“Verily I say unto you. Among them born of a women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Matthew 11:11
In the "Message" translation of the bible it says; "... in the kingdom He prepared for you, the lowliest person is ahead of him.."
This is an amazing scripture. What on earth does it mean? How could it be that we are greater than John the Baptist? Surely there is a mistake. Jesus in the previous verses had just spoken very highly of John and said that there was no person born of woman that was greater than John the Baptist - and that he was the greatest prophet that had ever lived. He was greater than Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah or Moses. And yet Jesus goes on to say that even the least in the kingdom was greater than he.??
Jesus came preaching the kingdom of God, telling people to repent and believe in Him. He told people that He was the Son of God and those that believed on Him would enter into His Kingdom. Jesus spoke of something different than anyone else had ever said. He spoke about being Born Again, of actually being born of God.
John the Baptist really was a great man, and there’s no doubt about that. He was a great prophet! John was a man of amazing self control and discipline, but the Lord goes on to say that we in this new kingdom, that Jesus was ushering in, are even greater than this amazing prophet. When you see what Jesus was ushering in you can begin to understand why this could be. John was born of a woman only, but those in this new kingdom are born again, they are born of God which is far greater.
Are we a greater than John the Baptist? Have we lived further out in the wilderness? Have we denied ourselves more than he did? Do we have a stricter diet? Do we eat more locusts and honey or wear a heavier and hairier camel skin jackets? Did more Angels appear to our Mum and Dad when we were born? Not likely, as it’s nothing to do with what we do but all to do with what we believe and the one who has birthed us that counts.
In looking at the scriptures we see that up until John the Baptist there was only ONE RACE of people on the earth - and that race descended from Adam. The ‘fallen’ Adamic Race. All the black, brown, white, and yellow people came from this race. Even God's chosen people, the Jews came from the race of Adam. They were called by God and taught by Him, but they were still born in sin and died in sin. None of them could go directly to heaven for they came from the fallen race of Adam. Even though John the Baptist was a great prophet he was still part of the fallen race of Adam, he wasn’t Born Again. His people all needed Christ’s redemption, for even though they were Jews they still had to be saved. They had to trust in the blood of bulls and goats to cover over their sins every year.
When Jesus appeared on the scene He came preaching the Kingdom of God and after His death, God was able to create another RACE OF MEN. There were now two races of people on the earth - there was the old race that came from the "First Adam" that was doomed, and now there was the new race that came from the "Second Adam" who was Jesus. This new race of people were different, they were born of God. They could actually go to heaven directly, because they had their sins washed away. The Jews, even though they were God's chosen people, only had their sins covered over every year. But this new race of people had their sins actually washed away by the blood of Christ. They were new creations, spotless, sinless, the Sons of God, and were loved by God the Father as His very own Children.
To enter into this new race you didn't have to do greater things than John the Baptist, and it wasn't who your parents were either that made any difference. The whole emphasis now on entering this new kingdom, this new race of people, was BELIEVING. Believing that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and stepping into Him and all that He did for you.
The trouble is that when we see a man like John the Baptist we feel inferior and think maybe God isn't happy with us because we could never do what John the Baptist did or be anything like him. God’s not wanting us to do what John did, nor be like him, all He's wanting us to do is believe in His Son and what He did for us on the cross and believe His words and step into Him. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: a The old has gone, the new is here!”
The emphasis is now on BELIEVING. If you want to enter into the Kingdom of God, then you have to believe what Christ has done for you upon the cross and you will receive the gift of Eternal Life.
Abraham was a very good example of the type of faith that God is looking for, for Abraham was accepted by God not because of what he did but by what he believed. His faith was counted unto him as righteousness, and it was not what he did.
“What does Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Romans 4:3
In the Old Testament the way to please God was primarily by doing. You had to be circumcised. You had to eat certain foods. You had to be part of the Jewish Race and go through all their ceremonies, festivals, feasts and Sabbaths to keep in His favour. There was no other way in which you could please God and be saved.
In the Kingdom that Jesus came preaching, the way to please God was primarily BELIEVING. We need to remember, that in believing you get saved. We now do the "works" in gratitude for all that Jesus did for us, and not so as to get saved. In this new Kingdom, no glory can come to us but to Christ and all He did for us.
Look at the example of the thief on the cross. He never did anything - he had not even been baptised. And yet Jesus said to him that because he had believed on Him, "Today" he would enter into Paradise. His entering into Paradise was because he believed Jesus was the Son of God.
Look at John 1:12. It says if you believe you will, "Receive the power to become the children of God,"
Jesus said that even the "Least in the Kingdom of God" is greater than John the Baptist. We, by believing in Jesus, have become the Sons of God. Jesus is the Son of God and we become Sons of God too, not by any works we have done, but by the grace of God and by faith. The Old Testament prophets were still only sons of men. They were only born of a woman and not Born Again. Their spirits were dead although the Holy Spirit used to come upon them. Jesus gave them all an opportunity to receive Him when He went to Paradise after His death and preached to them there.
In the New Testament Kingdom we become Sons of God by faith and our spirits become joined to Christ. When you study it you will be amazed at what Christ has given to those in His New Kingdom. To start with we are joined to Christ, we have become one with Him.
“But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.”
1 Corinthians 6:17
One of the most amazing things to me is that when we become new creatures in Christ, We become the righteousness of God. How amazing is that?
“For God made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God through our union with him.” 2 Corinthians 2:21
When we are in Christ we receive all that He is and all that He has. We inherit God Himself.
“And since we are his true children, we qualify to share all his treasures, for indeed, we are heirs of God himself. And since we are joined to Christ, we also inherit all that he is and all that he has. We will experience being co-glorified with him provided that we accept his sufferings as our own.” Romans 8:17
We are not just born of man we are also born of God. In 1 Peter 1:23 in the "Message" translation it says - "your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm. Your new birth comes from God's living Word. Just think - a life conceived by God Himself." 1 Peter 1:23
When you believe the truth, you become a Child of God. You are Born Again! The Word of God enters into you and you are born of God. You become a New Creature in Christ. You are born, not from lust - (some children are born from rape or out of wedlock) - you are not born by accident - it's not by the will of man or woman, but you are actually Born of God. Jesus was the "First Born" of this new race of people and you are the 2nd Born.
Colossians 1:18. Romans 8:29-30 and 1 Corinthians 15: 44-52.
In John 17:23 we read that Jesus was loved by God and it goes on to say that WE will be loved by God too just like Jesus was loved by the Father!! The Father really loves Jesus, but the scripture says that WE are loved exactly the same as He loves His Son Jesus.
“You live fully in me and now I live fully in them so that they will experience perfect unity, and the world will be convinced that you have sent me, for they will see that you love each one of them with the same passionate love that you have for me.” John 17:23 TPT
The prophets looked into the future at our day and envied what we have. This gift that is given to us is not by works but by the grace of God. Look at 1 Peter 1:10.
Jesus said those who are least in the kingdom of God are greater than John the Baptist. We are not greater prophets, we are even better than that. We are actually Sons of God, just like Jesus was. That is why we are greater. Your greatness is in believing what God says - it's a revelation of who Jesus is and what he has done for us.
Jesus said that there has never been a prophet so great - "Born of a Woman," like John the Baptist. But he who is the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he - Why? Because not only are we born of a woman, we are also "Born of God." We are the Sons and Daughters of God. I believe that as this revelation comes to the Church there is going to be the manifestation of the Sons of God that is spoken about in Romans 8.18-19 TPT
“I am convinced that any suffering we endure is less than nothing compared to the magnitude of glory that is about to be unveiled within us. The entire universe is standing on tiptoe, yearning to see the unveiling of God’s glorious sons and daughters!”
When there is a people who understand who they are in Christ it will be the manifestation of the Sons and Daughters of God who will turn this world upside down. They will be the Greater Works Generation spoken of in John 14:12.
“I tell you this timeless truth: The person who follows me in faith, believing in me, will do the same mighty miracles that I do—even greater miracles than these because I go to be with my Father!”
As John says in 1 John 3:2. “As He is now so are we in this life.” This people will know this amazing fact and will be just like Him.