Set Apart
I tell you the truth. Among those born of women there has not been anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he Matthew 11:11
John the Baptist was a unique prophet in so many ways, not the least of which was that he was the forerunner to Jesus. John was sent to prepare the way for Jesus, to be a herald of Jesus’ ministry and announcer of His messiahship.
But John was the also the last prophet under the old dispensation. With John’s death, God closed the book on a time of almost 1500 years. Through those years God had given His people the Law to unite and identify them as His people, to reveal His righteous character, to hold their sin ‘in check,’ and to reveal the seriousness of sin and the need for sacrifice to atone for sin.
So how can he who is least in the kingdom of heaven be greater than John? John lived as the last prophet under a system that looked forward to the Messiah coming. The sacrifices of the Law covered sin but could never guarantee God’s total and final forgiveness. That awaited Jesus going to the Cross as the sacrificial offering for our sin. Jesus’ blood cleanses, washes and purifies us from all sin, now and for forever. This is an extraordinary truth that applies to every Christian, whether they see themselves as weak or strong. Our relationship with Jesus sets us apart from the greatest saint under the old covenant. They looked forward to our day. So the Christian who sees himself as the least in God’s kingdom stands apart and is more blessed than anyone from the old dispensation. Our relationship with Jesus places us under greater grace and blessing than all who have lived before Jesus’ time on earth.
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