John’s Response

2. February 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Today we are dealing with John’s response as to if he was Elijah. 

Let’s look at the following text.

 John 1:19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” 21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” 24 Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 ”I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” 28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.  

As you can see, John made no claims to be Elijah and he was right.   The Jews believed that Elijah would return personally and John made no claims that he was Elijah reincarnated.  

So how do we make sense of all this.  Jesus says that Elijah has come and that prophecy was fulfilled in John the Baptist.   Let’s look at the birth narrative of John the Baptist and it will help to clear up this issue.

Here is the text:

Luke 1: 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous–to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

As you can see from the text above, John was to come in the spirit and power of Elijah not necessarily that Elijah would reappear himself.   John fulfilled that calling and therefore was the fulfillment of the prophecies that Elijah must come first.  

What is the spirit and power of Elijah.  If you remember the story of Elijah, you will know that he was sent to call the people back to God.   He instructed them to make a decision.  Choose ye this day whether they will serve Baal or God.   His mission was to preach “return to God.” 

I Hope this helps clear up some of the issues that is associated with this subject.  Tomorrow, we will continue our study. 

 For those of you that are in the Atlanta area, you have asked me to inform you when I am preaching locally other than my normal 7:30 Sunday morning service that I do at Gospel Tabernacle.  I will be teaching this Wednesday, February 4, 2009 at Changing a Generation Church where Bishop Paul S. Morton is the Senior Pastor at 7:30p.m.      Hope to see you there if you can make it.  

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!!!

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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