Luke 3:4-6 4As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “A voice of one shouting in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. 5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be leveled, and the crooked will be straight, and the rough places level ways, 6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”
Luke next quotes from Isaiah 40:3-5 to show how John’s ministry was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. John was the bridge from the Old Testament longing for a deliverer to the coming of the one true Messiah. Isaiah prophesied about what the predecessor to the Messiah would do and say. It was no accident that John went out to the desert areas around the Jordan river for his ministry of proclaiming the need for repentance. He was a lone voice that did not speak quietly but cried in a loud voice and shout that echoed all the way to the capital city and religious center in Jerusalem.
Life is often described in the Bible as a road or way of living. In John’s preaching, the Lord here referred to the Messiah. John was aware of the purpose of his message. There is little evidence in the New Testament that John knew Jesus growing up, although they were related. They lived far apart. John recognized the importance of Jesus and that Jesus was the one about whom had been speaking (John 1:29-34). John’s call to repentance prepared people to find the Messiah.
Isaiah’s prophecy recalls the image of road builders going before a king’s procession, making sure the way would be clear of obstacles. The preparation for the coming of the King is described with several images that are common today on highways. The goal is to make the way as smooth, level, and straight as possible so that travel is quick and easy. Uneven roads that are winding and up and down make a journey long and difficult. The way a road is made easy is to fill in the low spots, level the high spots, cut away the hillsides, and make sure the surface is clear and smooth. Anyone who has traveled in the mountains knows how slow the journey can become as compared to driving in the open prairies. valleys are the low places in life where there is often struggle and uncertainty. Mountains can represent pride and hypocrisy as we look down upon those around us. Crookedness results from going our own way and not conforming to God’s will. The rough places come because of the many temptations, sufferings, and challenges that confront us on the journey.
The way people could make the road clear and easy to see the coming Messiah was through repentance. If their hearts were free from the guilt and burden of sin, they would be able to see the coming King and his kingdom. The same is true today: those who humble themselves before God can see Jesus more clearly. Pride, arrogance, self-centeredness, and living to please ourselves will cloud our vision to the way of salvation. Verse 6 is a paraphrase of Isaiah 52:10. Simeon already prophesied about the coming salvation (2:30); John prepared the way for salvation; Jesus was the one who brought it to people. The hope of salvation would be made available to all flesh. Luke emphasizes in both his Gospel and Acts that the message of salvation is for the whole world; no one is left out of the possibility of salvation. The only condition is faith in Jesus.
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