Nobody else in the Bible like him . . .

The disciples were to go back and show those works of Jesus Christ to John. Matthew 1: 4-6 says, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
[5] The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
[6] And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”

Jordan explains, “In other words, ‘Blessed is the man who will look at those works, understand that I am the Messiah, and not be offended just because it isn’t working out just like John thought it was going to work out, or he thinks it ought to work out.’

“Now, you say, ‘Well, why didn’t Jesus go and get John the Baptist out of prison?’ The reason is that wasn’t His responsibility to do. Who was responsible for going and getting their prophet out of jail? Israel. How could have John gotten out of prison if Israel had have received her king? That’s what the issue is in Matthew 11: 7-15.

“Verses 7-8 says, ‘And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
[8] But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.’

“I mean, if you’re looking for a lace-pants sissy, you don’t find him preaching on the street and in the wilderness. You find them in the tennis courts and in the politicians’ quarters. That’s what Christ’s saying. He’s just talking plain.

“The passage goes on, ‘But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
[10] For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
[11] Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of 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.
[12] And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.’

“He’s saying, ‘John’s a prophet, but he’s more than a prophet because he’s the one prophet that God said would come before the Messiah showed up. He’s that prophet the Scripture wrote about and said was going to show up before I came.’

“Verse 11. That’s some statement, isn’t it? How would you like the Lord Jesus Christ to say that about you? Well, He wouldn’t, would He? But He did about John. He was the forerunner of the Messiah. He was personally commissioned by the God the Father. He was filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb. You know anybody else like that? I don’t know of anybody in the Bible like that.

“ ‘He that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.’ John’s the greatest guy who ever lived. He’s the most blessed, most privileged, most used, most highly exalted man ever come on the scene so far, and yet the guy who gets in that kingdom is going to have a better position. He’s greater than John. The least in the kingdom is going to have a greater opportunity. He’s not talking about personally being better; He’s talking about having a greater opportunity.

“Verse 12. They’re trying to get a hold of the kingdom by force. If you want to see that, go to the parable in Matthew 21:33.

“You see, the rulers of Israel at that time had been really worse than the ones before them because they took the Son Himself and didn’t hesitate to do violence against Him and kill Him.

“Well, that violent bunch of people there, He identifies down in verses 41-45. He’s talking to the religious leaders of Israel; these people who are opposing the little flock.

“Seizing the inheritance has to do with trying to control and take over the nation Israel. Isaiah 19:25. In Matthew 21:41, He says ‘the Father is going to take the kingdom from you and give it to that little flock.’ That’s what you’re dealing with in Matthew 11:12.

“Notice what He says there: if Israel had received the kingdom, John the Baptist would have been Elijah.

“In the last chapter of your Old Testament, the last four names that are mentioned are found in Malachi 4:4-5. This chapter is about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

“Elijah the prophet is said clearly to be one of the two witnesses that witnessed to Israel according to Zechariah 4 and Revelation 11. The two witnesses in Revelation 11 are not New Testament brand-new information. They’re prophesied in Zechariah 4. One of the names is Elijah. The other name is never clearly given. He’s just called ‘that prophet.’ But who is that prophet? That’s Moses. Deuteronomy 18:18.

“Interestingly enough, you know who they are because they’re the last four names mentioned in your Bible. They knew before the Messiah was going to come, Elijah was going to come. Malachi 3:1:

‘Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to this temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.’

“Now, that’s Elijah coming and preparing the people before the Messiah comes, just as the two witnesses will do.

“Come to Matthew 3 and notice that all of that is said to be fulfilled in John the Baptist. Matthew 3:1. That quote from Malachi 3:1 is Isaiah 40:3. Mark 1.

“There’s no doubt from those passages that they’re clearly a reference, according to Matthew 3, to John the Baptist.

“Notice what John the Baptist says about himself in John 1:19-23: ‘And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
[20] And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
[21] And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
[22] Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
[23] He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.’

“Wait a minute. Matthew 3 says, 'He’s the voice; He’s Elijah.' John says, ‘No, I’m not Elijah.’ That’s confusing, isn’t it?

“If that isn’t enough, come to Matthew 17:10. Jesus said, ‘Elijah’s already come!’ What’s going on?! He says in verse 11, ‘He shall first come,’ and in verse 12, ‘He is already come.’

“The answer for all that is in Matthew 11:14: ‘And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.’ You see that second word in that verse? ‘IF you will receive it.’ IF Israel had received her Messiah; IF Israel had received her king and kingdom, John the Baptist would have sufficed to have been Elijah.

“But because God Almighty knew they weren’t going to respond, He didn’t send Elijah; He sent John. Luke 1:17. This is the angel’s message to John the Baptist’s daddy.         

“You see, John the Baptist is a type of Elijah who would have fulfilled the prophecy if Christ had come back. The issue is the Second Advent of Christ. They kill John, they demand the crucifixion of Christ and finally they commit the murder of Stephen.

“They’re wickedness progressively gets worse and worse. They should have gone and secured the release of John. They didn’t, not because of something somebody else did to them, but because of their own willful, deliberate, knowing rejection.

“God, knowing what they were going to do, sent John the Baptist instead of Elijah. He sent him in the spirit and power of Elijah--sent him in such a way that he, as far as looking and knowing in the prophecy, would have been Elijah had they received Christ. The opportunity is completely given.”