Prepare the Way

What's Prepare the Way?

In days past, a King in victory would announce himself coming prior to going past an area. What people would do is to lower the mountains (places of idols altars) and fill up the valley (places of idols sacrifice) to make the road flat. Then they would redo the terrain and make the way straight so that the King and His train (officials, soldiers, captives, spoils) can go through. It's a victory laps.

Who shall carry the call?

Mark 1:1–8

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just as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
"Behold, I am sending My messenger before You,
Who will prepare Your way;

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The voice of one calling out in the wilderness,
'Prepare the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!'"

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John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

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And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

A Word is given

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John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey.

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And he was preaching, saying, "After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to bend down and untie the straps of His sandals.

we are commanded to Prepare the Way

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I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."The Baptism of Jesus

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Why in the wilderness and not in the city? Because sin has created stronghold that makes it
God's tabernacle used to dwell with Israel in the beginning and was later moved outside of the camp of Israel after much sin entered their camp.
When the Israelites complained, God sent snakes and causes many to perish. They cried out to Moses who cried out to God. God told Moses to life a snake outside of the Camp. Those who went out and see the snake (in their pain and suffering) were healed. (Numbers 21#6; John 3#14 likened to how we are saved by putting our faith in Chris)
Christ did healed a blind man but he pulled him outside of the camp (add address here)
The Repentance that John preach requires proof before baptism is applied. (1) They left their camp to go to the wilderness and (2) They have to bring a proof of repentance. Much of the church today lack the proof of repentance. Repentance means to turn away from sin as much as turning to God.

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

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And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon Him;

Here is the result of Obidience

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and a voice came from the heavens: "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased."

Camel's hair, a girdle of skin were the attire of the prophet Elijah whom Jesus likened John too.
Camel's hair are rarely used at the time; it's are much more uncomfortable than linen at the time. so is the girdle. Most of use would not eat The Locust or the wild honey --> Part of the outward working of Repentance is to afflict oneself (taking away your own comfort)
However, Camel's hair keeps you warmer in the cold whether of the wilderness and cooler in the heat of the day. --> It's peculiar that the thing that many overlooked, even steer clear from, are beneficial in the eyes of God.
Had John not inflicted himself by wearing camel's hair he might not have survived the wilderness.
Locusts are food that are Clean to eat according to the Law of Moses. They represent the overlooked things.
Wild Honey are sweet the taste yet bitter in the stomach. This represent the Word of God.
What does John represent then? Those who are called to prepare the way? Is that not us?

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And immediately the Spirit *brought Him out into the wilderness.

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And He was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving Him.Jesus Preaches in Galilee

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Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God,

He's announcing the King to come in the process of preparing the way

Wisdom

The way is prepared even before the king arrive. We're not supposed to wait around. We are called to ushered (find the reference) in the Kingdom of God. But who shall carry this good news? Those who are willing to inflict themselves, to look for the overlooked things and love the Word of God will then be ready to carry this call.

Seek understanding and obey the call. He who is faithful will give you his Grace to see you through.

Be of Good Courage

2 Samuel 10:4–5 – Hanun humiliates David’s servants

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Then David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me." So David sent some of his servants to console him about his father. But when David's servants came to the land of the Ammonites,

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the commanders of the Ammonites said to their lord Hanun, "Do you think that David is simply honoring your father since he has sent you servants to console you? Has David not sent his servants to you in order to explore the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?"

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So Hanun took David's servants and shaved off half of their beards, and cut off their robes in the middle as far as their buttocks, and sent them away.

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When messengers informed David, he sent servants to meet them, because the men were extremely humiliated. And the king said, "Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back, and then you shall return."

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Now when the sons of Ammon saw that they had become repulsive to David, the sons of Ammon sent messengers and hired the Arameans of Beth-rehob and the Arameans of Zobah, twenty thousand foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob with twelve thousand men.

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When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all the army, the warriors.

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And the sons of Ammon came out and lined up for battle at the entrance of the city, while the Arameans of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were stationed by themselves in the field.

David had no ill-intention yet the princes were easily persuaded and deceived. They lacked discernment for who David is. --> train your Discernment.
They cut off half of their beards and garments show disrespect towards their strength and dignity

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Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him at the front and at the rear, he selected warriors from all the choice men in Israel, and lined them up against the Arameans.

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But the remainder of the people he placed under the command of his brother Abishai, and he lined them up against the sons of Ammon.

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And he said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to help you.

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Be strong, and let's show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what is good in His sight."

The children of Ammon called upon the nations to go against David the King so he sent Joab.

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So Joab and the people who were with him advanced to the battle against the Arameans, and they fled from him.

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When the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans had fled, they also fled from Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the sons of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.

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When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they assembled together.

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And Hadadezer sent word and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates River, and they came to Helam; and Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer led them.

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Now when it was reported to David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Arameans lined up against David and fought him.

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Notice that they draw upon the choice men of Israel. That means they have already trained up even before they were called upon. If we start training when we are called, it might be too late. Wisdom is to prepare even beforehand.
To stand against the Nation, Joab and Abishai rely also upon one another. They have a strategy for battle.
Think about Abraham men (find the reference). Abraham brought 300 men against 10,000. He fought against multiple kingdom. Mind you these kingdom fought the Giants to get into the land (Find the reference). Yes, the Lord were with them. But would untrained men have the courage to carry the call?
How about David and Goliath? He refused to take the king's armor and choose to take the equipment that he's used to. (likely his shepherd staffs and the slingshot) Is he an untrained kid? No. This brother fought the lions and bears, fam!!
YET, being trained doesn't mean everything. When Gideon called upon Ephraim to fight the Midian and ... (Find the reference), although they were trained with the bow refused the called. Thus, they did not join in the glory of the battle.
Notice he said "Let the Lord do that which seemed good to Him" after preparing for war and just before he's about to fight the enemy. We the church often think that we just need to wait and let the Lord take everything back for us. Yet, THAT'S NOT GOD'S WAY. WAKE UP

But the Arameans fled from Israel, and David killed seven hundred charioteers of the Arameans and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the commander of their army, and he died there.

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When all the kings, servants of Hadadezer, saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the sons of Ammon anymore.

Joab started the battle here while the Syrians were just waging war.

David the King came in after and finished the battle that started by Joab his servant.
700 chariots is the number of a decisive and complete breaking of enemy power.
40,000 horsemen is the number of complete dispersion of the opposing forces.
The enemy is now put under Dave's feet.

Wisdom

There are times when trouble come by no cause, even from those who you called friend. By lack of discernment, the nations are deceived. Nations shall called upon nations to stand up against The Lord and His Kingdom (and us). What shall we do? Like David sent Joab. He has sent us forth. Are we trained? Can we fight Giants and Mighty men? Be of Good Courage!

Luke 10:4 – Sent out two by two, taking nothing

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And if a man of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him; but if not, it will return to you.

Luke 22:35 – “When I sent you without purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?”

When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?"

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And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear.

Luke 22:36 – “Let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.”

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But Jesus responded and said, "Stop! No more of this." And He touched his ear and healed him.