Prepare the Way-Repent Matthew 3:1-6
John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” Matt. 3:3
This website and the ideas therein are created by the Author and creator of Creative Journey, by continuing to use this website and the contents therein you agree to the terms of use that can be found in more detail in our disclaimer page here.Hello, dear friend! I hope you are having a fantastic day! You’re in the right place if you’re having one of those okay-ish days. We all encounter them, don’t we? But fear not, this small devotion is here to sprinkle a little light into your day and hopefully uplift your spirits. If you're new here, I encourage you to check out the previous post for some context on tips for reading the bible.
For years, I have heard the saying, “Prepare, for Jesus is returning soon,” by many preachers and believers. It’s 2025, and the message is still the same. But how must we prepare? What are we preparing for? John had one message, Prepare for Jesus.
Join me as I delve deeper into this scripture and seek answers to these questions.
Matthew 3:1-2
“Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 3:1-2
John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
John the Baptist didn’t partake in the societal world of his time; he was secluded, and he was preserved for such a time to be a witness ahead of Jesus, to prepare people to repent. He spent his life in the wilderness, being in tune with God, away from the distractions of the cities or towns of that time.
There is some important example we can take from this, that taking time in nature gives us clarity, peace, and a chance to listen to what God has to tell us. Being in the stillness of nature, even if just for a short time, can have a profound impact in rejuvenating our spirits by cutting out all the noise and distractions around us to have clear thoughts and direction. If we can’t get away in the great outdoors, we should still take time out of the 24 hrs we have in one day to spend at least 1 hour being still and silent to reconnect with God. His voice is subtle and quiet, so we need to be intentional about listening, or we might miss a great opportunity to have a close relationship with Him.
Let’s continue..
Repent- what does this word mean?
1) to feel pain, sorrow, or regret for something done or spoken
2) to express sorrow for something past.
3) In theology, to sorrow or be pained for sin, as a violation of God’s holy law, a dishonor to his character and government, and the foulest ingratitude to a being of infinite benevolence.
Another biblical definition:
Evangelical repentance consists of 1) a true sense of one’s own guilt and sinfulness; 2) and apprehension of God’s mercy in Christ; (3) an actual hatred of sin and turning from it to God; and (4) a persistent endeavour after a holy life in a walking with God in the way of his commandments. Source
John was calling for all to repent. Repenting from sin is to first acknowledge sin, and to know that sin is what separates us from God. Jesus has come to be the sacrifice for those sins so that we may be forgiven and have eternal life through Him.
Matthew 3:3-4
“For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness…”
Matthew 3:3-4
“For this is the he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camels’ hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.”
What do these verses reveal to us about this messenger? John the Baptist was not looking for fame, he was a humble man who lived off the land and embraced a lifestyle that reflected his commitment to spreading the message of repentance by fulfilling prophecy. His way of life was simple and he must’ve had a lot of time to be in the presense of God, the things of this world were not a priority for him, but to be close to God and be the light and messenger that would be the one to acknowledge and be a witness of who Jesus is, the Son of God, Messaiha, the Savior.
Matthew 3:5-6
“Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, (6) And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.”
John was a messenger, much like we would see a preacher to be today. He is spreading the message of God to repent of sins, to confess they have sinned, and to want forgiveness for it. John was a messenger who baptized with water, which is a symbolic act upon repenting of sins. The flesh can reflect sin or light within us, but our sins are only ‘washed’ by repentance, by trusting in Jesus Christ, that He died on the cross to be the bridge between us and God. God became man, He became one of us, He was the only one that has ever been born on this earth made of flesh that would hold the key to our freedom from an eternal damnation. God knew this, of course He did, from the beginning, He knew we would need a Savior, He knew we would sin, because we are naturally weak beings and can be persuaded by satan and the fallen angels. Throughout the bible, from the Old Testament to the New Testament, we can see the journey that God took us on to teach us about sin, repentance, and sacrifice to be forgiven through Jesus Christ.
God instructed Abraham on how to offer burnt sacrifices to God in repentance of sins, God used this to prepare us for the one and final sacrifice He would send His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to bare our sins in death and would make a way for us to be forever forgiven. Burnt sacrifices were a symbol of what would come: Jesus Christ. Let’s look at the sacrifice requirements: the lamb/goat was set apart from the rest of the herd, the lamb was to be cared for, without spot or blemish, after taking such care of the lamb, it would then be offered as a burnt sacrifice to God. This foreshadows Jesus’ sacrifice to be set apart, blameless of sin, and to be the bearer of the sins of the world.
See my friend, there are consequences for our actions, for every action there is a reaction; the same goes for sin. If sin is an act in rebellion towards God, then there is a consequence/punishment, and that punishment is an eternal life in the lake of fire, most familiar as hell. When we become aware of sin and that we have sinned against God, we must repent.
Let’s look at Hebrews 10:8-9
“Above, when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therin; which are offered by the law; (9) Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.”
This is where the author is referring to the sacrifice of sin, the spotless lamb, burnt sacrifice was the first establishment, and Jesus in the second and final sacrifice.
Hebrew 10:10-14
“…But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God…”
Hebrew 10:10-14
“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (11) And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftetimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: (12) But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God (13) From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. (14) For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”
The final sacrifice for sin that truly forgives us of our sins, is accepting/acknowledging we are sinners, and we are in need of forgiveness. By acknowledging in our hearts that we have sinned, and that Jesus is waiting for us to confess to Him and ask for forgiveness of our sins.
Hebrew 10:15-18
“Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, (16) This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, said the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; (17) And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (18) Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.”
By studying these verses we are told that the first sacrifice that was done during the time of the law in the Old Testament has been perfected. Sacrifices had to be performed by the priest in the temple, by Jesus sacrificing himself on the cross of Calvary, He had become our only mediator between us and God. We have no need to go through another priest or preacher to get our prayers heard by God. By accepting the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ, we have the Holy Spirit that abides in us with our spirit that is a direct connection from us to God. The Holy Spirit, is our guide and comfort while we remain on earth, our direct line to God.
Prepare ye the way…
God has been preparing us from the beginning of our existance to abide with Him eternally in Heaven.
I pray you continue to seek God’s truth by His Word, and continue to grow with each passing day.
Let us pray together,
Heavenly Father, we thank you for preserving your Word for us to know You better, to have the opportunity to have forgiveness of Sin and for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to cleanse us once and for all. Father, I thank You for the opportunity to connect with others, and to be a small light to help shine your message to others, may You continue to guide me to send out the messages that You would have me to and to put your Word ahead of my own thoughts. Guide and protect my friend that has visited this blog, I pray abundant blessings upon their life and they may continue to seek You. Forgive us of our shortcomings, we Pray this all In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Don’t miss the next bible study! Some Bible studies may take longer than others to get through, as I am led to explain in greater detail the verses that we come across. These blog posts are not created by AI or used with any AI-generated assistance. These comments are of my own and where God leads me to write. I am not a professional, just a southern wife, mother of four, and I have a desire to spread the truth of our loving Heavenly Father. I want you to know, He loves you and He desires to have a relationship with you. We are not expected to be perfect, but we are expected to be lead by God and I feel that He has given me so much to share, I am not here for the fame or glory, but to get the message of Gods’ Love out to you, my new friend and so many others.God be with you!
