Matthew 3:3-5
"3 For this is 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.
4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,"
We are in the Gospel of Matthew, where the cousin of Jesus is proclaiming the arrival of the Messiah! On the banks of the river Jordan where he was preaching, teaching and baptizing. This is the border between the civilized world and the wilderness. Where he delivered the message from GOD; "Repent ye: for the KINGDOM of HEAVEN is at hand." It is the Son of GOD that is approaching.
"For this is 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." "Esaias" is the Greek mode of writing the name Isaiah. This passage is a reference to Isaiah 40:3. It was first spoken about the Israelites return from the captivity at Babylon. Here it is highlighted as prophecy about the Baptizer.
He was a strange dude; "And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey." We believe the Baptizer held the Nazarite vow and he would have had long shaggy hair. His rough appearance would have made a stark contrast to the long garments and gorgeous apparel of the scribes and Pharisees. The Baptizer are different too. He stood out from everyone else in his day and time.
And, the people came from all over to hear his preaching and teaching. "Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan," He was drawing attention to himself and his ministry, which was to announce the arrival of the Messiah!
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