Mat 11:11-15, Is John the Baptist Also Elijah?
length: 57:26 - taught on Jan, 23 2025
Class Outline:
Thursday January 23, 2025
Jesus fulfilled the Law.
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Walking according to the Spirit is part of the fulfillment of the New Covenant in EZE 36:27, the start of the fulfillment of this happened when the church began. Peter quotes JOE 2:28 at Pentecost.
Being the central figure of the Bible and all history, it makes sense that all prophecy and the Law find their completion in Christ.
"Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
There is more to be fulfilled, much more, and yet the church has no prophecy in its age, nor in any age to come.
In the church, the Scripture is complete. No more revelation is to come.
Mount of Transfiguration: Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and prophets.
Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!" 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. 7 And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, "Get up, and do not be afraid." 8 And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.
His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them.
Jesus, Moses, and Elijah speak to one another about the Lord’s death in Jerusalem.
speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
Coming down from the mountain, after seeing Elijah, the three disciples bring up what they have heard their whole lives. The prophet Elijah is going to come before the Messiah and their deliverance (MAL 3:1; MAL 4:5).
As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead." 10 And His disciples asked Him, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" 11 And He answered and said, "Elijah is coming and will restore all things; 12 but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." 13 Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.
Jesus is reciting the scribal reading and saying that Elijah came: “Yes Malachi says this, but I say to you, Elijah has already come.” John was the fulfillment of the prophecy.
Elijah the first prophet and John the last are the bookends of prophecy which all pointed to and were fulfilled in our wonderful Savior.
[The priests ask John …]
"What then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not."
What lesson can we glean from this?
Christ is the point of all prophecy, all the law, all Scripture. If we miss that, we miss the point.
When we read and learn the OT, we must keep Jesus Christ in mind and then we will see the richness of its meaning.
The OT is not a crystal ball. It is a revelation of the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Viewed through Him, the proper looking glass, it pushes us to knowledge and obedience to the Word revealed.
“He who has ears, let him hear” - this demands understanding.
Application of the supremacy of Christ now.
Keep Christ as your center and common reference to all things.
Keep Christ in mind when you talk to others.
Keep Christ in mind when you read and study your Bible.
Look at all prophecy as you are looking at Him. Look at all eschatology as you are looking at Him. Look at all power and glory and virtue and wisdom as you are looking at Him.
The greatest, strongest, and who was above all, laid down His life. I dare say that it took more power for Him to do that then to physically crush His enemies or to call down His legions of angels that are always ready at His call.
Power is greatest where the world does not look for it - in agape love.
While the kingdom is allowed to suffer violence, we love because we are saving souls, not conquering.
So, John is Elijah in some way that has a really important lesson for us. Prophecy is over and real life lived out day to day in time has finally come. Live it believer! Don’t wait. Do His will today and see the joy of it.