John the Baptist

The voice crying in the wilderness; calls the religious a generation of vipers; baptizes for repentance; recognizes Jesus and decreases that He may increase; rebukes Herod for taking his brothers wife; loses his head for the rebuke. Failure mode: None; near the end sends from prison asking if Jesus is the one — honest doubt without abandonment. Restoration path: Decrease that He may increase; rebuke the kings sin to his face; trust the One you announced even in the prison. Markers: wilderness voice; calls religious leaders to repentance; decreases as the greater rises; rebukes power at personal cost; honest doubt from prison without abandonment