And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”
As a lover of history, I am acutely aware that not everyone has a similar appreciation of it but I will defend it with these verses written by Luke, a consummate historian. Our faith is a historical faith. Our Bible is a historical document that relates the past. The beauty of Scripture is that it also relates what will be so we can adjust our lives and thinking to the past, present, and future without being “stuck in the past”.
Luke gave the historical background in verses 1 and 2. He then proceeded to tell us something important that happened at that time. Then he went to the past to Isaiah to say what was happening in the present, that Jesus had come to earth, and what would happen in the future when he came. How complete and clear is our Bible! Today, may we marvel at the fact that we can learn from the past how to live in the present with an eye to the future in the Kingdom of God.
Dear Lord, thank you for the history of your love for your Creation and your people. May we study that love so we can experience it daily. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church