The Life of Christ

John was more than a prophet for three reasons:

• He had the distinction of being the only prophet to ever have other prophets prophesy about his life (Mal. 3:1; 4:5; Isa. 40:3-4).

• Mal. 3:1 : “Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts.

• Mal. 4:5: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.”

• Is. 40:3: The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth.”

• John as an Old Testament prophet was also given the privilege to be the one to formally announce the Messiah to the rest of the world.

• John was also the only person mentioned in the Bible who was filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb (Lk. 1:15)!

And along with that great honor came a lifestyle that was under strict requirement — Gabriel told Zacharias that John was to drink neither wine nor strong drink (Lk. 1:15).

Lk. 7:28-29 “I say to you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 29 And when all the people and the tax- gatherers heard this, they acknowledged God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John.

Up until this time no man in the Old Testament has been considered greater than John the Baptist.

• Much of that greatness had to do with his unique and privileged calling to introduce Jesus.

• However, Jesus now says that the least person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John.

• This is because each member under the New Covenant has the Spirit of Christ living within. When the Father looks at us, He also sees Jesus within, the only One greater than John the Baptist.

Mt. 11:14 “And if you care to accept it, he himself is Elijah, who was to come.”

It was a common belief that Elijah would return from heaven to prepare the way for the Messiah.

• This is based upon Mal. 4:5: “ Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.”

• This was written long after Elijah had ascended to heaven, meaning he’s coming back again.

• Jesus lets us in on a theological mystery: John the Baptist is the fulfillment of the promise found in Mal. 4:5 that Elijah would come again.

• John was not a reincarnation of Elijah; instead, he had the same Spirit and anointing that came upon Elijah.

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