TODAY’S MESSAGE
Matthew 11:1-19 The Prophets and the Law
All the prophets and the Law prophesied until the coming of John the Baptist. John’s ministry and Yeshua’s ministry were both fulfillments of prophecy. Yeshua sending out the twelve was not only an opportunity for them to demonstrate what they had learned but was also a continuation of the ministry of John the Baptist.
Yeshua commissioned the disciples to go before Him to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils, and proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
In this portion of Matthew’s Gospel, we will make the connection between John the Baptist and the disciples’ ministry in relationship to Messiah Yeshua and the prophecies being fulfilled in the Prophets and the Law.
Mt 11:1 And it came to pass, when Yeshua had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.
After commanding the twelve, Yeshua leaves them. He goes into their cities? The lost sheep of Israel cities were mentioned in the previous chapter.
John’s Disciples
Mt 11:2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Messiah, he sent two of his disciples,
From prison John was receiving testimonies of the works of Yeshua.
Yeshua knew John was in prison since Chapter 4.
Mt 4:12 Now when Yeshua had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;
There is no evidence that Yeshua, or any of His disciples, visited John while he was in prison.
Everyone is not called to prison ministry, but those that are, have a heart for it.
John’s two questions:
Mt 11:3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
John’s two questions were more for assurance, either for himself or for his disciples.
Some of John’s disciples followed Yeshua, others continued to perpetuate John’s teachings.
Mt 11:4 Yeshua answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see:
The statement indicates the disciples who were sent by John may have been the ones who reported to John the first time. They are now reporting again those things, heard and seen, which was evidence of the works of Yeshua. They reported back to John what they saw and heard, along with the words of Yeshua, which confirmed the words the prophets spoke about Yeshua.
Yeshua pointed to what the prophets spoke about the Messiah who was to come and how He was fulfilling what the prophets spoke. By His works/deeds/fruit John would know who Yeshua was.
Mt 11:5 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.
Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
The blind receive their sight, and …
Isa 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Isa 35:6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
The lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear.
Isa 29:18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
The dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them.
Mt 11:6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
Yeshua eulogizes John the Baptist.
After John’s disciples departed, Yeshua questions the people who knew of John’s ministry.
Mt 11:7 And as they departed, Yeshua began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? Mt 11:8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. Mt 11:9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
How was John more than a prophet? John was a prophet that the prophets prophesied would come.
Mt 11:10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Isa 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Isa 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
Isa 40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Mal 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 his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
Mt 11:11 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.
John was the prophet that got to interact with the Messiah that the Law and the prophets had prophesied about.
Mt 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
The religious order came after
John from day one. As Yeshua is speaking, John is in prison awaiting execution. Many people were afraid to acknowledge Yeshua for fear of persecution and excommunication from the synagogues.
The Law and the prophets prophesied about Yeshua. John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, or the last prophet before Yeshua.
Mt 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
The Law and the prophets prophesied until John indicates that the one the Law and prophets prophesied about had come. John was the forerunner or the prophet who announced and introduced The Prophet, The Messiah, to the world.
Mt 11:14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
Elias, aka Elijah, was the prophet that was supposed to come again before Yeshua. The prophets prophesied about Elijah.
Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Yeshua said John was that Elijah. In other words, the prophets spoke of one who would come like Elijah or in the spirit of Elijah.
Mt 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Not everyone would be able to accept this statement Yeshua made. Even to this day, there are those in the Jewish, Messianic and Hebrew Roots faiths who are waiting for the Prophet Elijah to come to announce the coming of YeHoVaH to His temple when He has already come in Yeshua.
Mt 11:16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
Yeshua likens the people of His day to children who are unable to be satisfied, pleased, or reached by John or by Himself. No matter what, they would not respond properly to John’s ministry or to Yeshua’s ministry.
Mt 11:17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
The people found fault with John so they could reject His ministry saying he had a devil.
Mt 11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
They found fault with Yeshua saying He was a glutton, a wino, and hung out with the wrong people.
Mt 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
People look for faults and flaws in order to be justified within themselves when they discredit, disqualify, reject, and refuse to heed your messages, instructions, or teachings.
People have accused me of being:
Money hungry
Selling the Gospel
Hater of Jews
False teacher
Controlling
Against traditions
People have accused me of being:
Against worship
Anti-Christ
Anti-Church
Teaching a white man’s religion
Accepting of Edomites
Not black enough
A self-appointed Apostle
Fallen from Grace
False prophet
Etc., etc.
To walk this walk, and not be moved by the opinions of men, you must become forceful in obtaining and maintaining your faith walk with Messiah and not be moved.
Fruit of the Spirit
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
There is no Law against the Fruit of the Spirit.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Messiah's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Gal 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
