In the succession of prophets comes one John the Baptiser. Severe, austere, uncompromising – and those are just his good points! And with a dress sense and diet that befits his otherworldliness. (Wouldn’t Trinny & Susannah and Gillian McKeith love to get their hands on you?!)

You were the one of whom Isaiah said,

‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”‘

And so you come with your message, ‘Repent – because the kingdom of God is near’. Then, we read, the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

You welcomed sinners, but didn’t have a lot of time for religious hypocrites – “Brood of vipers!”, you called them. Brood of vipers!

Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of John the Baptiser! But again, like the prophets before him, he shows no fear or favour. Even rulers have to respect him. And Herod himself can’t escape John’s censure: Herod, you may think you’re the boss around here, but that doesn’t give you licence to do as you please. Even you, Herod Antipas, will have to answer to God for the choices you have made, not least that dodgy marriage to your half-brother’s wife! Such words are not designed to give the prophet an easy life. But then, John never asked for an easy life. Into prison he goes and pays the ultimate price for his plain speaking, victim of Herod’s arrogance and pride. What price your life, John?

But then, you never wanted to be in the spotlight, did you? That place belonged to another – that cousin of yours, the one whose sandals you couldn’t bring yourself to untie.

John the Baptiser calls on God’s people to repent, to get ready, to make way for the King, the true King.