Luke the physician wrote, “Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins”, and in chapter three and verse four of his book Luke shared how John was as, “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” where we read:
As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying,
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
The verse reads, “As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, ...” Luke began with the words, “as it is written in the book” or “in the way or manner it was delineated or formed in letters on a tablet, parchment, paper or other material within the roll or scroll” “of the words of Esaias” which means “pertaining to the saying, decree, mandate and moral precept belonging to Isaiah whose name means Jehovah's help” and was “the prophet” or “a famous Hebrew prophet or one who was moved by the Spirit of God and hence his organ or spokesman who solemnly declares to men what he has received by inspiration, especially concerning future events and in particular such as relate to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation. Isaiah prophesied in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah”. Luke referred to the “words” of “Isaiah the prophet” as he mentioned the ministry of John the Baptist.
The verse goes on to say, “... The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” Luke continues with the words, “the voice” which means “the sound and tone of uttered words” “of one crying” or “pertaining to a person speaking with a high and strong tone to cry out, implore and shout” “in the wilderness” which means “within the desert place which was solitary, lonely, desolate and uninhabited”, “Prepare you the way of the Lord” or “make ready the preparations for the road, traveled way and journey belonging to the One to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master and the title given to God the Messiah”, “make his paths straight” which means “prepare, make ready and produce level, upright, true, sincere and straighten ruts or worn tracks for the Messiah”. Luke shared how the prophesy also declared this “fore-runner” of the Messiah would “shout aloud” within the “desert” area and “make ready” the path for the coming of the Messiah.
When think through Luke's words in this verse, we see how John the Baptist fulfilled this prophecy concerning the “fore-runner” to the Messiah. Not only was he to call people to “repentance” from their sins and to be “baptized”, but he was also to “prepare” for the coming of the Messiah. When royalty traveled, there were people who preceded them who were designated to “smooth” the path in advance of their arrival. They removed rocks, filled holes and prepared the roads for the rulers to pass upon. John the Baptist was “preparing” the people for the coming of the Messiah who was Jesus, and although the people did not know who Jesus was at this point, their hearts were being prepared to receive Him. Each verse within the scriptures serves as God's way to prepare people to meet His Son Jesus, and those who are wise will see “in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do your will, O my God: yes, your law is within my heart.” (See Psalm 40:7-9).
Next time Luke continues to share about the prophesy that said, “every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low”, 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.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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