The years passed, until the angel Gabriel was sent to announce the coming births of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, which then took place about 3 and 2 B.C.E. respectively. Jesus was not born in the usual way, but the pre-human spirit of wisdom which had lived with Jehovah in heaven before creation, the same spirit through which all the angels, heavens and earth were created, this spirit was implanted into the woman Mary, who was a descendent of Abraham, David, and Judah. Jesus' adoptive father Joseph, a carpenter, was also a son of Abraham, David, and Judah, thus ensuring the legality of Jesus' claim to the throne.

  John and Jesus then grew up and when they became 30 years old each began his ministry. John was like the prophet Elijah, who years before had had a disciple named Elisha. Jesus was greater than John, and thus more like Elisha, who had proved to be greater than his predecessor.