It was the prophet Isaiah who spoke of the one “crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight!’” (Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:3). Isaiah was offering comfort to God’s people, who were living in a spiritual wasteland. Having turned away from God, most of the Jews had little hope of salvation. In fact, they had little hope of survival. Where could those who still believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob find comfort? In GOD alone!! Isaiah promises, just two verses later, “The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken” (Isaiah 40:5). Fast forward some 750 years and you discover the descendants of the Jews living in the same land, in the same spiritual wasteland. Living now under the yoke of the Roman government, they had no hope of physical deliverance, and living under the burden of the Law and the traditions of their religious leaders, they had no hope of spiritual deliverance. Then came John the Baptist, crying out in the desert, “Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins!” What was happening??!!! The prophets had foretold the coming of One who would bring spiritual life and healing, but for nearly four hundred years the voices of the prophets had been silent … a deadly silence for those who lived in a spiritual desert with nothing to drink. The only message that could prepare the hearts of the people to believe in the coming Savior was the call to repent, to turn from sin and self, to receive God’s grace, to receive new life, and to follow the One who would give His life, who would shed His blood, to bring forgiveness and salvation to those who believed. Some 2,000 years later, the same message prepares the way for the Spirit to work in the hearts of those who are living in a spiritual desert … “Repent! Believe!! And be saved!!!”