John the Baptist ate locust as part of his diet.  His food choice was not unusual in the Middle East.  Something else was in play beyond his diet. A locust was a sign of devouring devastation.  When John ate locusts it was a profound metaphor of his prophetic ministry and message. He was eating the fear of a nation.

We are in a time in history when our words, spoken with the prophetic intent of hope, will devour the fears that surround the cultures of the earth and hold them in bondage. In a time when many rightly call for national repentance our message must be wrapped in hope, not fear.

John invited people to repent not as an isolated act of righteousness, but as an invitation to experience the coming Kingdom of God. John message was, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” The nearness of the coming Kingdom of God was his message.  Today, it will be the prophetic words of hope spoken by the Church that will consume the fear of the nations and anything else that stands in the way of the full manifestation of God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.