One Crying In The Wilderness!

June 17, 2020

John the Baptist is identified in the New Testament as the “voice of one crying in the wilderness,” a title he applies to himself in John 1:23 by quoting the prophet Isaiah. This phrase originates from Isaiah 40:3, which prophesies a herald who will “prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”

In the Gospels (Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4), this imagery signifies John’s role in calling people to repentance and spiritual preparation for the arrival of Jesus Christ. The metaphor draws from ancient practices where messengers cleared and leveled rough desert roads to ensure a smooth passage for an incoming king.

Beyond its biblical context, the expression has evolved into an English idiom describing a lone voice expressing unpopular or ignored opinions in a barren or indifferent environment. This secular usage retains the core idea of isolation and urgent proclamation found in the original scriptural text.

What Does The KJV Bible Say?

“Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness” KJV Verses

The phrase “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” (or variants like “the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness”) appears explicitly across four primary cross-references in the King James Version (KJV) Bible. It originates as a messianic prophecy in the Old Testament and is fulfilled by John the Baptist in the Gospels.

Below is a verification table mapping out how this prophetic cry appears 10 distinct times across contextual applications, parallel testaments, and textual breakdowns in the KJV text:

#	Scripture Reference (KJV)	Literal Text / Application Context	Role in Scripture
1	Isaiah 40:3	“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord…”	The Original Prophecy: Isaiah foretells a herald preparing Israel for God’s glory.
2	Matthew 3:3	“For this is he… saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness…”	Synoptic Fulfillment: Matthew explicitly identifies John the Baptist as this voice.
3	Mark 1:3	“The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord…”	The Gospel Herald: Mark opens his entire Gospel using this phrase to introduce Christ’s ministry.
4	Luke 3:4	“…As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias… saying, The voice of one crying…”	Historical Record: Luke anchors the quote within its exact Old Testament framework (“Esaias”).
5	John 1:23	“He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness…”	Self-Identification: John the Baptist uses the verse to define his own identity to the Pharisees.
6	Isaiah 40:4	“Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low…”	The Cry’s Message: The metaphorical engineering required to level the terrain for the King.
7	Isaiah 40:6	“…And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass…”	The Mandate to Cry: God commandingly re-emphasizes the role and frailty of the human messenger.
8	Matthew 3:1-2	“…came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye…”	Geographic Fulfillment: The physical execution of the “wilderness” prophecy in Judea.
9	Luke 1:76	“And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord…”	Paternal Prophecy: Zacharias predicts his son will fulfill this exact pre-announced herald role.
10	Malachi 3:1	“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me…”	Prophetic Echo: The final Old Testament book reinforces the upcoming “voice” as God’s personal messenger.

Myers-Briggs Analyst Reports

The archetypal “voice crying in the wilderness” describes a person who stands isolated from mainstream culture, delivering uncompromised truths with intense focus. The following analyst reports dissect five highly distinct public figures who capture elements of this archetype through the lens of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

1. John MacArthur Analyst Report

Estimated MBTI Type: ESTJ (The Executive / Supervisor)
Cognitive Breakdown: Extraverted Thinking (Te), Introverted Sensing (Si), Extraverted Intuition (Ne), Introverted Feeling (Fi)
Analyst Profile: John MacArthur operates with systematic, uncompromising precision. His “wilderness cry” is not chaotic or mystical; it is structural, orderly, and deeply rooted in tradition (Si). As an objective logical type (Te), his preaching focuses heavily on expository grammar, clear rules, and historical-grammatical interpretation. He acts as an institutional anchor, standing firmly against cultural shifts by enforcing what he views as timeless, immutable biblical blueprints.

2. Paul Washer Analyst Report

Estimated MBTI Type: INFJ or Highly Intense INFJ/INTJ (Note: Publicly discussed as INFJ or an intensely serious Fi-driven type, though sometimes typed counter-intuitively as ESFJ in behavioral databases due to his high focus on community holiness)
Cognitive Breakdown: Introverted Intuition (Ni), Extraverted Feeling (Fe), Introverted Thinking (Ti), Extraverted Sensing (Se)
Analyst Profile: Paul Washer embodies the visceral, emotional, and prophetic weight of the “voice in the wilderness” archetype. His delivery relies heavily on Ni (unearthing systemic, existential rot in modern church culture) paired with raw Fe urgency (appealing intensely to the conscience and spiritual state of his listeners). Washer ignores material fluff and contemporary trends to flash a spotlight onto holiness, eternal realities, and self-examination. His focus is deeply counter-cultural and intensely earnest.

3. Henry Ford Analyst Report

Estimated MBTI Type: ISTP (The Virtuoso / Craftsman)
Cognitive Breakdown: Introverted Thinking (Ti), Extraverted Sensing (Se), Introverted Intuition (Ni), Extraverted Feeling (Fe)
Analyst Profile: Henry Ford’s “wilderness cry” was a technological and industrial one. Operating from a dominant framework of Introverted Thinking (Ti), he re-engineered the mechanics of manufacturing from the ground up, ignoring the standard financial conventions of his era. His Se allowed him to master the tangible, physical realities of the assembly line. Ford was famously stubborn, self-reliant, and indifferent to social approval (Fe inferior). He dragged the industrial world into a new paradigm purely through mechanical focus and structural isolation.

4. Jordan Peterson Analyst Report

Estimated MBTI Type: INFJ (Though heavily debated as ENTJ or ENTP due to his hyper-verbal debating style)
Cognitive Breakdown: Introverted Intuition (Ni), Extraverted Feeling (Fe), Introverted Thinking (Ti), Extraverted Sensing (Se)
Analyst Profile: Jordan Peterson functions as a psychological and cultural herald. His entire methodology is a textbook showcase of Ni: mapping ancient archetypes, biblical narratives, and mythological frameworks onto modern sociopolitical chaos. His Fe manifests in his visceral, sometimes tearful concern for the existential aimlessness of young people. Despite his public criticisms of the MBTI system itself—preferring the psychometric validity of the Big Five—his patterns match the classical “Mystic/Advocate” archetype: an individual warning society about ideological collapse from a deeply psychological platform.

Today’s Bible Study is of the book of John Chapter 1:6-36 taken from the King James Version.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

After Reading The Passage I would Recommend Doing A Silent Prayer

Its is said: Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10 King James Version (KJV)

Here is a youtube video to help thoses who would like a person lead the study, the video is call “The voice of one crying in the wilderness”

Join Our Newsletter

Conclusion

Hope this post was helpful to you and that you have a very successful Daily Bible Study with your friends and family! Check out the other sections of my blog for more tips on MadeManMinistries.

Please visit our Sponsors: