The Messiah shall be preceded by a Messenger- Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:1,2 (Jn. 1:23; Luke 1:17)
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 40:3)
1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Thoughts: Jesus did not come in a vacuum. There were many prophets who had forecast His coming, and reminded the people what true religion consisted of. It made sense that right before the Messiah came a voice calling for repentance and washing away of sins immediately preceded him. John the Baptist’s home is not far from Jeremiah’s home- and his message is very similar. His message is also similar to Elijah’s who saw corruption everywhere. John did not mind standing up to kings, and that, in the end, cost him his life. That John in utero lept for joy at Christ in utero is a sign of fellowship and spiritual recognition. That John and Jesus knew each other as children is probable.
This advent, as we want and desire (and wait for) Christ to come anew to our hearts, let us do so with repentance and remembering our baptism.
Prayer: Lord, you do not come in silence, but with prophets, angels, shepherds, wise men. Yet you come in humility. So, I humble myself before you today. I repent of the things I have left undone and the things I should not have done. Wash me, cleanse me and make me whole. Prepare me for your presence once more.
(John the Baptist and Jesus as children- Christ offers a drink to John. Bartolome Esteban Murillo Perez 1600s)
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