When God visited Moses at the burning bush, He asked Moses to deliver the Children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt, but Moses replied that he didn’t have what it takes. He implied that he didn’t have it in him.
God then went on to say to Moses, “what is that in your hand?” Moses was holding a staff and God said that with this staff he would be able to do miracles and deliver Israel from their slavery. Moses continued to argue with God that he wouldn’t be able to do it, not realising that he already had the power, and it was close at hand. It was in his hands, so to speak. Funny but this sounds very familiar in relation to us Christians today. Moses told God to send someone else which is often how we think too. “Send the Pastor Lord, as he is equipped and I’m not.”
“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 11:7-15
This is an amazing scripture. What on earth does it mean? When I first read it years ago I just couldn’t get my head around it. 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 highly of John and said that there was no person born of woman that was greater than John the Baptist - He was the greatest prophet that had ever lived. And yet Jesus said even the least in the kingdom was greater than he.??
This verse, “Blood, Fire and Pillars of Smoke” has always intrigued me. It’s a verse taken from the Book of Joel and also the Book of Acts about an event before the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord. “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ “ Acts 2:17-21
