THE WORLD’S GREATEST PROPHET AND YOU

THE WORLD’S GREATEST PROPHET AND YOU “For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28 (KJV) Everything in the Bible is significant, but this verse is of special interest for it challenges us to forget earthly standards and think like God. As the heavens are higher than the earth, His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Is. 55:9). Elijah was a great prophet and performed many miracles. John the Baptist, however, was greater than Elijah, even though he never performed a miracle. The Scriptures are emphatic: “John did no miracle” (Jn. 10:41). How is it possible for the world’s greatest prophet to have performed no miracle? Even more amazing, how is it possible for sinners like you me to be greater than John? Understanding this provides critical insight into being a child of God. Remember! Elijah didn’t die but was taken up into heaven by a whirlwind (2 Ki. 2:11). The Old Testament Scriptures conclude with the promise that he would return to earth and turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers (Mal. 4:6). Jesus explained that John the Baptist fulfilled this prophecy. “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:13-15 (KJV)

John was also a man of prayer. In fact the disciples of Jesus wanted him to teach them to pray just as John taught his disciples (Lk. 11:1). The fact that John was a man of prayer, and yet worked no miracle, is also profound. While contemplating this, remember that miracles of healing are temporary. All whom Jesus healed eventually died! John’s prayers apparently involved eternity.

Jesus taught that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him, but John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb (Lk. 1:15). The fact that he had this special filling of the Holy Spirit and yet still worked no miracle is something else to ponder. Physical blessings are not nearly as important as spiritual ones. Jesus once told of a rich man who was clothed in purple and fared sumptuously every day (Lk. 16:19 - 31). When he died, however, he left all of his physical blessings behind and went to a place of eternal torment. A beggar named Lazarus, by contrast, had no physical blessings at all. He was lying in the street full of sores with no food. Apparently his only friends were the dogs of the streets who licked his wounds. When Lazarus died he went to a place of eternal reward. Whose example do you want to follow?

After feeding the multitude with 5 loaves and 2 fish Jesus told them: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.” (John 6:26-27 (KJV) There is no doubt about it, we are to seek first the kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33). To do this we must be always ready to sacrifice physical things which are temporal, for spiritual things that are eternal. For example, if your eye or your hand offend you, pluck it out or cut it off to gain eternal reward . . . “for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell” (Matt. 5:29).

Remember! “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17 - 18)