John the Baptist Matthew 3:1

Matthew shared what happened when Herod the king, “saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene”, and in chapter three and verse one of his book, Matthew shared about, “John the Baptist” where we read:

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

The verse reads, “In those days came John the Baptist, ..” Matthew began with the words, “in those days” which means “moreover and in the time period” “came” or “approached, presented and made public appearance” “John” which means “Jehovah is a gracious giver and was the son of Zachariah and Elisabeth, the forerunner of Christ” “the Baptist” or “the baptizer or one who administers the rite of baptism”. Matthew shared how “John the Baptist” appeared on the scene in the time of which he shall refer.

The verse continues, “... preaching in the wilderness of Judea.” Matthew added the word, “preaching” which means “heralding, proclaiming and publishing openly” “in the wilderness” or “within the solitary, lonely, desolate and uninhabited place” “of Judea” which refers to “belonging to the southern portion of Palestine lying on this side of the Jordan and the Dead Sea, to distinguish it from Samaria, Galilee, Peraea and Idumaea”. Matthew shared how John the Baptist was in the “wilderness of Judea” to “proclaim and publish openly”.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we receive the introduction of this one named “John the Baptist” who was the “fore-runner” of Jesus Christ. Isaiah prophesied concerning “John the Baptist” as he shared how John would “cry” from the “wilderness”. God's design was to have “John the Baptist” prepare the path for His Messiah Son Jesus, and because John obeyed God's direction, Jesus followed him as the “Savior” of the world.

Next time we see John the Baptist's message, “repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.