We come across the concept of baptism primarily in the New Testament. And many people
wrongly think that it was John the Baptist, that kind of invented it. But this was not the case. When we look at the biblical backgrounds, that is the history of Judaism, and I'm speaking
about biblical Judaism, what's recorded. In the Old Testament, we find that there are hints to
things that were done by the priests and the Levites, prior to serving God, and what was that
they would wash themselves. And that washing was indeed, a baptism. See, we know as
believers, that baptism pictures, the death, burial, and resurrection of Messiah, that is true. But
baptism was also something that was done by priests and Levites, and others, in order to be
used by God. It involves a change of status from that which was common or normal, we might
use that word from that which is set apart for a holy purpose.