22 Oct John the Prophetic

22 October 2023

JOHN THE PROPHETIC

2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; 3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’ (Mark 1:2-3, recommend reading the full text, 1:1-8)

John the Baptist was more than a visionary. He was prophetic in nature to proclaim a new world order, different from that of the ruling empire of the time. John’s uprising strategically encapsulated a vision warm enough to prove a sense of ‘dis-order,’ which eventually provoked his death. It was nothing new to the ruling empire. Anyone who had sprung up were put down. Jesus is often praised while our dear brother John was laid to rest for the movement he had arguably solicited.

The story of John reminds me of our very own “Cuffy and Quamina” of the rebellions that perhaps brought the slave empire to a questionable end. Cuffy was seen as a peaceful slave from within the Colony of Berbice in a then-Dutch enterprise. Harsh

conditions of work provoked Cuffy to round up slaves who were also willing to join the parade of preempted independence. Due to Cuffy’s peaceful nature in opposition to war, he failed to bring about a sense of ‘isolation’ from the Dutch Empire. The Dutch regained control, but the empire would never be the same again, word got back to the overarching leaders of the empire about the bloodshed that had taken place during this process, and the ‘arc of the moral universe was beginning to turn towards the justice and liberation.’ Remember that this was 1763, while a sense of abolishment was achieved less than a century later.

Cuffy’s progression and rebellion was a story that perhaps inspired many, including a young Quamina, who created controversy for the ruling leaders when he prompted a rebellion in the Demerara Colony. In 1823, The empire crumbled in the fight for justice for slaves. The everyday people of Britain, when they had heard of the circumstances surrounding these slaves, didn’t appreciate what was done. Today Quamina and Cuffy are hailed as heroes, and rightfully so.

Drawing from these stories is the parallel between John and Jesus’s life; John was courageous enough to proclaim a new world, one that he knew little about but was not afraid of. It may be difficult to imagine the thoughts, emotions, and feelings of these icons, as they were deemed as crazy, possessed and even troubled. But these stories may serve as inspiration that we, too, are to be visionaries in provoking action, in troubling the unjust realities that exist. Apparently, resisting modern-day empires and colonial entities will lead to condemnation and upheaval. Perhaps it could be the conclusion that it is how we may know when we are on track to justice and peace.

prayer

Decenter us, Lord, and transform our being to be bold and courageous to uproot systems of oppression and Justice. We will not turn away from the pain of our brothers, cries of our sisters, and grieving of others. Amen!

for further thought

Can you draw parallels between John the Baptist and any such prophetic visionary in your context?

Christopher Latchman

Guyana Presbyterian Church