>> in an echo of old testament prophecies, the gospels recount his passionate belief that the end of the world is close. >> judgement is coming. >> and with it, the coming of a new messiah. >> well, the kingdom of heaven is coming. >> to prepare themselves john urges people to repent and cleanse their sins, and to do that, they must be baptized. >> to encounter john in the wilderness is to encounter a person who is bringing to your eyes the fact that you have sinned and fallen short of god's best for you, and you had by golly better repent. >> ah! >> john is like an apocalyptic creature. he's a firebrand preacher. in john's case, literally about fire. >> this firebrand is telling them the whole crop of israel is going to be burned up unless you repent. >> he talks about judgment. he talks about god's anger.