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Reflections — The Wilderness, The Desert, And The Way Through
The ministry of John the Baptist broke a 400-year silence between God and the people of Israel. The Baptist himself defined his ministry by quoting from Isaiah 40,
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” John 1:23
The coming of John the Baptist was predicted in the final words of the last Old Testament prophet, Malachi,
“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. Malachi 4:5
Furthermore, Jesus himself confirmed Elijah’s coming by telling His disciples Elijah had indeed already come, and they understood Jesus was referring to John the Baptist. (Matthew 17:11–13)
God fell silent in a divinely orchestrated sequence; the last prophet predicted the next prophet would break that silence. Finally, the Messiah confirmed John’s identity.
When I read these verses, my faith in God’s word is bolstered by their cohesiveness and continuity, which advance God’s message of love throughout the Bible.
It’s time to examine the passage John quoted from, Isaiah 40:3–5,
A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness, prepare
the way for…
