Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Elijah the Forerunner
Matt. 11:12. "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.
Whether this verse is taken in the negative or the positive sense the message is true, but it is more likely that Jesus meant this in the positive sense. When we consider that He has taught that one is to enter by the narrow gate and there are few who find it. Here is another opportunity to examine ourselves to see if we are taking the kingdom by a forceful desire or are we satisfied to sleep our way into it. How apt is the adage: if you snooze you loose.
Vv. 13-15. "For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14. "And if you care to accept it, he himself is Elijah, who was to come. 15. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Until there was John the Baptist the only true prophesy came in the form of God’s prophets and His Law recorded from Genesis to Malachi. This is all the information available respecting the coming Messiah that would set up His kingdom. The forecast was complete with the last of the prophets giving the detail of Elijah coming to prepare Messiah’s way. Mal. 4:5-6 "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. 6. "And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse." Only the few would care to accept that Jesus was the Messiah and that John, himself as Elijah who was to come. Because there were so few who would care to accept it the earthly reign of King Jesus would be postponed.
Jesus gives careful exposition of Malachi’s prophecy explaining that John is Elijah who was to come. And, He also gives a final admonition and warning: He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
MacArthur writes, “John was the greatest man to live before Christ, but the highest greatness God offers is not like John’s. John was a unique man and greatly used by God in the redemptive scheme before the New Covenant. But his greatness pales, Jesus says, besides those who enter His spiritual kingdom through trust in Him as Lord and Savior in the New Covenant. True greatness is not being like John the Baptist but being like Christ.”
Whether this verse is taken in the negative or the positive sense the message is true, but it is more likely that Jesus meant this in the positive sense. When we consider that He has taught that one is to enter by the narrow gate and there are few who find it. Here is another opportunity to examine ourselves to see if we are taking the kingdom by a forceful desire or are we satisfied to sleep our way into it. How apt is the adage: if you snooze you loose.
Vv. 13-15. "For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14. "And if you care to accept it, he himself is Elijah, who was to come. 15. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Until there was John the Baptist the only true prophesy came in the form of God’s prophets and His Law recorded from Genesis to Malachi. This is all the information available respecting the coming Messiah that would set up His kingdom. The forecast was complete with the last of the prophets giving the detail of Elijah coming to prepare Messiah’s way. Mal. 4:5-6 "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. 6. "And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse." Only the few would care to accept that Jesus was the Messiah and that John, himself as Elijah who was to come. Because there were so few who would care to accept it the earthly reign of King Jesus would be postponed.
Jesus gives careful exposition of Malachi’s prophecy explaining that John is Elijah who was to come. And, He also gives a final admonition and warning: He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
MacArthur writes, “John was the greatest man to live before Christ, but the highest greatness God offers is not like John’s. John was a unique man and greatly used by God in the redemptive scheme before the New Covenant. But his greatness pales, Jesus says, besides those who enter His spiritual kingdom through trust in Him as Lord and Savior in the New Covenant. True greatness is not being like John the Baptist but being like Christ.”
# posted by Castusfumus : 7:04 PM
