Read: Mark 1:1-4
"Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."
Mark 1:2-3
Much of North Pulaski county is developed swamp land. I cannot imagine how difficult it was to traverse this area prior to modern infrastructural technology. And I’m not just talking about the rough landscape. Prior to any roads being developed here, travelers had to constantly be on their guard against snakes, coyotes, hogs, bears, mosquitoes, and other pests. What may be a five minute car ride today, used to be an all day slog through swamps and bayous. Thank God for His many blessings!
In an analogous way, God sent prophets to pave the way for the coming of the Messiah. No prophet was as unique as John the Baptist. He was a special voice, one that cleared the road and made the transition into the Messianic age easier. In fact, it is generally believed that most (if not all) of the apostles that Jesus called were first disciples of John prior to being called by Jesus. Thus, John had a special role in cultivating the hearts of the men Jesus would commission to lead His church after His ascension.
As we see in Mark 1, John’s prophetic ministry was so unique, that there was literally a prophecy about His coming ministry roughly 700 years before John was even born. What was John’s message? What special task had God commissioned him with? John proclaimed the need for repentance and forgiveness. He emphasized the need for a Savior by directly highlighting the sin within the heart of all mankind. He was kind of like a “fire and brimstone” preacher with a monkish flare. It seems that John was single, he lived outside any established town, he ate honey and locusts (Matthew 3:4), and was not shy to call out sin. He was so revered as a prophet and preacher that people would travel miles to hear him preach and to be baptized by him. Jesus called John a great man (Matthew 11:11). And John eventually died because of his preaching (Matthew 14).
According to the church father, Gregory the Great, the very food John ate “pointed out the Lord, of whom he was the forerunner; for in that our Lord took to Himself the sweetness of the barren Gentiles, he ate wild honey…He received locusts for His food, which suddenly leaping up, at once fall to the ground. For the Jews leaped up when they promised to fulfill the precepts of the Lord; but they fell to the ground, when by their evil works they affirmed that they had not heard them. They made therefore a leap upwards in words, and fell down by their actions.”
God used this prophetic wildman in a significant way. His very life pointed to the need, meaning, significance, impact, and spiritual reality of the coming Messiah. He was literally a spiritual trailblazer: sent by God to prepare the world for the coming of Christ. And his message is no less impactful today. In this season of advent, we too should remember our need for forgiveness. And seek God’s mercy for the sin in our lives.
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Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me for the sin in my life. I want to be a holy man/woman. By your grace, I want to walk worthy of your call and name. Give me the grace to live as you have called.