A HIGHWAY FOR OUR GOD - PART 3

FRIDAY 08 MARCH 2024

Making a highway for our God is to prepare for His divine arrival on earth. It is to make the road straight and smooth, and turn it to a highway fit for the Lord's coming.

Reference: Isaiah 40:3-5 New International Version (NIV)

"A voice of one calling: In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

The next segment in the versified statement to be expounded by my humble self is:

Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.

The four metaphors and their meanings are stated below:

1. Every valley shall be raised up -

A valley is a low area of land between hills or mountains, and this as a metaphor within the context of this topic denotes that whatever has been in a "decline" mode will be raised high. It also denotes the upliftment of those that are cast down.

2. Every mountain and hill made low -

This suggests lowering the mountains, obstructing heights and towering figures that stood in the way of passage into God's purpose on earth.

3. The rough ground shall become level -

This suggests that all impediments and obstructions will be moved out of the way.

4. The rugged places a plain -

This suggests that difficulty and barrier that made direct communications between man and God seem far or out of reach - shall be levelled and also it denotes that all negative influences practically exercised shall come to a nominal value, as John directs men in the right way.

John the Baptist did put into action the character of the Spirit - who is behind God's Word. In Luke 3:7-9, John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire" (NIV).

Practically, without any trace of fear, John condemned the unruly and self-righteous, as well as people of venomous atrocity and typical dishonesty. He began to encourage the dispirited, and to allay to submission, those that were of unapproachable loftiness and religious arrogance. So he was on course rooting out cunning craftiness and pervasive practices, thereby getting rid of unwanted fruit through his life-changing admonitions based on the good news.

And as he did so, the crowd asked, "What should we do then?" John answered, "Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same" (Luke 3:10-11 NIV). Beloved, notice that the crowd were not just ready to listen, but also willing to do the needful. Indeed, having a true conviction that God's Word is completely transforming, provides us with increased motivation to be ready to receive more and to obey it.

Isaiah 42:16 reads, "I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them" (NIV). In addition Isaiah 35:8 reads, "And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God's ways; fools will never walk there" (NLT).

Here is the revelation I want us to draw and assimilate from today's article: It is the Almighty God that went before Christ to prepare the way by levelling up the exalted places and straightening the rough places. The inspired instrument used as a forerunner was John the Baptist. Stay tuned for part 4. Shalom!

 

Scripture Reading - Isaiah 49:11; Nahum 1:5; Isaiah 54:10; Micah 1:4.

Exuberant Declaration:

I have and enjoy glorious treasures laid up in Christ because the Word guides me in the way of God. Hence, I remain grounded in righteousness, moving forward in divine perfection. Hallelujah!