John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. Mark 1:6

            John was a prophet, like Elijah.  In the last chapter of the last book of the Old Testament it says:

“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.” Malachi 4:5

            For 400 years, people were waiting for this Elijah.  Then a man showed up in the desert wearing the same clothes as Elijah.

The king asked them, “What kind of man was it who came to meet you and told you this?”

They replied, “He had a garment of hair and had a leather belt around his waist.”

The king said, “That was Elijah the Tishbite.” 2 Kings 1:7-8

            So John the Baptist fulfilled that prophecy and his clothing helped to point to that fact.  Why did he eat locusts?  That might have been all there was to eat in the wilderness.  John was committed to his task.