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A Strange Diet

John the Baptist was a striking figure. Before his public ministry, he spent most of his time in the wilderness. We learn from Matthew’s Gospel that John’s diet consisted of locusts and wild honey and that he wore a garment of camel’s hair. Who ever heard of a prophet with a wardrobe like that?

The description of John’s clothing sounds very similar to another great prophet of Israel—Elijah (2 Kings 1:8). This similarity was no coincidence, for the angel had told Elizabeth that her son would go before the Lord “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17). Jesus later confirmed this same connection between Elijah and John (Matthew 11:14), a connection that had been prophesied centuries earlier:

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. (Malachi 4:5)

John prepared the way for Jesus as he proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This message of repentance prepared Israel for the coming of the King. Now, as we reflect on the King’s first coming during Advent, we too ought to respond with repentance as we gladly anticipate His second coming.

Simple Summary

Hundreds of years before Christ’s coming, the prophet Isaiah said there would be a voice in the wilderness who would prepare the way for the Lord. (A prophet is someone who speaks and writes the words given to him by God.) That voice was John the Baptist, the prophet who prepared Israel to meet King Jesus by calling them to repent or turn from their sins. Like the Old Testament prophet Elijah, John’s ministry was filled with the Lord’s power.

Pray

Ask God to help you continually turn from your sins and trust in His grace and power.