“Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God. “Speak kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her iniquity has been removed, That she has received of the Lord’s hand Double for all her sins.” A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley . . . ” (Isaiah 40:1-4, NASB)
And he [John the Baptist] came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight. Every ravine will be filled, And every mountain and hill will be brought low; The crooked will become straight, And the rough roads smooth; And all flesh will see the salvation of God.’ ” (Luke 3:3-6, NASB)
Another prediction of the coming of Messiah, from Prophet Isaiah. This particular prophecy was fulfilled by a relative of Jesus in John the Baptist.
The Bible tells us that John’s mother, Elizabeth, was a “relative” of Jesus’ mother, Mary. Does that make John and Jesus cousins? I don’t know, but I refer to John as Jesus’ cousin.
The Bible describes John as a rough man who lived in the wilderness. As predicted, his job was to “clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.” According to Dr. Luke (the second passage above), John did exactly what he was supposed to do. He prepared the hearts of the people for the arrival of Jesus before the beginning of His public ministry. Many people thought John was the Messiah, but John corrected them, and explained that he was not worthy to untie the sandals of the Expected One. 
“The Preaching of St. John the Baptist,” by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1566. Found at Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org
As John was baptizing people one day, he saw Jesus approaching. God revealed to him that this was the Christ. He said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'” (John 1:29-30)
John the Baptist recognized that Jesus was the Christ; the Lamb of God; the Savior promised by God through His prophets; God’s most precious Christmas gift. John prepared the people’s hearts for Jesus’ arrival. This Advent season, are you preparing your heart for Jesus? He’s coming back for His people. Have you accepted God’s Christmas present?
“Comfort Ye My People,” and “Ev’ry Valley Shall Be Exalted,” from “Messiah,” by G.F. Handel. Performed by Nicholas Sharrott, tenor.
