Why Did John the Baptist Live in the Wilderness? What Was He Doing?

[Revealing Times]

Jesus basically said that John the Baptist was the most righteous man to ever live... and he lived in the wilderness, eating insects and wearing minimal clothing. But why?

My guess is that he was staying away from all worldly distractions at all costs so that he could be completely focused on God and not be influenced by the sinful societies of the world... because he feared God and how holy He is.

Anyone have any other ideas why John the Baptist lived the way he did? In the wilderness eating locusts and honey, wearing camel hair and a leather belt?

Go to the other extreme, why do cites become so perverted, the bigger the more perverse it seems. Sodom, New York City, London Honk Kong etc. etc. Notice where they love Abortion and Homosexuality ? In these evil bastions of society, so naturally a Godly man would seek to distance himself from these places, especially in the Old Testament where one had to go make an offer for sins at the Altar of God, whereas we have daily access to the Mercy Throne.

 

[jackwallar1000]

To the Christians is this thread, I question your knowledge of the scriptures when you say the prophetic age ended with John the Baptist. How do you explain Paul, Peter, and Ananias who all saw visions even after Christ ascended to Heaven! Paul seems to believe prophecy is a spiritual gift of the Holy Spirit as spoken of by Christ in 1 Corinthians 14:1. John the Baptist was a prophet, he knew Jesus was Heaven sent while he was even in the womb.

 

[GTW27]

To the Christians is this thread, I question your knowledge of the scriptures when you say the prophetic age ended with John the Baptist. How do you explain Paul, Peter, and Ananias who all saw visions even after Christ ascended to Heaven! Paul seems to believe prophecy is a spiritual gift of the Holy Spirit as spoken of by Christ in 1 Corinthians 14:1. John the Baptist was a prophet, he knew Jesus was Heaven sent while he was even in the womb.

Blessings in Christ Jesus. "To the Christians is this thread" It is not wise to paint with such a wide brush. The prophetic age has not ended.

 

[pescador]

Getting back to the OP...

John the Baptizer lived in the wilderness to escape the corruption of society. There was a lot of sin among the Romans and a lot of hypocrisy among the Jews. He was called from the womb by God to be separate so that His message would be pure.

 

[Fervent]

Prophets often engaged in a form of prophecy known as sign-acts. While it is never explicitly stated that John the Baptist engaged in such a thing, we can see his wilderness living as a sign-act when we look to who he stated himself to be. When asked, he referred to Isaiah 40 and the voice crying in the wilderness. Which is important because there are two, and only two, situations for Israel. Living in the camp, and being in the wilderness. The exile was a casting out into the wilderness, and yet God had declared He would bring them back. Through Cyrus the return began, to the re-dedication of the temple. But an expectation was missed since the cloud of the presence never filled the re-dedicated temple and the nation of Israel continued to be under imperial constraint. So John the Baptist ministering in the wilderness was a sign that Israel was not yet returned from the wilderness of exile, that God's promises remained incomplete and the leaders making the best of it were fooling themselves. John lived in the wilderness because Israel was still in the wilderness, waiting for the revelation of the Lord to make triumphal entry.