Key Passage
"All the prophets and the law {of Moses} spoke until the time John came. They told about the things that would happen. And if you will believe the things the law and the prophets said, then you will believe that John is Elijah. The law and the prophets said he would come. You people that hear me, listen!"
— Matthew 11:13-15 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
John is Elijah who has come back. This is more than just a novelty; he is the signal of a new time, a new age. Jesus is accepting all of John's predictions of the Messiah: "The Kingdom of God is near; it is breaking in upon you. The time is now. Open your eyes and hearts to the work of God and the triumph of his Kingdom."As Matthew so carefully does throughout his gospel, he wants us to understand that Jesus is not disconnected from Israel's past, but the guarantor that the promises of the prophets in Israel's past are now coming true. Great things are happening and the Great One is here.
Prayer
Holy God, thank you for Jesus' confidence in his identity and his role in your great drama of deliverance. Thank you for being faithful to your promises all these many years. Give me courage to faithfully follow Jesus while also understanding him better by getting better acquainted with your work all throughout the Old Testament. In the name of Jesus, the One in whom every Amen is spoken and every promise finds its "yes" I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures
The followers asked Jesus, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first {before the Christ comes}?" Jesus answered, "They are right to say that Elijah is coming. And it is true that Elijah will make all things the way they should be. But I tell you, Elijah has already come. People did not know who he was. People did to him all the {bad} things they wanted to do. It is the same with the Son of Man. Those same people will make the Son of Man suffer." Then the followers understood that Jesus meant that John the Baptizer was really Elijah.
— Matthew 17:10-13
The Lord All-Powerful says, "I am sending my messenger to prepare the way for me. Then suddenly, the Master you are looking for will come to his temple. Yes, the messenger of the {New} Agreement that you want really is coming! Then I will come to you—and I will do the right thing. I will be like a person that is ready to tell the judge about the bad things people did. Some people do evil magic. Some people do the sin of adultery. Some people make false promises. Some people cheat their workers—they don't pay them the money they promised. People don't help widows and orphans. People don't help strangers. People don't respect me!" The Lord All-Powerful said these things.
— Malachi 3:1; 4:5
Jesus went to the area of Caesarea Philippi. Jesus said to his followers, "I am the Son of Man. Who do the people say I am?" The followers answered, "Some people say you are John the Baptizer. Other people say you are Elijah. And some people say that you are Jeremiah or one of the prophets. " Then Jesus said to his followers, "And who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
— Matthew 16:13-16
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
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"All the prophets and the law {of Moses} spoke until the time John came. They told about the things that would happen. And if you will believe the things the law and the prophets said, then you will believe that John is Elijah. The law and the prophets said he would come. You people that hear me, listen!"
— Matthew 11:13-15 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
John is Elijah who has come back. This is more than just a novelty; he is the signal of a new time, a new age. Jesus is accepting all of John's predictions of the Messiah: "The Kingdom of God is near; it is breaking in upon you. The time is now. Open your eyes and hearts to the work of God and the triumph of his Kingdom."As Matthew so carefully does throughout his gospel, he wants us to understand that Jesus is not disconnected from Israel's past, but the guarantor that the promises of the prophets in Israel's past are now coming true. Great things are happening and the Great One is here.
Prayer
Holy God, thank you for Jesus' confidence in his identity and his role in your great drama of deliverance. Thank you for being faithful to your promises all these many years. Give me courage to faithfully follow Jesus while also understanding him better by getting better acquainted with your work all throughout the Old Testament. In the name of Jesus, the One in whom every Amen is spoken and every promise finds its "yes" I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures
The followers asked Jesus, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first {before the Christ comes}?" Jesus answered, "They are right to say that Elijah is coming. And it is true that Elijah will make all things the way they should be. But I tell you, Elijah has already come. People did not know who he was. People did to him all the {bad} things they wanted to do. It is the same with the Son of Man. Those same people will make the Son of Man suffer." Then the followers understood that Jesus meant that John the Baptizer was really Elijah.
— Matthew 17:10-13
The Lord All-Powerful says, "I am sending my messenger to prepare the way for me. Then suddenly, the Master you are looking for will come to his temple. Yes, the messenger of the {New} Agreement that you want really is coming! Then I will come to you—and I will do the right thing. I will be like a person that is ready to tell the judge about the bad things people did. Some people do evil magic. Some people do the sin of adultery. Some people make false promises. Some people cheat their workers—they don't pay them the money they promised. People don't help widows and orphans. People don't help strangers. People don't respect me!" The Lord All-Powerful said these things.
— Malachi 3:1; 4:5
Jesus went to the area of Caesarea Philippi. Jesus said to his followers, "I am the Son of Man. Who do the people say I am?" The followers answered, "Some people say you are John the Baptizer. Other people say you are Elijah. And some people say that you are Jeremiah or one of the prophets. " Then Jesus said to his followers, "And who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
— Matthew 16:13-16
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
