John the Baptist can be confusing to read about. He wore weird clothes, had an odd diet, and had the incredible joy to baptize Jesus Christ. Yet John’s life wasn’t just different because of who John was, but because of the role God had prepared him for centuries before his birth.
Christ in the Old Testament
Behold, I am sending My messenger, and he will clear a way before Me. And the Lord, whom you are seeking, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of armies. (Malachi 3:1)
The voice of one calling out,
“Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness;
Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Let every valley be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the uneven ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
And all flesh will see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3-5)
The context of these prophecies are often lost on us today. When a king would travel, he would send servants, called “forerunners,” ahead of his group to prepare people for the arrival of their king. This might include things like lodgings, but these forerunners would also get the people’s attention, build anticipation, and make sure everyone was ready for the most important figure in their lives ot arrive. After all, their king was coming! Who would want to be napping or wearing their dirty working clothes when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see their king finally came?
Like the forerunners of earthly kings, God gave prophecies that He would send someone to prepare the way for the world’s eternal King.
Fulfilled in the New Testament
A man came, one sent from God, and his name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. (John 1:6-8)
This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” And he confessed and did not deny; and this is what he confessed: “I am not the Christ.” And so they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you? Tell us, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one calling out in the wilderness, ‘Make the way of the Lord straight,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” (John 1:19-23)
John the Baptist had been set aside by God for a very important role. He was chosen to prepare the way for Jesus Christ, our King. He told people about repentance from sin, which was a radical departure from their belief that God simply wanted them to have good behavior and obey the Old Testament laws.
John did this to prepare the way for the King who would not just come to rule, but would be the sacrificial offering for the sin of His people. He ran ahead of Christ to give people the opportunity to be prepared for the most important person they would ever meet. Jesus Christ, God who came in flesh, was coming to conquer sin and rescue His people.
That is the King we get to serve today. We don’t worship Him because He serves us and meets our needs. Instead, we serve Him because He is the only one who deserves our worship. He doesn’t just save us from our sin, but invites us to live a life devoted to Him.
In a way, we are called to be like John the Baptist. We have the opportunity to prepare hearts for the gospel. Whether it’s our friends, strangers, or people in our own home, God gives us the joy of telling others about the King of Kings.
Yet we must always remember our proper place in the salvation of others. We are messengers who give the good news, but it’s the King who conquers sin and rescues His enemies from the wrath of God. When we remember how God calls us to serve, we can rest knowing that we aren’t expected to know all the right answers, come up with the perfect words, or convince people to accept Christ. We are simply called to be humble, faithful servants who proclaim the gospel and remember that Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, is the one who changes hearts.
