Isaiah foretold John’s ministry—In Isaiah 40:3 we read, “A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD.’” Isaiah was speaking of a day when a voice would cry out in the wilderness to the people. John the Baptist was that voice. John ministered outside of the city, and his voice cried out to a people hopelessly lost apart from the grace of God through Jesus. John spoke of the coming of the kingdom of God. This was the very theme of Jesus’ ministry. Soon the King was revealed. Jesus once spoke to the crowd about John the Baptist. He said that John was a prophet, but more than a prophet; Jesus said that among those born of women there was no one greater than John. He also said that from the days of John the Baptist, the kingdom of heaven is forcefully advancing (see Matthew 11:7–12 NIV).

John’s baptism called for repentance—John called the Jews to repent of their sins and be baptized. John brought them a prophetic message of repentance. The fact that they could trace their lineage back to Abraham was no guarantee of faith or obedience in their hearts. John told the religious leaders that God could raise up children of Abraham from the rocks (Matthew 3:9). No one can receive salvation simply by virtue of being born a Jew or by being born into a Christian family. Salvation comes to each person by God’s grace, through individual faith and repentance.

Malachi had prophesied the return of Elijah, who would turn the hearts of the fathers and children back to one another (Malachi 4:5–6). This prophecy was first attributed to John by the angel who visited John’s father, Zechariah (see Luke 1:17). Jesus confirmed that John the Baptist represented Elijah (Matthew 11:14), for he came in the spirit and power of Elijah. Finally, four centuries after Malachi, God had sent another prophet to Israel.

The ministry of Jesus is greater—John’s teaching came with authority. Many thought he might be the Messiah himself. John was quick to correct them, saying he was unfit even to untie the sandals of the Messiah (Luke 3:16). John said that he baptized with water, but the Messiah would baptize with the Holy Spirit. John was a forerunner of Jesus, whose ministry would be greater. John’s baptism could not change hearts. When Jesus pours out the Holy Spirit on a person’s heart, that person is made alive again, transformed, and changed. God’s law is written upon the person’s heart and their sins are forgiven.