In order to properly understand all this, we must grasp the fact that John was the last of a great line of Old Testament prophets who saw and spoke only in terms of the Kingdom of Heaven — the reign of God on earth — which he said was at hand. Although he prophesied of the Lord Jesus as the Lamb of God, and foreshadowed the introduction of the great age of grace, he never saw or understood the cross; he was the herald of the King, His forerunner and friend.
Being filled with the Spirit, John burned and shone in the cold dark to warm men and light them into the highway he was commissioned to prepare for the coming of the Son of God. It was a task of great magnitude, but he faithfully accomplished it. Immersing his converts in the tangible element of water, John symbolised to them what the King should later do to their spirits in the eternal Spirit of God.
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G.W. North (1913 - 2003)
G. W. North was born in London England in 1913. As a young man he became aware that the Lord was calling him into the work of the ministry. At timely stages the Lord placed folk in his path who were able to direct him into the truth of heart purity and a more expansive understanding of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He held pastorates in Kent and Bradford. By the late 1960s, following a significant period of ministry in Liverpool, he began a more itinerant ministry. This led him to many parts of the world, and occupied him until well into his eighties. His powerful preaching and the unique sense of the Lord's presence, which seemed to brood over his meetings, were always intensely challenging.The true secret of his remarkable ministry stemmed from his personal communion with the Lord Jesus. To him, 'entering the holiest' was not merely a theological concept; it was a distinct spiritual reality - and the central feature of his spiritual life. It was here, in the place of worship, that his revelatory ministry found its source. He preached from understanding and conviction. He was never the echo of another, nor did he take on board the ebb and flow of various contemporary emphases. He was not a man of 'books'; he soaked himself in Scripture and allowed it to saturate his heart and mind. Truly, this is a man who has lifted up a standard for the people. Mr North went to be with the Lord on 29th April 2003, shortly after his ninetieth birthday.