John the Baptist is the bridge between the Old and New Testaments. His birth was announced by an angel to his aged priestly father Zacharias in the temple (Luke 1:11-17); his mother Elizabeth was Mary's relative, and Elizabeth's unborn John "leaped in her womb" when pregnant Mary visited (Luke 1:41). John grew up in the wilderness of Judea (Luke 1:80), wore camel's hair, ate locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4), and began preaching a baptism of repentance around the age of 30. He was the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; make His paths straight'" (Isaiah 40:3, Matthew 3:3). Jesus Himself came to John to be baptized, not because Jesus needed repentance but "to fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15). When John saw Jesus, He declared: "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). Jesus said of John: "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist" (Matthew 11:11). And yet, Jesus added, "he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" — a staggering statement about the privilege of living this side of the cross. John was eventually beheaded by Herod Antipas for denouncing Herod's unlawful marriage to his brother's wife (Mark 6:17-29). He died the way he lived: unafraid, unashamed, unflinching. John is the model of the forerunner prophet: he knew his role ("He must increase, but I must decrease" — John 3:30), and he played it to the end.