Advent Day 12: Prepare Ye the Way....

There would be a forerunner who would come before the Messiah to prepare the way.

In ancient times a messenger would always precede the arrival of a king. The job of the messenger was to clear the road, and make sure the bumps were smoothed out before the king traveled that route. They prepared the people along the route to expect a visit from their king.

“The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God…..” Isaiah 40:3-5

“Behold I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me.” Malachi 3:1

I love the verse from Malachi! It is Jesus speaking! He is revealing preparations that will take place in anticipation of HIS arrival….into the midst of His creation! Think about that. Doesn't it take your breath away?!

The fulfillment of the prophecy regarding the forerunner…

JOHN THE BAPTIST....

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias who was visited by the angel, Gabriel and was told he and his wife Elizabeth would have a son, even though they were “advanced in years”. But this was not going to be just any ordinary little boy. He would grow up to be the man prophesied of by Malachi and Isaiah. He would have a very special purpose to fulfill. His job was to be the forerunner of the Messiah. Imagine being his dad and getting that information…”By the way, your little Johnnie won’t be your average little guy. Oh, and when he gets a bit older don’t worry about his strange diet of honey and locusts, or his clothing choice of camel’s hair.” This was going to be one unique guy!

“He will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor; and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb…..It is he who will go as a forerunner before HIM in the spirit and power of Elijah…….so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:15-17

Zacharias voices his uncertainty about what the angel declares and ends up mute for the duration of Elizabeth's pregnancy. But seriously, could you imagine what your reaction would be?! I would have passed out flat on the floor just at the sight of a mighty angel of God!

Mary, receiving a visit of her own from the angel Gabriel and finding out her cousin Elizabeth is expecting, decides to pay her a visit. I love to try and picture what this scene looked like as Mary approached and called out to Elizabeth…..

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice saying, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And how has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.” Luke 1:41-44

When John is born and his father Zacharias has received his voice back, Zacharias is filled with the Holy Spirit and prophecies. About his newborn son he says, 

"And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; To give His people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercies of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." Luke 1:76-79

I love this passage! It is so powerfully filled with truth.It brings such hope, such joy, and such promise. We have a God who, because of His tender mercies, came down from on high for US! He came to guide us to peace with God.


The full telling of the events surrounding the birth of John the Baptist can be found in Luke 1:5-25; 39-80.

Fast forward to John as a young man….

“In the high priesthood of Annas and Caiphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT….” Luke 3:2-4

“Now in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, “THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!” Matthew 3:1-3

And to make sure we don't somehow miss it, Jesus testifies to John being the forerunner:

And as these were going away, Jesus began speaking to them about John,....

..This is the one about whom it is written, "BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSANGER BEFORE YOUR FACE, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.' "Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." Matthew 11:7, 10, 11

The prophecies foretelling the ministry of John the Baptist were given hundreds of years before his birth, and they were all fulfilled to the letter!! John the Baptist was the forerunner of the King!

There were hundreds of prophecies fulfilled when Jesus entered His creation as a baby and lived among His creation. There are hundreds yet to be fulfilled when He returns. Prophecy is an incredible and reassuring gift from God letting us know He IS God and He IS in control. He does not want us to wonder or second guess His word or power to accomplish all He declares. He has given us His Word and it is truth!

“God is not a man that He should lie, Nor a son of man that He should repent; Has He said and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" Numbers 23:19

Praying that we keep the focus on Jesus this Christmas Season.

Merry CHRISTmas!!!