John the Baptizer is on the scene again this third Sunday in Advent. He is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy of a voice in the wilderness crying and preparing a highway in the desert (Isaiah 40:3). Our Hymn of the Day builds on this prophetic picture language.
Verse one: There’s a voice in the wilderness crying, a call from the ways untrod: Prepare in the desert a highway, a highway for our God! The valleys shall be exalted, the lofty hills brought low; make straight all the crooked places where the Lord our God may go!
“There’s a Voice in the Wilderness Crying” also builds on the prophetic picture language of Isaiah 35:1-10. “The wilderness and the desert will be glad. The wasteland of the Arabah will rejoice and blossom like a crocus. It will bloom lavishly, and there will be great joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it. It will be excellent like Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.”
“Strengthen the weak hands, and make the shaky knees steady. Tell those who have a fearful heart: Be strong. Do not be afraid. Look! Your God will come with vengeance. With God’s own retribution, he will come and save you.”
“Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unplugged. The crippled will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy. Waters will flow in the wilderness, and streams in the wasteland. The burning sand will become a pool, and in the thirsty ground there will be springs of water. There will be grass, reeds, and rushes where the haunts of jackals once lay. A highway will be there, a road that will be called the holy way. The impure will not walk there. It will be reserved for those who walk in that holy way. Wicked fools will not wander onto it. No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious animal go up on it. They will not be found there, but only the redeemed will walk there. Then those ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with a joyful shout, and everlasting joy will crown their heads. Happiness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”
Verse two: O Christians, you bring good tidings; get up to the heights and sing! Proclaim to a desolate people the coming of their King. Like the flow’rs of the field they perish; like grass their works decay. The pow’r and pomp of nations shall pass like a dream away.
Outwardly, we may appear lame and mute, harassed and haggard, like we’ve been traveling for decades in the desert. But Isaiah promises that we are really lavish oases refreshed and nourished by the forgiveness and salvation of Christ. Isaiah’s prophecy is a metaphor for the beauty of the grace and love God has for his people. As parched and dry as God’s Old Testament people were or – you, his New Testament people are – the Lord remembers his covenant promise. He will alter fortunes by grace. You cannot not bring forth beauty on your own so God graciously bestows this beauty. Grace is always unnatural to human soil. It can only occur if God acts. The Lord does not hide his work. It is for all to see.
Verse three: But the Word of our God is eternal; the arm of the Lord is strong. He stands in the midst of the nations, and he shall right the wrong. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, the lambs shall gently hold, to pastures of peace shall lead them, and bring them safe to his fold.
Isaiah is clearly prophesying Christ’s ministry. What a dramatic reversal there will be! A world previously destroyed by sin is filled with sorrow and sighing. But with Christ’s coming a desert will become a lush pool; the thirsty ground will be a future streambed. But that’s not all. The eyes of the blind will be opened. The ears of the deaf will be unstopped. The mute will shout for joy. And the lame will leap like a deer.
When Jesus appeared in this world with his first advent, these are the kinds of things that happened. These miracles verified the Messiah’s identity to John the Baptizer while he was in prison (Matthew 11:4-6). They are signs that point us to Jesus as the Lord. The recipients of these miracles leapt for joy.
But these miracles only served as a prelude to a greater joy. Our Savior did not just come to save a few select individuals from their physical problems. He came to save the entire world from our spiritual problem of sin. We were spiritually crippled by our own wickedness. Christ healed us through his word of peace. We were spiritually blinded by our sinfulness. The Holy Spirit opened our eyes to see Christ’s saving work. We were in the desert created by our own barrenness. The Lord caused baptismal waters to flow and cause life to spring in our hearts.
Because of this we can dwell in the glory of the Lord.
When does all this take place? Right now! We are blessed to be living in the time of refreshment in the desert. Jesus has brought healing and health. With his presence, he has made it possible to be in God’s presence. With his humility, he has allowed us to see God’s glory. With his death on the cross, he has removed sin’s curse. With his resurrection from the grave, he has brought life and salvation.
All of this will become a final and lasting paradise of health and healing, sights and sounds with Jesus’ second advent.