Mat 3:3 He it is who was spoken of through the Prophet Isaiah when he said, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING ALOUD, 'IN THE DESERT PREPARE YE A ROAD FOR THE LORD: MAKE HIS HIGHWAY STRAIGHT.'"
Mat 3:4 This man John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a loincloth of leather; and he lived upon locusts and wild honey.
Mat 3:5 Then large numbers of people went out to him--people from Jerusalem and from all Judaea, and from the whole of the Jordan valley--
Mat 3:6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, making full confession of their sins.
Preparing the Road.
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| REPAIRING ROADS IN THE CONGO |
I remember waking around 5am at Kipushya mission in the Congo hearing the Shouting in the village. The mornings were cool balmy and still, so the voice of the Kapita carried for a long way.
He was shouting out the news that the Administrateur de la Territoire was arriving on such and such a date. Clean all your parcels (sessions) and sweep the village roads. Make everything spick and span. Fill in the potholes in the village some of which were huge.
This is just what John the Baptist was asking of the Jews of his day to do with their hearts. He was calling them to repentance and faith. Get ready. The Lord is coming and you need to have your life in order.
Are you prepared for the Soon return of the Lord. Those who are negligent will be like the five Foolish Virgins in the Parable of Matthew 25:1-13
v.3b ...the Prophet Isaiah when he said, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING ALOUD, 'IN THE DESERT PREPARE YE A ROAD FOR THE LORD: MAKE HIS HIGHWAY STRAIGHT.'"
The prophet Esaias [Greek form]- The prophet Isaiah. Esaias is the Greek mode of writing the name. This passage is taken from Isa_40:3. It is here said to have been spoken in reference to John, the forerunner of Christ. The language is such as was familiar to the Jews. and such as they would understand. It was spoken at first with reference to the return from the captivity at Babylon. In ancient times, it was customary in the march of armies to send messengers, or pioneers, before them to proclaim their approach; to provide for them; to remove obstructions; to make roads, level hills, fill up valleys, etc. Isaiah, describing the return from Babylon, uses language taken from that custom. A crier, or herald, is introduced. In the vast deserts that lay between Babylon and Judea he is represented as lifting up his voice, and, with authority, commanding a public road to be made for the return of the captive Jews, with the Lord as their deliverer. “Prepare his ways, make them straight,” says he. The meaning in Isaiah is, “Let the valleys be exalted, or filled up, and the hills be levelled, and a straight, level highway be prepared, that they may march with ease and safety.” See Isa_40:3-4. Barnes Notes.
John's attire and food.
Mat 3:4 This man John wore a garment of camel's hair, and a loincloth or belt of leather; and he lived upon locusts and wild honey.
His raiment of camel’s hair - His clothing. This is not the fine hair of the camel from which our elegant cloth is made called camlet, nor the more elegant stuff brought from the East Indies under the name of “camel’s hair,” but the long shaggy hair of the camel, from which a coarse cheap cloth is made, still worn by the poorer classes in the East, and by monks. This dress of the camel’s hair, and a leather belt, it seems, was the common dress of the prophets, 2Ki_1:8; Zec_13:4.
His meat was locusts - His food. These constituted the food of the common people. Among the Greeks the vilest of the people used to eat them; and the fact that John made his food of them is significant of his great poverty and humble life. The Jews were allowed to eat them, Lev_11:22. Locusts are flying insects, and are of various kinds. The green locusts are about 2 inches in length.
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| Mexican locusts 2004 National Geographic |
and wild honey
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| wild bees hive hanging from a tree |
Mat 3:5 Then large numbers of people went out to him--people from Jerusalem and from all Judaea, and from the whole of the Jordan valley--
Mat 3:6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, making full confession of their sins.
There is no use being baptized if you haven’t confessed your sins.
John’s baptism was a Baptism of repentance and confession of sins.
John’s baptism was a Baptism of repentance and confession of sins.
Barnes Notes Num_19:7; Heb_9:10. It was not customary, however, among them to baptize those who were converted to the Jewish religion until after the Babylonian captivity. At the time of John, and for some time previous, they had been accustomed to administer a rite of baptism, or washing, to those who became proselytes to their religion; that is, to those who were converted from being Gentiles. This was done to signify that they renounced the errors and worship of the pagans, and as significant of their becoming pure by embracing a new religion.
It was a solemn rite of washing, significant of cleansing from their former sins, and purifying them for the special service of Yahweh. John found this custom in use; and as he was calling the Jews to a new dispensation - to a change in their form of religion - he administered this rite of baptism (washing), to signify the cleansing from sin, the adopting of the new dispensation, or the fitness for the pure reign of the Messiah. He applied an old ordinance to a new purpose.
confessing their sins.
confess G1843 ἐξομολογέω exomologeō
Thayer Definition:1) to confess; [to acknowledge - Strong’s]
2) to profess 2a) acknowledge openly and joyfully 2b) to one’s honour: to celebrate, give praise to2c) to profess that one will do something, to promise, agree, engage
The nobility of confession;
1. Confession of sin should not be made to everyone we meet; it should be discriminating.
2. It should be honest.
3. The moment a man attempts to be honest with himself in respect to his moral character, and to make confession before God, everything that is in Him rises up against him:-
1. Reason. Reason stuborned by his feeling: refuses to investigate. It returns false reports.
2. Pride. How on the proud man do the evidences of sin beat as hailstones on a slate roof, and never penetrate. The mouth of pride has the lockjaw, when it is a question of confessing wrong.
3. “Vanity. Vanity teaches men to regard more the opinions of men than of God.
4. Conscience. When ready to confess, conscience says, “Stop, insincere hypocrite.”
5. Prudence. “Let well alone.” Let the past alone.
6. Yet is there anything nobler than confession of wrong done? It is a way of pleasantness and peace.
7. Do not be afraid to confess your sin to Jesus. It is easy for sorrow to confess to love. (H. W. Beecher.)
The confessional has been used to cover-up much sin where confession is to be used to open up our hearts to God who alone can forgive of sins because of the Cross of Calvary.
http://www.openbible.info/topics/confessing_sins
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Psalm 32:5 ESV / 34 helpful votes
I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
1 Timothy 2:5 ESV / 31 helpful votes
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
1 John 2:1 ESV / 26 helpful votes
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous
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