1:23 prophet Esaias. John is here quoting Isaiah 40:3, applying it to the very soon appearance of Jesus to his listeners. In that connection, it is significant that this Messianic prophecy in Isaiah calls the coming one both “LORD” (Jehovah) and “God” (Elohim). John thus recognized that this one who was “before me” (thus, preexistent in eternity— John 1:15) was also the Lord of life and the God of creation.