A Highway For Our God
December 3, 2000
Dear Friends:
How is John the Baptist like a bulldozer? No, it is not a joke.
In Isaiah 40, we have the following prophecy concerning the coming of John the Baptist. “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: and the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”
We have an interesting word picture of a highway being built through a wilderness. John the Baptist is the “heavy equipment” used to level uneven ground. He will raise the depressions and lower the hills. He will prepare the ground for the road to be laid down.
We are left to wonder at how John the Baptist accomplished this unless we continue on in Isaiah. He tells us how John would do this. “The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”
John’s heavy construction project was to tell men that all flesh was grass. In other words, compared to God, mortal man is insignificant. John’s message was one of humility. In order for Jesus to come and deliver his message, the men of Israel had to be humbled. They needed to realize they were sinful and in need of a redeemer. Without this most basic of all facts, the message of Jesus would fall on deaf ears.
When we read the announcement in Matthew that this prophecy was fulfilled, our understanding is reinforced with the surrounding commentary. Matthew tells them and us “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”
He echoes back to Isaiah’s comments on grass following that by telling them that Jesus would “gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” There are dire consequences for not submitting to this humbling process.
The importance of John’s “bulldozing” message is not lost through the passage of time as we are in need of this truth as much today as the men of Israel in yesteryear. Man is mortal and sinful. We are in need of a redeemer. Humility is not an option.
There is no such thing as a proud believer. Anyone who truly understands the Gospel message must realize who they are and what their place is in the universe. It is humbling and uplifting all at once. Humbling in that we know how insignificant we are; uplifting in knowing what we can become in Christ.
Hopefully for all of us, there is a path cleared through our “deceitful” and “desperately wicked” hearts for Christ to build his road.
Have a great week!
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