The Bible Provocateur
The Bible Provocateur
LIVE DISCUSSION: John the Baptist, Repentance, Apostasy (1 of 5)
The ancient prophecies of Isaiah come alive in this exploration of Luke 3:4-5, where we discover the profound significance of John the Baptist's ministry as "the voice crying in the wilderness." Far more than historical events, these passages reveal God's masterful plan for reconciliation with humanity.
What happens when divine roadwork begins in human hearts? The imagery of filling valleys and lowering mountains paints a vivid picture of God's equalizing grace. The lowly and humble—represented by valleys—are lifted up, while the proud and self-important—symbolized by mountains—are brought low. This spiritual leveling creates equal footing for all who approach the King of Kings, removing barriers between humanity and God.
We carefully examine how Jesus himself identified John the Baptist as the fulfillment of Malachi's prophecy about Elijah's return, confirming we're already living in the prophesied kingdom era. This corrects misunderstandings propagated by dispensationalist interpretations that mistakenly push God's kingdom into some distant future rather than recognizing its present reality.
The "King's Highway" metaphor would have resonated powerfully with first-century listeners who understood the elaborate preparations made for royal processions. Just as literal roads were straightened and obstacles removed for kings, John prepared hearts to receive Jesus—the divine King whose arrival changed human history forever. The parallel references to "the Lord" and "our God" in these passages offer compelling evidence of Christ's divinity.
Whether you're a seasoned Bible student or just beginning your spiritual journey, this message will deepen your understanding of how Scripture's prophecies fit together perfectly in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Let these ancient words transform your perspective as you recognize your place in God's continuing story of redemption.
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Christians, good morning on this Sunday. I hope your day is off to a good start and, if not, I hope that our current discussion might brighten your day a little bit. It always does for me, in terms of getting engaged with the Lord's Word, as I like to do. Today, I'm going to be in the book of Luke, luke, chapter 3. Luke, chapter 3, verses 4 and 5. Luke, chapter 3, verse 4 and 5. Luke, chapter 3, verse 4, and 5. Now it reads as follows Luke 3, verse 4.
Speaker 1:As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah, the prophet, saying the voice of one crying in the wilderness Prepare you the way of the Lord, make his paths straight, every valley shall be filled, every mountain and hill shall be brought low and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. So we see here what I would refer to as a kingdom prophecy, a prophetic utterance about the coming of our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ. Luke cites at the very beginning that he is speaking about that which was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah. So now let me go to the prophet Isaiah and read exactly what it is Luke is referring to. So in Isaiah, chapter 40, in verse 3 through 5, we read the following the voice of him that cries in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord. Made 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 shall be made plain, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. Now, when you read these verses, you cannot look or consider any other direction to point this prophecy other than in the direction of our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ, when he came in his flesh. Now the voice of one crying in the wilderness is speaking about John the Baptist, who Christ himself affirmed came in the spirit and power of Elijah. And we are told in Malachi, chapter 4, the following when it comes to John the Baptist, he says in verse 5 of Malachi 4, behold, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, before the coming and great and dreadful day of the Lord, and he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.
Speaker 1:There are many folks who want to believe that this coming of Elijah has not happened and they make a grave mistake in coming to that conclusion that this has not happened. And they make a grave mistake in coming to that conclusion that this has not happened Because Elijah here is definitely prophesied that he must come before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. But our Lord himself tells us that Elias or Elijah, that he did come. Listen to what the Lord Jesus Christ says. The Pharisees or the scribes said to Jesus Christ. Doesn't the scriptures teach that Elijah must first come? Notice what the Lord Jesus Christ says. He answered and told them Elijah, verily did come first. He did come and he restores all things and how. It is written of the Son of man that he must suffer many things and be set at naught, in other words, to be made nothing before men In verse 13. But I say unto you that Elijah is indeed come, is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever. They listed as it is written of him, the Lord Jesus Christ in his own words in Mark, chapter 9, verse 13,.
Speaker 1:He refers to John the Baptist as the one who fulfilled the prophecy of Malachi 4, verses 5 and 6. The prophecy of Malachi 4, verses 5 and 6. And notice back in Malachi 5 and 6, what John the Baptist would do when he comes in the spirit and power of Elijah. It says that he will come to do one thing Verse 6 of Malachi 4. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse. And so this is what the Lord himself would do. But the Lord himself would do, but John the Baptist would be the one that laid out the pathway for this to begin to happen. And what is going to begin to happen? Turning people, turning them to what and from what? Turning them from sin, changing their minds, turning from sin and turning to Christ. And Christ would be the one turning the hearts of men. This is what the prophecy is all about.
Speaker 1:So you have many Christians today that want to take these passages and talk about. Well, john the Baptist never. I mean that Elijah never came. He's coming in the future so that they can make it fit into a dispensational framework that is false altogether and moving off the kingdom of God into some future era which we have not yet encountered or been made a part of, when in fact we are in that kingdom right now, evidenced by the very topic we're discussing right now.
Speaker 1:When Elijah came which Jesus himself said he did come, and that he came in the spirit and power of Elijah, in fulfillment of Malachi 4, verse 5. Now I needed to beat that horse a little while so that I can hope that this will land in a lot of people's minds when you read the scriptures going forward, because it is something that definitely needs to be understood and it absolutely must be believed. Because here's the thing if this prophecy is talking about the lord jesus, that it can only mean when he first came. There's no way that this prophecy could be jumping past his first coming and skipping forward to another coming. That's impossible. But also remember what the context is establishing, as my sister Maggie points out, he would come, is establishing, as my sister Maggie points out, he would come.
Speaker 1:The forerunner John the Baptist would come preceding the coming of Christ. How do I know that? Because it says what Christ will do. What did it say he's going to do? Turn the hearts of men. John preached repentance. But if John the Baptist is what you are thinking this refers to. But if John the Baptist is what you are thinking this refers to, or Elijah in the future, if you believe this is referring to Elijah coming and still yet the future, then you have to say that the son of God or God has not been yet turning the hearts of men. And you can't say that if Elijah is coming in the future, it will be coming to turn the hearts of men because, according to the dispensational scheme, that happens at the end of the world, when most men will have, when all men will have, no opportunity for salvation after that takes place. Going into all those nuances, I will reserve for a another discussion. But john the baptist is the fulfillment by the words of Christ himself of being the forerunner of Christ himself, and John the Baptist was that fulfillment.
Speaker 1:Now let's look at what this passage talks about in Luke, chapter three, verses 4 and 5. Let's look at this and get a more clear understanding of what is being said here. So, first off, he mentions in Luke, chapter 3, verse 4, that John the Baptist would be the voice of one crying in the wilderness, crying in the wilderness. In Luke, I mean in Isaiah 40, it refers to the wilderness as a desert, a desert. Now we get the idea. It's a wilderness and is referred to as a wilderness in Luke and in Isaiah 40, it is referred to as wilderness. I mean a desert. Sorry, but anyway they correspond Desert, wilderness.
Speaker 1:So what are we talking about? We're talking about a place that lacks water. We're talking about a place that is dry. We're talking about a place that is often desolate and empty. The conditions are nearly impossible for a man to be able to live. Food does not grow in a desert, fruit does not grow in a desert, water is not produced in the desert. And what do we need to live? Bread and water.
Speaker 1:So what is the prophet talking about?
Speaker 1:What is the apostle I mean, what is Luke talking about? It is talking about the bread of life, our savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the bread of life, our savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the bread of life, and yet he is also living water, living water, and so, but men, spiritually, apart from Christ, they are in a desert, a desolate, dry place. There is no food. There, there is no spiritual sustenance there, there is no living water that gives vitality to the soul. Jesus Christ said that if you drink his water, as my sister pointed out, you will never thirst again. Said that if you drank his water, as my sister pointed out, you will never thirst again. But in the desert, even the slightest few drops that you may encounter, if that were possible, it would still require you to thirst again. Now, that's the wilderness, this is the desert. And it is said that John, the, that's the wilderness, this is the desert.
Speaker 1:And it is said that john the baptist would prepare the way of the lord. He would prepare the way, and it says that it is the way of the lord. It's the way of the lord also. You see this in luke prepare the way of the Lord. Also. You see this in Luke prepare the way of the Lord. Notice, notice that this way of the Lord is his way. It is his way. Not only is it his way, it is the way, way being that there is only one way. It is only one way, the way of the lord. John the baptist came to prepare that one way and it is the only way that leads to the Lord, the only way and John the Baptist prepared that. We know that the path, or the one way that John the Baptist preached, which was not unlike and altogether similar to Elijah, which was to repent, turn from your foolish idols and turn to God, why will you die? There's only one way to have life and that is on the way prepared for the Lord, the lord's way, prepared by john the baptist, meaning making this pathway, prepare the way of the lord. And notice that in luke, chapter 3, it says prepare the way of the Lord, but in Isaiah he adds this. He says prepare the way of the Lord, but then he adds make straight in the desert or in the wilderness a highway for our God.
Speaker 1:The God part you don't see in Luke, chapter four. I mean verse three, four or five. You don't see God there until you get to Luke three, verse six, where it says and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. But what is my point here? My point is here. My point here is this Jesus is God. If this prophecy in Isaiah is speaking about God, it could only be the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other way to see this. The Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other way to see this. There is literally no other logical way to see this, because even if you believe, even if you believe that the prophecy is speaking of a future time that goes beyond the first coming of Christ and extends to his second coming, either way it would refer to Christ. Even in the faulty system of dispensationalism, even in that false interpretation of biblical hermeneutics, it would still be referring to the Lord Jesus Christ, which means that in Isaiah 40, this can only be talking about Christ, no matter what schematic you want to follow, which means that if the highway that is prepared is the highway for our God, then the Lord Jesus Christ is clearly established here and in Luke as God.
Speaker 1:Christians, today more than ever, we need to focus on biblical precision, tying the truth together everywhere throughout Scripture. This is important. Otherwise you do like the dispensationalists do you start building all kinds of doctrines, of verses pointing to some other time, doctrines or verses pointing to some other time, and none of them even agree on all the elements of what their system leads you to believe. Dispensationalism is not a systematic approach to the scriptures. It is a foolish, carnal and reckless approach to the scriptures.
Speaker 1:Interpretation of eschatological scripture passages Isaiah 40, verses 3 through 5 is Isaiah's eschatology. It was a prophecy given to him looking into the future, but looking to the greatest event that has ever taken place before the eyes of mankind, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ and his entire ministry, from his birth till his ascension. There is no greater epic of time in the human existence other than his life, his three and a half years on this earth. Nothing greater. The way John the Baptist was to prepare the way of the Lord and we talked about this already that it was his way and it's only one way, and John was preparing that one way, not multiple ways.
Speaker 1:You have a lot of people who believe they are waxing eloquent and sounding profound when they say that all roads lead to God. That's not what this prophecy says. It says there's only one way, and the only one who prepared that one way was John the Baptist, and that one way is to be able to find the salvation of our God by way of repentance of our God, by way of repentance. And he preached repent, repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand, and the kingdom of God being at hand was in the presence and in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, and those who believe in him enter into the kingdom of God when they believe. If the kingdom of God is yet future, there is no way that any of us are in the kingdom of God when they believe. If the kingdom of God is yet future, there is no way that any of us are in the kingdom of God now. There's no way.
Speaker 1:And then lastly and I'll get to this he says in this particular section he talks about make his paths straight. Make his paths straight, and so this implies that the pathways are not straight, that they are crooked, and we're going to deal with this whole thing. We're going to deal with making his path straight, in other words, making sure you understand what the correct path is. He's setting things straight, making it easy to see and to understand and to have a good perspective on where you're going. Nothing will obstruct your view. But we're going to get more into this without me giving away too much too soon on that subject.
Speaker 1:But lastly, in Luke 3, verse 6, it concludes by saying all flesh, flesh. When John the Baptist has done his job and he did do it perfectly as the forerunner of Christ. He performed his job perfectly. And it says in Luke 3, verse 6 and all flesh Shall see the salvation of God. All flesh shall see the salvation of God. Now Let me bring in Talk to a couple of people that I have right now on my panel my faithful brother and sister, sister Lisa. Hey, come on, talked to a few couple of people that I have right now on my panel my faithful brother and sister, sister Lisa.
Speaker 2:Hey, how are you? I am dandy Happy to be here this morning.
Speaker 1:Good. What are your thoughts so far?
Speaker 2:I think this is amazing. You know I didn't catch in Isaiah where it says that it make way for the way of God. You know he mentioned God. I can't quote it but you can't deny that Jesus is God. After that, I mean it goes. I love how you're doing this. I hadn't caught that before, so that's really something that's excited me this morning. I'm looking forward to seeing what else you have.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. We'll get into it for sure, brother Jeff, man of God.
Speaker 3:Good afternoon. Everybody keeps saying good morning. It's afternoon on the East Coast, but yeah, it's good to be here with you. I was glad, kind of glad you didn't go live yesterday. I was telling Lisa I couldn't make it. I took vaccinations on Friday and sort of had a short febrile illness that broke last night. I could feel the fever breaking in the middle of the night, but I'm fine. I'm fine, it's. You know, it happens when you take these things and we don't want to get into an argument about that. So I mean, mean, I'm a physician, I was one of those kids that lined up for sugar cubes, for polio vaccines, when I was just a kid. So you know I've always done it. But anyway, that's neither here nor there. One comment I had and I hope I'm not stealing any thunder from you is that you know I studied this passage in isaiah before and you know that what they're talking about is the king's highway.
Speaker 3:Yeah exactly, and the king's highway is very special and that imagery that he's using making the path straight and everything they would literally this is a literal image of what they would do. They'd go build a road.
Speaker 1:Absolutely.
Speaker 3:You know, and making straight was taking out the curves and taking what's down. They cut through mountains and things like that the way we do today. But it's a literal image of a figurative concept of the Lord, the King, coming. And the King did come. I mean, I'm sitting here thinking they're drinking this in and saying, you know, how can anybody think that Jesus hadn't come yet? Drinking this in and saying, you know, how can anybody think that Jesus hadn't come yet? I mean, no matter how you talk about time, I love it how they talk. Before the common era, after the common era, they still divided at Jesus Christ. I mean, you know he's yeah, he's the most important personage of all time and whether you acknowledge that or not, it's absolutely true. Anyway, I'm excited about it too.
Speaker 1:You're absolutely right, brother. It is a spiritual description, using the metaphor of what they used to do. You're 100% correct. That's what they used to do when the king was coming or when it was the king's highway. They would make it a unobstructed, smooth path we're going to look to, and Brother Papa says the crooked. The crooked ways is where the thieves here. So that's a new element. That that would be new to me to understand was what this is. This is what this is symbolizing is symbolizing making this road, um, accessible by all to the king, and this road is what provided I should say, this road is what provided accessibility to the king, and so it was an important thing. It was sort of like a, a, uh, a red carpet type of thing. I I would say. But absolutely right.
Speaker 1:Now, notice in this passage in Luke and in Isaiah 40, he mentions valleys. He mentions valleys. And what is a valley? A valley is a low place, the base of mountains. It's a low place, the base of mountains. It's a low place.
Speaker 1:And the thing that we see here picked it is when he talks about these valleys. Because, remember, we have to understand, the bible is a book about how sinful men can be reconciled to the righteous and holy God. And we have to understand that when he talks about the valleys, when he talks about the valleys, he's not talking about the actual valleys that he is coming to lay out, he is talking about people. He's talking about people. He's talking about people, and he talks about people who are made or who are lowly, people who are humbled, people who lack, but people who are of low esteem in general, people who are poor in spirit. And so these valleys represent these people, all these folks who are brought low and who live in absolute, abstract humility. Humility, this is what it's talking about. And people of humble disposition are often people plagued with affliction, often plagued with trials, often find their way difficult to be lived, but find a way to continue to move.
Speaker 1:Valleys present all kind of obstacles that allow you to be lifted up. But what he says here is that valleys shall be filled. Luke 3, 5, every valley shall be filled. In luke 3, 5, every valley shall be filled. Also we see this in in luke 40. He has a different component. He says every valley shall be exalted. So here's the picture in luke 3, it says every valley shall be filled. And then, but in Luke I mean. But then in Isaiah 40, forgive me guys, but in Luke 40, he says every valley shall be exalted. So what happens when you fill the valley? The valley is exalted, meaning it is lifted up. It is lifted up, okay. So this is what he's saying.
Speaker 1:John the Baptist, he came to prepare the way of the Lord by making this highway and by Raising up Every valley, exalting up, filling by filling the valley, you raise it up. Then he goes on and he points out that it makes it so when we see in the old and and and and what is it? Psalms, when David talks about walking in the shadow of the valley of death. Well, that's what's in the valley. It is a place of deep affliction, it is a picture of being tested.
Speaker 1:And so what the word of God is saying here is that when the Baptist would come and prepare this way and by raising the valley up, he is lifting up the lowly, he is lifting up the lowly, he is raising up the humble, he's elevating them, he's exalting them. Then we come to mountains. We come to the mountains. It says Every mountain and hill Shall be brought low. In Isaiah 40, he says every mountain and hill shall be made low. So what do we mean by this, sister Lisa? The mountains and hills will be made low. Take a stab at what you think. This is based on what we already said about valleys.
Speaker 2:The valleys. Well, those who he will humble, those who are prideful, those who believe they are on top, he will bring them to their proper place and lower them Absolutely, he will bring them down.
Speaker 1:He will bring them down, he will humble them. He's going to bring the proud down. That's what it's talking about. He's going to bring the pride down, brother Jeff. So let me ask you this question If he's raising the valley and exalting the valley and bringing the mountains and the hills down, what does that indicate to you, brother?
Speaker 3:Well, you know, again, it's part of that road building imagery. He's you know. In a sense that's the literal, but the spiritual is is that you know, he's bringing everybody into the knowledge of Christ. In other words, those who are lowly and humble are not looking up. He's lifting up their chin so they can see the Lord and be saved. And those who are prideful are being humbled so that they can approach the Lord in humility and not pride. I sound like Jeffrey there, don't I? Not pride.
Speaker 1:But here's something I want to say about that. So valleys are at the base of the mountains, basically Low parts. Then you have the mountains, the high parts. So what happens when you raise the valley and lower the mountains?
Speaker 3:You level it, everything's leveled.
Speaker 1:Everything is leveled and that puts everyone on equal footing. Amen.
Speaker 2:It puts everyone on equal footing.
Speaker 1:The humble will be elevated, the proud will be made low and all will be on equal footing. No one is different, no one is below you, no one is above you. Everyone is at the same place before God. The same place, and this is what is important to be understood. All these high and exalted things, mountains, which is what the mountains symbolize. They symbolize pride and arrogance, and these include all those people who exalt themselves above God so many do.
Speaker 1:This is not talking about just people, but it's also talking about the people that make up kingdoms, the people that make up powers, the people that have no regard for God, people who do not make it easy for people to worship God, people who speak down to people who want to worship God. But he says here that he will make all the mountains. He will bring them down and all those who are lowly and Humbled Shall be raised up. But all will be equal and on the same footing when it comes to their approach Of the king who is our lord and savior, lord Jesus Christ. So the mountains, you know Also.