![]() Providential agencies were even then at work preparing Christ's way among the Gentiles.ġ. Not only the land of Israel, but the Gentile world, even "all flesh," was then being prepared "to see the salvation of God." The former was accomplished by John's own preaching of the latter he was only the herald. But even in this day THE WORDS HAD A WIDER SIGNIFICATION. Before this wilderness preacher the mountains of Pharisaic pride were levelled, the valleys of Sadducean unbelief were filled up, the tortuous vices of the courtly Judaean were corrected, and the rude ignorance of the Galilean smoothed and reformed. ![]() The homely and heart-searching appeals of the Baptist proved him to be the pioneer of the righteous King. THE TRANSITION IS EASY TO THE PERSONAL TIMES OF THE MESSIAH, AND OF HIS HERALD, JOHN THE BAPTIST. Yea more, he pictures the dawn of the day as ushered in by that return from Babylon. Already foreseeing the seventy years' captivity of Judah, and then the joyful return of the exiles under the decree of Cyrus, Isaiah writes of these events as if himself living and acting among them. Yet by faith he sees afar off, and the seer is himself transported into that bright future. He, too, living now probably in the idolatrous reign of Manasseh, felt himself in a spiritual desert. ISAIAH USES IT AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF HIS OWN MINISTRY. The Comforter must first convince of sin. Our consciences are too easily satisfied. No wonder, then, that the wilderness is so often used as an emblem of this present life, in which you and I must listen to the voice of Heaven's messengers. The thorn and the thistle around him are the emblems of the sin and the sorrow which spiritually mark his nomad state of existence. Ever since man was driven from Eden he has been a wanderer in the desert. Some open new paths to the seekers after wisdom: to others it is given to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. The doctrine of others distils as the dew. Some speak with a voice of thunder to arouse a sleeping world. GOD HAS MANY MESSENGERS, AND THEY HAVE OFTEN LIFTED UP THEIR VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS. We are simply the channel for his glory to work through us.The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.… In fact, we cannot control when X shows up because that is in the dominion of God. We ask for X in prayer, we then thank God for granting us X ahead of time, and we do that over and over, daily, twice a day…then when X shows up, we are elated. The faith it takes to thank God ahead of time for answering prayer is a form of preparation. In Mark 11:24, we are told that whatever we ask for in prayer, just believe ahead of time that we have received it and the intention will be answered. Prayer is one avenue of preparation that is applicable here. We are told to prepare ourselves for the way of the Lord. Nevertheless, in this reflection, I want to focus on the preparation. The words spoken tell us about impending justice coming from God, that valleys will be raised and mountain hills made low. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 40: 3-5). And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. In the Book of Isaiah, we read God’s word speaking through the prophet telling us to prepare ourselves for the coming of our Lord, “ A voice of one calling i n the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
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