THE VOICE OF HIM WHO CRIES IN THE WILDERNESS, PREPARE YOU THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE STRAIGHT IN THE DESERT (wilderness) A HIGHWAY FOR OUR GOD. EVERY VALLEY SHALL BE EXALTED, AND EVERY MOUNTAIN SHALL BE MADE LOW. AND THE CROOKED SHALL BE MADE STRAIGHT, AND THE ROUGH PLACES PLAIN: AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD SHALL BE REVEALED, AND ALL FLESH SHALL SEE IT TOGETHER: FOR THE MOUTH OF THE LORD HAS SPOKEN IT. Isaiah, Chapter 40, Verses 3-5.
Today there is a CRY IN THE WILDERNESS for men to repent of their sins. Before Christ was revealed John the Baptist was a voice of one crying in the Wilderness. He was repeating the call to “PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD” first mentioned in Isaiah. John’s call was a call for people to REPENT of their sins and be baptized.
John’s ministry was to prepare those who were living in the Wilderness of Sin for the coming of Christ the Messiah. He was the forerunner of Christ inspired by the Spirit of Elijah. Everyone without Christ is dwelling spiritually in the Wilderness of Sin.
“EVERY VALLEY SHALL BE EXALTED.” Valleys speak of humility. God gives Grace to and exalts the humble. BLESSED ARE THE MEEK (humble) FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH (spirit). EVERY MOUNTAIN SHALL BE MADE LOW. Mountains speak of Pride. Men of pride always exalt themselves. Pride is an OFFENCE to God. Pride is the sin which originated in the heart of Lucifer. Pride always leads to rebelling, rejection and condemnation. God gives grace to the humble, but rejects the proud. James, Chapter 4, Verse 6 and Proverbs, Chapter 3, Verse 34.
The Glory of the Lord is revealed to us in the Person of Christ. Christ came to seek and save those who are lost in a Wilderness of Sin. He CRIES out in the Wilderness of Sin to all who are bound by sin to offer them spiritual freedom and liberty. His Voice is the Voice of ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS OF SIN.
BEHOLD I WILL SEND YOU ELIJAH THE PROPHET BEFORE THE COMING OF THE GREAT AND DREADFUL DAY OF THE LORD. AND HE SHALL TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS TO THE CHILDREN, AND THE HEART OF THE CHILDREN TO THE FATHERS, LEST I COME AND SMITE THE EARTH WITH A CURSE. Malachi, Chapter 4, Verses 5-6.
Elijah means “GOD IS JEHOVAH.” Eli and Jah (or Yah) are both names of God. The VOICE of Elijah is the VOICE OF GOD Crying in the Wilderness of Sin for men to repent of their sins. It is not the VOICE of Elijah that cries in the Wilderness. Elijah is just a Prophet reverberating the Voice of God Crying in the Wilderness. It is the SPIRIT of God who speaks through individuals to MAKE STRAIGHT PATHS in the Wilderness of Sin as they call people to repentance though divine inspiration.
The EARTH is a type and shadow of the “spirit.” When we see the word “earth” in the Bible, scripture is not only speaking of natural Earth, but also the spirit of man. The “Curse of Sin” always brings a curse upon the spirit of man. The Law of Sin and Death is a good example of this. When sin is conceived it brings forth death. Thankfully, there is an answer to the sin problem. It is the Blood of Jesus which He shed on Calvary for the remission of sins for all who repent and turn from their wicked ways.
Many people, including Christians, have a sin problem because they are continually eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They do not realize there is a veil over their hearts separating them from the PRESENCE OF GOD. We are called to live a life of Holiness. For Christians holiness is a lifestyle, not something we do two or three times a week when we meet at Church. We are the CHURCH, and the Church is supposed to be a HOLY PLACE. The unbeliever has an excuse for eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They do not know any better. As Christians we do not have an excuse because we are supposed to know better. We have been BOUGHT by the Blood of Jesus, and we must lose control of our life and allow God to have full control so we can be pleasing to Him.
A BROKEN SPIRIT
THE SACRIFICES OF GOD ARE A BROKEN SPIRIT: A BROKEN SPIRIT AND A CONTRITE HEART, O GOD, YOU WILL NOT DESPISE. Psalms, 51, Verse 17.
Reconciliation with God requires true REPENTANCE. A contrite heart (spirit) is a heart which has been or is HUMBLED before God. Christian humility is submission before God. God gives GRACE to the humble, but rejects those with a prideful heart. Pride always leads to condemnation and judgment.
Humility is the opposite of pride. The Pride of Life will always precede destruction. If we approach the throne of God PROUDLY in the time of need, we can expect nothing from Him. Scripture admonishes us to come BOLDLY before the Throne of God in our time of need without pride or arrogance. We must HUMBLE ourselves in the Presence of God or we will surely be rejected by Him. Pride is the scourge of the ages. It was the sin and downfall of the Serpent. It is the sin and downfall of all who stand before God without being cleansed from their transgressions and sins.
All have sinned and come short of the Gory of God. All who are not born again are wandering spiritually and aimlessly in the Wilderness of Sin. Just like the Children of Israel, they are being led by the Spirit of Confusion around Mount Sinai in the Wilderness of Sin. They are like Wild Mustangs whose spirit must be broken before they can be pleasing and useful to God. Until the spirit of a horse is broken, it is of no use to the rider.
The spirit (heart) of many Believers has not become completely broken and humbled before God. Sometimes their minds WANDER aimlessly seeking rest and peace, but they are searching in all the wrong places. They focus more on earthly things than they do Christ and His will and purpose for their life. The Cares of the World and the Deceitfulness of Riches have replaced Believer’s true worship and their reasonable service to God. They think they can pacify God with dead works, and they continue with their ungodly lifestyles WANDERING in the Wilderness of Sin. If they do not change their ways, they will surely die in the Wilderness of Sin just as the Children of Israel did.
A WHIP FOR THE HORSE, A BRIDLE FOR THE ASS, AND A ROD FOR THE FOOL’S BACK. Proverbs, Chapter 26, Verse 3.
For a horse’s spirit to be broken a rider must put a bit in the horse’s mouth to make him go wherever he desires. In the same way God can only use us when our spirit has been broken. Man without Christ is like a wild horse who goes where he wants to go and does what he wants to do. Like wild horses, people will be stiff-necked and self-willed until they their spirit is broken. The UNBRIDLED are like the Children of Israel in the Wilderness of Sin who rebelled and murmured and complained against God.
The chastisement and discipline of the Lord is seldom ever pleasant if we are self-willed and stiff-necked. If we have not learned the lessons which lead us to humility and surrender to the Will of God, we will continue to suffer the consequences. The discipline of God is always for our benefit. Without a contrite heart and broken spirit we can be of service to Him.
The Voice of God speaks through His messengers calling people to repent and make straight paths in the Wilderness as they call people to repentance from dead works and unholy lifestyles. The VOICE cries out to saint and sinner alike to make a WAY in the Wilderness for Jesus to come to cleanse and free them from their sinfulness.
We are all born into this World with a sin nature because of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. However, through faith in the Blood of Jesus and His finished works at Calvary, we can all be transformed and changed from death unto life when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children’s hearts to the fathers speaks of the love of Christ instilling compassion in us for one another. Without love we are nothing. If we do not love one another, we cannot proclaim that Christ dwells in our heart. Our love for one another is proof that Christ dwells within our hearts richly. According to Scripture, if we do not love our brother as we love our self, the Love of God does not abide within us.
Today there is a VOICE crying in the Wilderness of men and women’s hearts everywhere. It is the VOICE of the Spirit of Elijah (God) calling out to all who dwell in the Wilderness of Sin to repent and turn from their wicked ways and follow the Pathway of righteousness. The Pathway of righteousness leads to Eternal Life. We are admonish to be Holy even as HE IS HOLY. Without Holiness no man shall see God. Hebrews, Chapter 12, Verse 14.
THE VAGABOND HEART
THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS, AND DESPERATELY WICKED: WHO CAN KNOW IT? I THE LORD SEARCH THE HEART, I TRY THE REINS, EVEN TO GIVE EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WAYS, AND ACCORDING TO THE FRUIT OF HIS DOINGS. Jeremiah, Chapter 17, Verses 9-10.
Above everything, a heart without Christ is desperately wicked and evil. Some people will take issue with this statement and say there are many GOOD people who are not Christians and many Christians who are not good people. However, even Christ, when He was called “good” made the statement that there is “NONE GOOD, BUT GOD.” Jesus made that statement because the man who called Him “good” was addressing Him as a teacher and not as Christ, the Son of God.
I agree with the statement about many Christians not being good, or righteous at times. Many Christians do not reflect the person or character of Christ at times. Even the hearts of Christians can be considered wicked if their actions do not honor God. Many Christians journey back and forth from the Promised Land to the Wilderness of Shur because they drink the bitter waters of Marah at times. Repentance from dead works is their only recourse if they are going to remain in GOOD standing with Christ. Christ, however, always reflected the Person of God because He WAS God incarnate. As Christians we must always reflect the Love of Christ to others.
A Vagabond heart may seem to be good when compared to earthly standards, but falls far short of the Goodness and Glory which is found in Christ. Without the Light and Life of Christ people live and dwell spiritually in the Kingdom of Darkness.
The spiritual problems of the Vagabond Heart can be traced back to Cain and his wandering in the Wilderness. Cain slew his brother, Abel, in a jealous rage and was driven into the Wilderness by God. When Cain was driven from the Presence of God, he became a Spiritual Vagabond as well as a Natural Vagabond. A Natural Wilderness is a difficult place to find food, water, shelter, and above all, clothing to protect the body from the elements of the Wilderness. When man is spiritually hungry, only the Bread of Life (Christ) can satisfy His soul. When man is spiritually thirsty, only Living Water (Christ) can quench his thirst. When man is spiritually naked, only the Glory of God can cover his sin and shame and protect him from the elements of judgment.
A Vagabond Heart is a heart filled with Darkness. It is alienated from the Light and Presence of God. No one can KNOW (understand) the thoughts and intents of the heart but God. The Vagabond Heart is desperately wicked because it dwells in the Kingdom of Darkness.
The Lord TESTS the reigns (emotions and will), to bring to light the disposition of the heart. A JUST reward comes to those who are JUSTIFIED by the FAITH they possess. A reward of condemnation is given to the unjust who dwell in Darkness.
A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS cries out to the Vagabond Heart to Repent and be Saved. It is the Voice of God that cries out in the Wilderness of Sin to “WHOSOEVER WILL LET HIM COME AND DRINK OF THE WATER OF LIFE FREELY.