“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.”
Matt. 11:11
Discussion
If you were asked who was the greatest man who ever lived before Christ, you'd probably choose someone like Enoch who transitioned without seeing death, or Moses who divided the red sea, or Elijah who called down fire from heaven, or Elisha who wrought amazing miracles until even his dead bones raised a dead man back to life. Surely, these are the greatest men born of women. But this isn't God's estimation. God does not see as men see, neither does He choose as men choose. According to the divine order of things, of all men born of women, there is none greater than John the Baptist. Think about it for a second. A man who did no miracles, lived in the wilderness, was incarcerated and decapitated. What made John the greatest man ever? Consider what made him unique: he was the forerunner of the long-expected messiah. He baptized, announced and introduced the long-awaited Christ to the Jews. This position of the Lord's announcer made him greater than all other prophets of old who were the Lord's foretellers.
Get this; greatness before God is only in relation to the Christ. Then in one sweeping move, Jesus reveals that the least in this new kingdom is greater than John (Matt 11:11). If John's unique position made him the greatest born of women, then it must be that those who belong to the kingdom of God differ from John in position. As the prophets of old were foretellers of the Christ, and John was the announcer of the Christ, we in the kingdom of God are the witnesses of Christ. An announcer is greater than a foreteller, and a witness is greater than them all (Acts.1.8). Thus, with respect to Christ, the foretellers spoke of Christ's coming; the announcer declared that Christ is here; and the witnesses now show forth the results of His finished work. They spoke of a kingdom to come, but we live in the kingdom they prophesied about. Hallelujah! If John was the greatest of all men born of women, we are greater than the greatest of all. Not by works, but by grace. We are those who have received the grace of our Lord Jesus and have been made sons of God by the indwelling spirit of God. Knowing this, we do not function like Elijah or Moses, nor do we function like Jeremiah or Isaiah. No! We function as Jesus functioned because as He is the son of God, so has He made us also sons of God. Hallelujah!
Meditation
Heb. 2:11 — For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,