“This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: ‘A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him’ ” (Matthew 3:3).
This is quoted from Isaiah 40:3, A “voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’ ” Isaiah was clearly referring to the ministry of John the Baptist. God prepared John to be the announcer who would introduce Jesus to the world.
The idea is taken from the practice of royalty in those days. When kings undertook a trek through a desert region they would send messengers ahead to prepare for their journey. The forerunners would level the roadway and remove any impediments so the king could pass through. That’s what John the Baptist did for Jesus. He drew large crowds, preached that change was coming and finally introduced Jesus to everyone. “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
The world of John’s day needed the change Jesus would bring. What had once been a vibrant national faith was now maintained by only a small remnant of the people. For the most part it had been replaced by a harsh legalistic religion that had lost touch with the God of mercy and grace. Jesus came to remind the world of what God is like and how much He loves us.
Things aren’t so different now. Most people are religious to some degree, but Jesus hasn’t come to reinforce religion. He has brought the possibility of a living faith and a relationship with Himself. We don’t just believe things about Him, we believe in Him.
That’s what John announced then and it’s the message that prepares the way for Jesus now. That voice has called to us in our dry places with the proclamation that change has come. Jesus brought grace that saves us and makes us part of God’s family if we simply believe in Him.
