Matthew 3:1-3 NIV
About that time John the Baptist began preaching in the desert area of Judah. John said, “Change your hearts and lives because the kingdom of God is near.” John the Baptist is the one Isaiah the prophet was talking about when he said: “This is a voice of one who calls out in the desert; ‘Prepare the way for the Lord. Make a road straight for Him.’”
John the Baptist, Prophecy to Pharisees
John the Baptist was a prophet and he was preaching and telling the people to prepare the way for Christ. He told the people to repent and be changed and be baptized in the water to prepare themselves for the coming of Christ. John had an insight, revealing the true spiritual condition of the Pharisees when they felt they did not need to repent and be changed because they were “preachers.” The Pharisees felt that coming from the line of Abraham, they were worthy Israelite of God and that they did not need to repent of the sins. John the Baptist warned them that they were no better than anyone and they still need to repent. When they refused to repent, John as a prophet had the foresight and warned them of God’s judgment against the Pharisees. That was the work of the prophet, he speak for God [Matthew 3:4-10].
What exactly does the word prophecy really means? In the Old Testament, the word “prophecy” itself means “to speak forth,” and it involves two kinds of things: (1) a message for the people of the day and time in which the prophet lived, and (2) predictions of future events for the comfort, warning and guidance of God’s people.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, we pray for people who may need to repent and turn from their ways and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. We have authority over Satan from blinding their eyes that they do not need to be changed or need to repent. Through the blood of Jesus open their eyes to see the need to come back to You, Father through Jesus Your Son. We pray that they will open their eyes to see Your love for them and forgive their sins and redeem them through the cross of Jesus whom we love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
James 4:10 “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He shall lift you up.” James 4:6 “…God resist the proud, but give grace unto the humble.”
