Out from the desert emerged John the Baptist. The Spirit of God was upon John and everyone came to hear him preach. He warned rich and poor, famous and unknown, the influential and those of little influence, to be baptized in order to show their repentance from their wickedness and their desire to please the Lord.

When Jesus came He was one Person, although the Father was in Jesus as a second Person, a second Witness. In the same manner the Lord Jesus will be in the saints of the last days as a second Person, a second Witness.

John had prepared the way with his faithful preaching. He did not exalt himself but pointed to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

The next coming of the Lord will include the appearing of the Body of Christ as well as Christ Himself. The next coming of the Lord will be worldwide instead of confined to the narrow streets of Jerusalem. The next coming of the Lord will install the Kingdom of God upon the earth in place of the rule of self-seeking people.

The second coming of the Lord will be infinitely more powerful and widespread than the first (although not more significant). In like manner the ministry of the two witnesses will be infinitely more powerful and widespread than was true of the ministry of John the Baptist. They too will point to the Lord instead of themselves. They too will be clothed with humility (sackcloth).

John came in the spirit and power of Elijah. The two witnesses will come in the spirit and power of Elisha, who is the strongest type in the Scriptures of the two witnesses.

The way of the Lord must be made straight.

Verse four.

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: (Isaiah 40:4)

Some of the Lord's people of today are valleys. They are depressed. They hate themselves and believe God hates them. They cannot seem to rise up and live a normal Christian life. It is God's will to deliver them, to remove from them the spirit of depression and condemnation, to give them joy and confidence in the Lord.

Some of the Lord's people are mountains or hills. They are lifted up beyond their actual position in the Kingdom of God. They desire to be first in every enterprise. They are not content to be one of the group but must be someone of importance, someone who is noticed when he or she is in the assembly of believers.

It is God's will to deliver the ambitious from the horrible chains of self-importance so they will be content with the lowliest place.

Some of the Lord's people are crooked, devious, slippery. When you attempt to deal with them you find they manage to sidestep the truth. They do not like issues to be black or white, right or wrong, righteous or unrighteous. They slip and slide around when they should be walking a straight line. They tell half-truths and give false impressions. They have hidden plans, hidden agendas. They scheme and manipulate circumstances. They are not forthright with their brothers and sisters. If they were placed in a mortar and pounded with a pestle it is doubtful the lie could be driven from them.

To be continued.