I only know about John Prindle Scott (August 16, 1877 in Norwich, New York – December 2, 1932 in Syracuse, New York) what I read in Wikipedia: He “was an American author, lecturer, educator and composer of art songs.” One of his songs was “The Voice in the Wilderness” that was sung as a choir anthem during Advent every year in the church where I was raised. The lyrics are an arrangement of verses from Isaiah 40.

Here’s a video of someone singing it. 

This part of Isaiah was the commissioning of a prophet to go to the Jews held captive in Babylon. The message is one of comfort. The exile is over. The people can return home,

Christians have  interpreted the voice in the wilderness as referring to John the Baptist (Matthew 3, Luke 3, John 1). The message is not to people in physical exile in a foreign country, but to people captive to sin. (Remember John’s command to repent.) The implication to any Christian was that John (the voice) was preparing the way for Jesus, the Messiah.

So we see that Scripture gets reinterpreted so that it applies to current situations. What could this text mean for us today? First that the prophetic voice calling to prepare the way of the Lord continues in our times. This wilderness of hatred and cruelty needs to be called to account. Second, we are not abandoned to this wilderness. Christ continues to come among us with a message of comfort.

What message can you find in these words?

Read Isaiah 40:1-11 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne