Voice in the Wilderness

Matthew 3: Kingdom Trailblazer (1)

Pray Psalm 2.7, 8.
“I will declare the decree:
The LORD has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.’”

Sing Psalm 2.7-9.
(Agincourt: O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High!)
I will declare the LORD’s decree. He said, “My Son I have begotten Thee.
Ask Me, and I will give every land for You to rule as I have planned.”

Read Matthew 3.1-17; meditate on Matthew 3.1-3.
How do you respond to John’s message?

Prepare.
1. Where did John preach?

2. How would you summarize John’s message?

Meditate.
John appeared in the wilderness in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (Is. 40.3-5). “In those days” refers to the time of Israel’s captivity to Rome, not to the time Jesus was spending in Nazareth as a child. John didn’t exactly make it easy for people to hear him. He carried out his ministry “in the wilderness” of Judea—not a place to which people normally resorted. 

The first word people heard from John was a demand that they repent. How unlike much current preaching! These days we want our preaching to be easy to receive. So we provide air-conditioned rooms, comfortable seating, happy songs before and after, sermons filled with stories and anecdotes, and all of this designed not to demand much of anything, but to make people feel good about themselves as followers of Jesus.

John’s preaching—unlike now—blazed the trail for the coming of the Kingdom, as Isaiah further explained (Is. 40.6-31). He proclaimed that the Kingdom of heaven was “at hand!” The phrase “Kingdom of heaven” should be understood as “Kingdom that comes from heaven.” It is thus also the “Kingdom of God.” Entry to the Kingdom, John declared, is through the gate of repentance. Confession and repentance are ongoing disciplines of every true believer.

By quoting this portion of Isaiah 40, Matthew would have cued up that entire chapter for his Jewish readers. Isaiah 40 proclaims the coming of God’s glory for all people, and the “good tidings” of Immanuel (Is. 40.5, 9). The King is coming to rule and reward His people, and to feed and tend them like a flock (vv. 10, 11). He brings with Him justice and the knowledge of God (vv. 14), a warning to the nations of judgment (vv.18-24), and a promise of salvation for all who wait on the Lord (vv. 25-31). 

John’s preaching must have contained much of this. His ministry blazed the trail for the coming King and His Kingdom. And, in a very real sense, his work continues in all who know and proclaim Jesus today.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
In Luke’s account we find out exactly when this took place.
“Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness” (Lk. 3.1, 2).

And in John’s account we find out exactly where.
“Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there” (Jn. 3.23).

And in Matthew’s account we understand another when: Chapter 3 begins as John and Jesus were both around thirty years of age.

The Gospels go to great lengths to clarify to their readers that they are true accounts of real people, who lived in real places, during real times, and did real things. The writers all wrote “an orderly account” (Lk. 1.3) of the life and times of Jesus, the Son of God, the Son of Man, the Lamb of God, Immanuel—the Savior, Who is Christ the Lord.

And in Isaiah’s account we hear the proclamation of the coming of these Good News times.
The arrival of John (Is. 40.3) and of Jesus (Is. 9.6, 7).
And in many respects, the coming of those who would be preparing the way of the LORD in the hearts of those in their Personal Mission Field—to make in the desert of our times a straight path to Jesus; to be “a highway for our God” (Is. 40.3). That God would say of us as He did of John, “Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me” (Mal. 3.1).

Notice that John, and we, are referred to as preparers of the Way; not clenchers of the deal.
Only the Holy Spirit can do that work.

We are merely the farmers who prepare the ground, remove the rocks, aerate the soil, sow the seeds, and water (not too much, just enough). The Sun/Son makes the rest happen. He, and only He, can bring life.

We are today’s voice in the wilderness saying, “Repent. There is hope. Jesus is here. Follow Him!
Serve the King, God’s Anointed (Ps. 2.2), and live in His Kingdom. He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet. 3.9).

Let’s “blaze the trail” with that glorious message.
Where? Here. When? Now. How long? To the very end.

Reflect.
1. How would you explain repentance to a non-Christian friend?

2. How do you understand the “kingdom of heaven” or the “Kingdom of God”?

3. Why is it important to know that John’s ministry had Old Testament foundations?

The doctrine he preached was repentance; “Repent ye.” The word here used, implies a total alteration in the mind, a change in the judgment, disposition, and affection, another and a better bias of the soul. Consider your ways, change your minds: you have thought amiss; think again, and think aright. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Matthew 3.1-3

Pray Psalm 2.10-12.
Today you will go forth into your Personal Mission Field with the message of Good News. Use this time to prepare for the day, and for the opportunities you will have to prepare others to come to Jesus.

Sing Psalm 2.10-12.
(Agincourt: O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High!)
Be wise, O kings, O judges, hear, and tremble with joy, serve the LORD with fear.
Embrace the Son, keep His wrath at bay, or you shall perish in the way.

His wrath is kindled like a flame at all who refuse to bow to His Name.

Beware His anger and judgment grim: How blessed are all who trust in Him!

T. M. and Susie Moore

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast begins readings from If Men Will Pray. Our Crosfigell teaching letter concludes its brief series on the early 6^th-century Irish saint, Coemgen. The ReVision column continues its look at how to grow the divine economy. Check out our other excellent writers. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.