John the Baptist was one of a number of children born to parents like Sarah and Abraham and Hannah and Elkanah, who had given up hope of having a child and who were promised one through an angelic messenger. His father Zechariah predicted his destiny in the Benedictus: “You my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way” (Luke 1:76).
John fulfilled this destiny to the letter. He did not seek any glory for himself and chose a spartan way of life, excluding anything that would hinder the work he had to do. His appearance must have startled people and he was uncompromising and courageous in his words. The Pharisees and Saducees were the Jewish leaders but John called them a “brood of vipers”. He saw their complacency, as children of Abraham, as an example of how easy it is to become smug and self-righteous. There is always need for repentance.
Eastern rulers often sent people to clear their way through the desert, removing obstacles in their pathway. This image reflects John’s mission to ease the passage of the coming Messiah. Isaiah’s prophesy predicts a kingdom that is very different to the world we live in, where the wolf lives with the lamb and the calf and lion lie down together. A little boy leads wild animals. These animals set an example to human beings as to how they might live together in peace.