down a path that leads to interesting thoughts and questions. An unexpected path. I invite you to stay with me as I lay out the journey I took this morning and see if you come to the same conclusions.

Mark begins by acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God. He then goes on to quote Isaiah's words of a messenger that would be sent to prepare the way for Jesus. He briefly fills us in on John (And so John came...) by telling us that he was in the desert and he preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He describes what he wears and what he eats. Which by the way, was nothing fancy - no fancy clothes, no fancy food, no fancy venue to preach in, no fancy accommodations to stay in if you chose to go hear him preach. It was all quite inconvenient, to say the least. But, they came to hear his message, a message of the One more powerful than him, who would come and baptize with the Holy Spirit.

This is where I start to ask questions. Isaiah prophesied that a messenger would be sent to prepare the way. How did Isaiah know? How did John know he was the one Isaiah spoke of? So, I look at my bible cross references and am led to the story of John the Baptist' birth in Luke chapter one.

Well, the angel, Gabriel, announces to Zechariah, in the Holy Temple, that his prayer has been answered. His wife, Elizabeth, will have a son, and they shall name him John. The angel tells Zechariah that John will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. Then the angel says this...(and here is where my real questions start) he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.

Now, this challenged me because up until this point, I thought the first indwelling of the Holy Spirit had been at Pentecost. As I began to research this, I discover that the Holy Spirit was given temporarily to people in the old testament for a specific purpose to be accomplished.

I, also, discover the text in Luke 2:25-35 that speaks of the Holy Spirit being upon a man called Simeon. The Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. The Holy Spirit helped Simeon recognized Jesus as the Son of God, when his parents brought him into the temple. So, I learned something new there.

Here's another challenging thought. I believe the Holy Spirit is a gift that is given to new believers - who are forgiven of their sins. God cannot dwell in a sinful body. Therefore, I believe the Holy Spirit cannot be present in a sinful, unrepentant, unbeliever. However, in Luke 1:15b says...and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit EVEN from birth.

Here's my question. Did John believe in Jesus and confess his need for a Savior in the womb?

The people of the old testament and even Simeon were believers in God the Father, and believed that Jesus would come as their Savior some day. So, they fit the criteria that we are taught is needed to have the Holy Spirit dwell in us.

So, I have to believe that John would have had to meet the same criteria. Right? Am I being led to believe this took place in the womb? Again, the bible verse says... and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit EVEN from birth.

The word EVEN is what leads me to believe it happened in the womb. It doesn't say FROM birth, it says EVEN from birth, as if it happened prior to the day of birth. The Holy Spirit was present there already - at birth! (Are you following me in this?)

My point is not if God is powerful enough to accomplish that task in a person in the womb, but rather that He did do it in the womb!

If we believe that God worked in John BEFORE he was born, then it is evidence that God considers life to start prior to birth!

I don't know for sure if the Holy Spirit came to John on the day of conception, or in the first, second, or third trimester, or at birth. God didn't share the details of when and how with us. But, it is possible, at least the way I am being led to understand the text today, that it did happen prior to birth.

If so, then the big question is, how can we risk defining LIFE at any starting point other than at the very beginning (conception)!

So, there it is. Eight simple verses led me down a path I didn't expect. I thought I'd be in thought about the work of John the Baptist, but God wanted to show me something else. So, now you have food for thought today, too!