…The word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert.  He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.  Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low.  The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.  And all mankind will see God’s salvation.’ “

– Luke 3:2-6

John the Baptist was just an ordinary man like you and me who lived out in the desert of Judea.  Wearing clothing of camel’s hair and a leather belt, eating locusts and wild honey; John was far from being royalty who sat in luxurious palaces.  The word of God came to John in the middle of the desert and he began to go throughout the country surrounding the Jordan preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  John spoke to the people saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!”  Isn’t it Amazing that God chose someone like John to prepare the way for Jesus, Yeshua HaMashiach, the Messiah?  Even Isaiah the prophet prophesied about John the Baptist long before John was born saying, “A voice of one calling in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight the paths for our God.  Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.  And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it.  For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’ ”  Now isn’t it Awesome to know that the very words Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 40:3 were actually fulfilled by John the Baptist?!  John WAS the voice of one calling in the desert, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord!”  And what did John the Baptist specifically do?  John preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins!  So if John was prophesied about before his existence and chosen by God to prepare the way of the Lord, then how important is it for us to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins?  I’d say it is Pretty Important!  Even now, numerous generations later, John’s words are still speaking to people’s hearts all over the world…  PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD!