Thursday, April 25, 2013

Greater than John the Baptist?


A COMMENT WAS LEFT concerning what Jesus said in Matthew 11:11 :
11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist. Yet he that is but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he"
  If I BELIEVE Jesus words more than yours (that John the Baptist is of the anointed), am I wrong ?
Thank you for considering my thoughts.

MY REPLY:
Please consider more of Jesus words, as well as taking a closer look at the verse you reference....

"Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist:
yet he that is but little IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is greater than he."

Your interpretation exposes that you do not realize that previous to Christ's ascension into heaven, the kingdom of heaven was not opened for Christians including the apostles (John 7:39; Luke16:16; Phil.3:14; John3:13). Once Jesus presented his ransom sacrifice, it's benefits were retroactive (Matt.8:11; Luke13:29; Isa.59:19; Mal.1:11).
At the time that Jesus spoke those words at Matt.11:11; John the Baptist, the apostles, and all those chosen (John13:18), did not yet have their citizenship in the heavens (John7:39; 1Cor.2:12; Phil.3:20; Heb.12:22-24; Rev.5:9-10).
When they do secure it, those representatives of it (while on earth) will indeed be greater prophets than even John the Baptist was as a mere man of flesh/born of woman/born under the Law covenant. No one born under the Law covenant of Moses, was greater than John the Baptist. John died before Christ, and before the New Covenant was established by virtue of Christ's shed blood.
New Jerusalem is God's New City, consisting of those from the New Creation.
Members of that New Covenant, become the dwelling/Temple, of God's spirit (1Cor.3:16)
Do you realize that just as the "Word" became flesh AND DWELT AMONG US (John1:14; Phil.2:7; Rev.22:3) (the meaning of Emmanuel Matt.1:23); so too will New Jerusalem "come down OUT OF HEAVEN" and DWELL AMONG MANKIND (Rev.21:3)?
Then too, "God is with us" will exist through them...the "tent"/"tabernacle/Temple of God (Eph.2:21,22; 1Cor.3:16; 1Pet.2:5,9) that "comes down out of heaven" to be present with mankind.
(Heb.1:6; Acts3:21; 1:11; John1:51; Heb.9:28).
Even after Christ's death, those sealed as slaves of God are members of God's Temple/Holy City (Rev.3:12), and they bring God's reconciliation/New Jerusalem/waters of life/healing "fruit", within the reach of mankind, for those who accept them (2Cor.5:20; Mal.2:7; Col.1:20; Rom.5:10) (Rev.21:3; 22:1-4,14,17; John7:38).
When God's Kingdom arrives through them, these resurrected king/priest representatives of New Jerusalem (Rev.3:12; 20:6) will not only do works superior to John the Baptist, they will even do works **greater**  than Jesus Christ did!!! (John14:12,2,3)
According to your reasoning,
does that mean that Jesus is not an anointed Kingdom Heir either?

Due to sheer timing, is John the Baptist exempt from being a New Covenant vessel of God's spirit, though having been a faithful harbinger of God's spirit while under Law?
The scale of healing which God's future, eternal Kingdom will bring,
has never been seen on earth before, through either John the Baptist or even through the human Jesus.
Christ has now ascended to the Father, and has received all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt.28:18),
to completely neutralize all the works of the devil (Ps.110:1-2; 1Cor.15:25). Those victorious with him, will share in the "joy of their master" (Matt.25:23; Luke19:17), restoring all the new creation, to a fullness of life (Rom.8:19,21).

Remember, those "in the kingdom of heaven" are no longer simply "born of woman"/"Hagar" (Gal.4:24; Heb.8:7) (Job 14:1,2; 1Cor.15:42; Gal.4:24) as John used to be (Matt.11:11).
These in the kingdom to come, are born again, as spirit (1Cor.15:50; John3:3; 1Pet.3:18; Rom.6:5) under the new mother covenant of life (Gal.4:24,26) as John the Baptist himself also is now. He too (as a new creation) will also do works greater than Jesus did, which will certainly exceed what he did as a man of only flesh "born of woman" and born under the Covenant of the Law (Mark1:7; Gal.4:24; Heb.8:7; 7:11; Gal.4:26). John did not become a part of the New Creation in his earthly lifetime, only because of his dying before it's inauguration. This does not exclude or preclude John from being born again/resurrected, under the new mother covenant, afterward (Gal.4:26; Rev.12:1; John5:28-29; 11:25-26). John11:25-26 shows the distinction between those who die before the mother covenant of life exists, and those who live after it's inauguration. Those who die before, will still "live" by means of that same mother covenant (Luke20:38; 13:28).

  Please reason on this point...

If John the Baptist, who suffered deprivation, was filled with God's spirit, and was beheaded for his faith (Luke7:24,25,26,27,28; Matt.14:11), is greater than any anointed one before they are sealed and become spirit/"angels" (Matt.22:30; Rom.8:9,11; 1Cor.6:17; 1John4:13; 5:13; 2Cor.5:17; John5:24; 6:47,50); why do many of those chosen invited prove to become despicably unfaithful, betray their mother covenant, and fail to receive the promises/born under the mother covenant of life?
 (Matt.24:48,49,50,51; Heb.10:26,27; Matt.22:8; 25:30) How could the unfaithful Chosen, be "greater" than John? They, though proving unfaithful, are still "of the kingdom"/Chosen heirs. To obtain the kingdom, one must be "called, chosen, and faithful" (Rev.17:14) (Luke13:28).
Your point... that John cannot be an heir of the kingdom, simply because he was not chosen after the inauguration of the covenant;
ignores that life can come to those faithful, after their physical deaths...
and death can come to those unfaithful, even after having been chosen.
John the Baptist is greater, than the unfaithful (Matt.5:19)....
not through the life he already had (under the Law Covenant) when Jesus spoke (Matt.11:11);
but through his life that was to come, in the kingdom.
And of all those born of woman/Old Covenant, John was the greatest (Matt.11:11; 5:19).
**What makes one under the kingdom, is which covenant you are under.
Those under the old covenant, can never be greater "in the kingdom", as one under the New covenant. John was still under the Old Covenant, at Matt.11:11. When John is resurrected, he will be under the New Covenant...
and "greater" than those who betrayed it.

"Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women (slaves under the Law/old covenant/ slaves of their sins Gal.4:24; Heb.8:7; 10:1,4; Rom.8:3) there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist. Yet he that is but little in the kingdom of heaven (Matt.18:10; 19:14; 1Cor.14:20; Rom.16:19; Gal.4:26,28; 3:26-29; Rom.2:28-29) is greater than he".
Why?
Because those "of the kingdom"/New Covenant/heirs of the promises made to Abraham, are born of a better covenant mother, who is free of sin and death, through the ransom of Christ.
-  -  -  -  -  -  -

Jesus referred to John as "a reed swayed by the wind".
This "wind" is God's spirit (Ec.11:5; Eze.37:9; Acts2:2,4). Those who allow it to move them....
those "swayed" by it are referred to, at John3:8, where Jesus said:
"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

Those born of this wind are directed by it and relay it's sound, though others do not understand how these are directed. John fully fulfilled Christ's description of him, as a reed swayed (and born) by God's spirit (Gal.5:25,16). He referred to him as Elijah the Prophet (Matt.17:12,13; Isa.40:3; Matt.3:3) which figure stands (along with Moses) as a symbol of the greatest anointed prophets in the kingdom (Matt.17:2,3).
This symbol is also for one of the last symbolic "two prophets" sent by God (Matt.17:10,11; (Acts3:21; Rom.8:21; 1Cor.13:10; Matt.25:6; Rev.16:12) Rev.11:3,4; Zech.4:3,4,11,12,14,9; Rev.22:6), as referring to the purpose, responsibility, and role of these last symbolic "two" (John8:17);
along with the meaning of what it means to be "Moses" (sent to set God's people free from captivity).

  Those of "Elijah" (with "Elijah's spirit"), prepare the way just before God's arrival, ...to call God's people to repentance and preparedness (Luke1:17).
(http://4womaninthewilderness.blogspot.com/2016/01/elijah-turns-hearts.html)
  Those of "Moses" give a witness to the Gentile powers which hold God's people captive. They lead God's people to freedom, and relay God's laws and requirements, previous to their entry into the longed for Home of Paradise.
These symbolic figures that represent the "two" last prophets to God's people (according to God's promise and prophecy) are neededand present at the end of our age, just as the scroll of Revelation establishes.

Here is a link with more information:
           http://pearl-johnbaptist.blogspot.com/

If you want to know more about how and why these kings and priests are greater than John the Baptist was, while he was still merely "born of woman"/born under law (Gal.4:4) [before the establishment of the New Covenant (Gal.4:24,26), through Christs presentation of his ransom in heaven],
(and why John himself will be greater, once he too is glorified "in the kingdom of heaven" -Rom.8:18,19; Phil.3:21; 1Cor.15:43),
you can consider these links:

jacobsladder-obadiah.blogspot.com
and
pearl-materialize.blogspot.com
and
pearl-holycity.blogspot.com
and
pearl-treesoflife.blogspot.com


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    Rev.21:2,3,4,5; 2Pet.3:13

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2 comments:

  1. Another eye opener. Thanks for the great work.

    Does the bible state when did God start inviting men to be part of the heavenly kingdom?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. YHWH began his revelation of His kingdom purpose to restore creation at Gen.3:15; but for something less obscure, yes,
      This became more evident at Gen.13:14,15,16,17; 28:13,12,14; Matt.12:21; Gal.3:16; John1:50,51; Gen.28:12; Acts7:5; Gal.3:29; Rev.22:2; 21:2,3,4; Rom.8:17).
      You may note that the inheritance to Abraham is BOTH to his seed (Christ and those who belong to him) AND TO ABRAHAM HIMSELF.

      Delete

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