The Journey Reading PlanIsampula

Reasons to Believe: The Amazing Bible More than 700 years before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah predicted that someone would come to tell people that the Messiah was about to arrive: “A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD”’ (see Isaiah 40:3). Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist was that voice. His message heightened expectations that the Messiah would come soon. This is another instance of prophecy fulfilled in Jesus’ life. You might think that this particular prophetic fulfillment could have been rigged—anyone who knew about the prophecy could have gone out into the wilderness and said those words. But what couldn’t be faked is the Messiah arriving at the same time—complete with God’s voice from heaven (see 3:16–17)!