And the child John grew and "waxed strong in spirit, and was in the
deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel" (Luke 1:80). His
private life was spent in the desert solitudes, where he was being
strengthened in spirit for the great work God had prepared for him. This
work had been foretold by the Holy Spirit. It spake through Isaiah the
prophet (40:3), saying: "The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the
wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for
our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill
shall be made low; and the rough places a plain: and the glory of
Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together." Again,
Malachi (3:1) says: "Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare
the way before me."
In fulfillment of these predictions of the Spirit came John the Baptist
in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, preaching the
baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Great multitudes
flocked to his preaching and baptism. Among others came Jesus of
Nazareth, and "on the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,
Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world" (John
1:29).
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