Scripture: Luke 3: Verse 6
The Word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth, a cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as it had come before to the prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah. They were sanctified from the womb like John the Baptist.
John was blessed with a prophetic spirit and with the extra-ordinary gift of the Holy Spirit, especially with a marvellous revelation of the Messiah, of the Gospel dispensation and he was abundantly qualified for the work he was called to do and sent to perform in Judea.
He was brought up in the wilderness and lived there for thirty years. He lived a solitary life: a life of self-denial; his clothes were made from camel’s hair; his food was grass-hoppers and wild honey. He had his mission, ministry and baptism from God.
When John received the message of God, he left the wilderness preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins throughout the country about the Jordon.
This was the work and office of John as outlined by the prophets: “He shall go before Jesus in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Malachi 4: 5)
Every valley shall be exalted, by filling it up, by preparing and cleaning the way for the coming of the Messiah, done by the ministry of John by ministering to the poor, the sick, the lowly, the humble, the depressed and oppressed by sin, shall be raised and directed to believe in Christ and be filled with divine comfort from Jesus.
Those who think they are high and mighty because of their wealth, power, authority, lifted up by their own abilities, boastful in their righteousness, trust in themselves, look with disdain and contempt on others, proud and lofty shall be bowed down and made low and the Messiah alone, in person, grace and righteousness shall be exalted.
The people of God shall see their need of salvation, the necessity of going to Christ for salvation, and by faith receive Him as their personal Saviour, looking for that blessed hope to see Him in person when He appears a second time at the resurrection.
Those who reject the Messiah shall be without excuse because when they knew Christ, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful because their foolish hearts were darkened.
All flesh shall see the salvation of God; the Messiah, God’s only Son, the author of Salvation, who came into the world to save sinners. All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God through Jesus Christ.
