Malachi (3.1) prophesied the coming of the forerunner who would prepare the way for Jesus. Four hundred years later, John came on the scene doing just that.
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 3.1-2).
The wilderness was seen by Jews as a place of new beginnings. It was in the wilderness that God revealed much of His character to His people. In the wilderness, John revealed that the kingdom of heaven had arrived.
When we read “kingdom of heaven” in the Gospel of Matthew, we are not talking about heaven as a place where people go when they die.
“Kingdom of heaven” is simply another way of talking about the “kingdom of God.” The kingdom of God is God’s rule and reign.
The best way to understand the kingdom of God is to look at Jesus’ attitudes, teachings, and actions. They reveal what is present when God rules in the world.
The Greek word for repentance speaks of a change in a person’s mind. The Hebrew word for repentance refers to a return to God.
The Prodigal Son is a perfect example of combining these two ideas. When he was in the hog pen, he changed his mind about what was valuable in life and returned home.
When we know that God’s rule is present on Earth, we will change our minds about what is most important in life and return to a proper relationship with Him.
Prophecy’s Fulfillment
Like Malachi, Isaiah (40.3) prophesied the coming of the one who would prepare the way for the Lord.
This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’” (Matthew 3.3)
At the burning bush, God disclosed His unique covenantal name to Moses. This name is referred to as the Tetragrammaton by the Hebrews, which consists of four consonants. These letters form a name that cannot be pronounced. It is commonly translated into English as “Jehovah” or “Yahweh.”
An interesting aspect of Isaiah’s prophecy is that it was foretold that the covenantal God of Israel would visit His people. Furthermore, it was promised that His arrival would be heralded by a figure similar to John the Baptist.
John’s preparatory activity was described in terms that we would typically use for constructing a superhighway today. Each one of us has an opportunity, through our actions and words, to build a clear path for our friends to get acquainted with Jesus.
An Expected Prophet
It was 400 years between the time of Malachi and the arrival of John the Baptist in the wilderness. The wilderness was an expected place for a prophet to come, and many people came anticipating God’s activity through him.
Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins (Matthew 3.4-6).
Baptism was a sign that people were ready for God’s activity, as announced by John the Baptist. Their water baptism demonstrated an internal change of heart, evidenced by the confession of sins.
Baptism today demonstrates the new life we have received from Christ. We declare that we have accepted Jesus, we are dedicating our lives to Him, and we are making a clean break with the old while embracing the new.
Opposition from the Beginning
Throughout the Gospel of Matthew, we find opposition to God’s new work, either through John the Baptist or Jesus. The question of authority is raised in many instances. Authority answers the question: “Who is in control here?”
The Pharisees and Sadducees were the ones who dispensed forgiveness of sins through the sacrificial system at the temple. John the Baptist, on the other hand, pronounced forgiveness of sins through water baptism.
It is plain to see that he would come into conflict with these people.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
“Therefore, bear fruit worthy of repentance,
“And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
“Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 3.7-10).
John made it clear to the religious authorities of his day that their special status as clergy or racial inheritance of Abrahamic traditions did not guarantee them any privileges.
He emphasized the importance of repentance to avoid God’s judgment. As we have seen, repentance is a change of mind and a return to God.
The religious authorities were being called to show that they had changed their mind about God and returned to Him through practical deeds that reflected the inner condition of their hearts.
One of my favorite definitions of repentance is that we give all we know of ourselves to all that we know about God. When we see repentance in that light, we understand it as a progressive event.
There’s always room for me to give more of myself as I learn more about God.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob’s Spradling channel.
Real Voices 