102
The Desire of Ages
“I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the
way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.”
The scripture to which John referred is that beautiful prophecy of
Isaiah: “Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God. Speak ye
[135]
comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her appointed time is
accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned.... 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.”
Isaiah 40:1-5
,
margin.
Anciently, when a king journeyed through the less frequented parts
of his dominion, a company of men was sent ahead of the royal chariot
to level the steep places and to fill up the hollows, that the king might
travel in safety and without hindrance. This custom is employed by
the prophet to illustrate the work of the gospel. “Every valley shall
be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low.” When the
Spirit of God, with its marvelous awakening power, touches the soul,
it abases human pride. Worldly pleasure and position and power are
seen to be worthless. “Imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth
itself against the knowledge of God” are cast down; every thought is
brought into captivity “to the obedience of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:5
.
Then humility and self-sacrificing love, so little valued among men,
are exalted as alone of worth. This is the work of the gospel, of which
John’s message was a part.
The rabbis continued their questioning: “Why baptizest thou then,
if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?” The words
“that prophet” had reference to Moses. The Jews had been inclined
to the belief that Moses would be raised from the dead, and taken to
heaven. They did not know that he had already been raised. When
the Baptist began his ministry, many thought that he might be the
prophet Moses risen from the dead, for he seemed to have a thorough
knowledge of the prophecies and of the history of Israel.
It was believed also that before the Messiah’s advent, Elijah would
personally appear. This expectation John met in his denial; but his
words had a deeper meaning. Jesus afterward said, referring to John,
“If ye are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, which is to come.”
Matthew