Plan Within a Plan – Matthew 11:11-19

Have you ever wondered why it has now been 2,000 years since Jesus’ first coming? Why the delay? It all revolves around God’s purposes for Israel. It is Israel whom He originally redeemed as a nation and through whom He would redeem the world (Genesis 12:1-3). Peter tells Israelites

“And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. (Acts 3:17–21, ESV)

But Israel did not repent then, so their repentance awaits a later day (Romans 11:25-32).  In the meantime their hardening has opened the door for the Gentiles to come in, and they have come in abundantly, and still more are coming. It is all working according to God’s plan, as Jesus indicates after John’s disciples leave to take Jesus’ message back to their teacher.

Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” (Matthew 11:11-19 ESV)

Jesus is still talking about John the Baptist after his disciples have left with the answer to John’s question for Jesus as to whether he is the one or not.  Jesus continues to praise John.  “No one greater” has arisen, he says.  John was like one of the amazing prophets of old who was sold out to the service of his God and suffered deprivation because of it, making sure he spoke what God wanted.  And yet, Jesus says, the one who enters the kingdom is greater still because of the unique privileges of the kingdom.  John is in that transition period between the old covenant and the new.  Participants in the new covenant are especially blessed.

But the kingdom does not come without opposition.  Throughout the history of the kingdom’s restoration the enemy has battled personally and through his agents to withstand it.  But John signals the beginning of the victory.  He is, not in actuality, but “if you are willing to accept it,” the Elijah-prophet spoken of in Malachi who would come before Yahweh, announcing the final judgment and the restoration of the kingdom (Malachi 3&4).  We may suppose that if Israel had embraced Jesus as Messiah at this point the full kingdom would have come to earth, the times of refreshing Peter mentions. That is why it was that John was the Elijah-prophet only if they were willing to accept it.  Yet another must come.

Israel was not willing to accept John as the Elijah-prophet.  Like fickle children they could not accept John’s ascetic and wilderness centered ministry (“he has a demon”) nor Jesus’ ministry of failing to observe fasts and celebrating with sinners.  They won’t accept any way God works through His true spokesman because they don’t want to submit to His kingdom.  So the kingdom will be delayed, as it has been to this day, awaiting Jesus’ second advent. But wisdom will win out and the kingdom will be its own justification for the truth.  We can join God’s kingdom willingly now or submit to its judgment later.