(Isaiah 40:3) A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.."
This prophecy is fulfilled when John the Baptist announced to the people that the ministry of Jesus was beginning. John the Baptist was "the voice calling" and the announcement was about Jesus' arrival in the desert to be baptized.,,
(Matthew 3:1-3) Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight!’”
(Isaiah 40:4) “Let every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; and let the rough ground become a plain, and the rugged terrain a broad valley..."
It is interesting how the earth itself responds to Jesus. First of all, Jesus is the Creator. Second, He has authority over creation (just a few examples: the parting of the Red Sea, the parting of the Jordan River, calming the storm at the Sea of Galilee, etc.). Third, nature seems to respond (almost react) to Him, like - - - at His death on the cross - there was a great earthquake; and when He rose again - there was another earthquake! So we see in this next portion of scripture, when Jesus is being presented to the people as their King...
(Luke 19:35-44) They brought it (the colt) to Jesus, and they threw their coats on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As He was going, they were spreading their coats on the road. 37 As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, 38 shouting:
“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” 40 But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!” 41 When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, 44 and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”
When Jesus came to earth in the flesh (100 % man, 100 % God) the first time - most Israelites did not recognize their Messiah. Because they rejected Him as King, there would be consequences. A few years later, 70 A.D., Rome attacks and destroys Jerusalem. As well, because they did not recognize their Messiah, they will one day go through the Tribulation. Then they will see the "signs" of Jesus' Second Coming. THEN they will believe! Then they will recognize their Messiah - when Jesus comes again to earth for the Battle of Armageddon, to take them into the Millennium...(Isaiah 40:5) 'Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
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Meanwhile, Jesus has been announced to the earth! The whole earth knows! Creation itself is "a witness" to Jesus. The decision is simple - how will we respond?
(Romans 1:18-20) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
To back this up with an event... some missionaries had gone into uncharted jungles and found an isolated tribe. They soon found out that this tribe worshiped "the Creator". After the missionaries learned their language and translated the Bible for them - they said - YES! Exactly! This is what we believe!!! Up until then they had no scriptures, they had no one to tell them the gospel... yet through creation itself - they could see!!! And they had responded with a decision to believe!!!
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