John continues, saying, "Men [and] brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you fears God, to you is the Word of this salvation sent. For they that dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew Him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled [them] in condemning [Him], and though they found no cause of death [in Him], yet desired they Pilate that He should be slain.
And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took [Him] down from the tree, and laid [Him] in a sepulchre, but God raised Him from the dead. And He was seen many days of them which came up with Him from Galilee, to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses unto the people, and we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us -- their children, in that [He] hath raised up Jesus again: as it is also written in the second psalm, "Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee." (Acts 13:25-33)
This passage of scripture raises several questions.
First, if the people of Israel knew beforehand that "He" -- Almighty God -- was coming into the world (from the prophets and psalmist) -- the same He that made the world in the beginning -- why would these same Israelites' (children of the stock of Abraham) inquire of John the baptist to see if he (John) was this He? (John 1:10-11; Luke 3:3; Mark 1:7; John 1:20,27; Luke 23:24; Matthew 27:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 42:13)
Second, if those who dwelt in Jerusalem and their rulers listened and understood the voices of the prophets which were read every sabbath day in the synagogue, why then did these assume John the baptist to be the "He" and yet when Jesus came know Him not? Certainly, we see that the "He" herein refers to Jesus the Christ, whom Peter (standing with the eleven) similarly declared to be both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36)
Third, if John was not the "forerunner" to Christ but in their minds the Christ Himself, then who did these assume was the promised messenger, given again that these heard every sabbath the prophecies that were told afore? Did these not know there would be a forerunner to the promised Christ? Did they not have eyes to see and ears to hear?
I am sure there are many other questions from this text but for sake of time, let's begin here The scriptures clearly dictate that John the baptist was the forerunner to Christ, and this was clearly noted in old testament prophecy.
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness -- prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight ... make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 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, 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]." (Luke 3:4; Isaiah 40:3-5; Matthew 3:3-5; Mark 1:2-3; John 1:23; Malachi 3:1; Malachi 4:5-6; Psalm 68:4)
"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." (Malachi 3:1; Matthew 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 1:76; Luke 7:27; John 1:23; John 2:14-15; Isaiah 40:3; Isaiah 63:9)
John the baptist "came into all the country about Jordan preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. As it is written in the book of Esaias [Isaiah] the prophet, saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord. Make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways [shall be] made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." (Luke 3:3-6)
This may offer some insight as to why John the baptist said to the multitude who came forth to be baptized, "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves -- "We have Abraham to our father" -- for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which brings not good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." (Luke 3:7-9)
John was filled with the Holy Ghost from birth and thus, knew their hearts. He knew that these only came to "watch" but never desired to get into the water, or to do the will of the Lord. Preferring to stand on the banks from afar but never partaking of the fruits of His Spirit.
We see the contrast of hearts (the willing and unwilling) when the people asked John -- "What shall we do then?" He answered and saith unto them," He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none, and he that hath meat, let him do likewise."
We see this same contrast of hearts when the publicans came to be baptized and said unto him, "Master, what shall we do?" And he said unto them, "Exact no more than that which is appointed you."
And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, "What shall we do?" And he said unto them, "Do violence to no man, neither accuse [any] falsely; and be content with your wages." (Luke 3:10-18)
Those being water baptized in the River Jordan desired to be cleansed, and were willing to get wet, and do whatever it took (by faith) to inherit eternal life. They did not like those "in expectation ... muse in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not." (Luke 3:18)
Nevertheless, John was not about to mince words with those who did not/would not believe, and this text is repeated in Acts 13 so that we do not miss the message therein.
John says, "Whom think ye that I am? I am not [He]. But, behold, there comes One after me, whose shoes of [His] feet I am not worthy to loose. Men [and] brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you fears God, to you is the Word of this salvation sent. For they that dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew Him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled [them] in condemning [Him], and though they found no cause of death [in Him], yet desired they Pilate that He should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took [Him] down from the tree, and laid [Him] in a sepulcher, but God raised Him from the dead ..." (Acts 13:25-33)
To this end, the scripture confirms that all flesh shall see the glory of the Lord, and as such, we will be without excuse. As Simeon stated upon seeing the child |Jesus in the temple -- "For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people. A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel." (Luke 2:25-32)
"For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our King; He will save us." (Isaiah 33:22; James 4:12; Psalm 89:18)
"To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His Name whosoever believes in Him shall receive remission of sins." (Acts 10:42; John 5:22,27; I Peter 4:5)
John the baptist rightly declared (upon seeing Jesus in the distance), "Behold, the Lamb of God!" (John 1:36)
"They shall see the glory of the Lord [and] the excellency of our God ... He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, then shall the lame [man] leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing ... it shall be called the Way of holiness!" (Isaiah 35:2-8; Hebrews 12:12; Isaiah 34:8; Isaiah 33:22; Isaiah 29:18; Matthew 9:27-30; John 9:6-7; Matthew 11:5; Matthew 15:30; Acts 8:7; Isaiah 32:4; Matthew 9:32; Matthew 12:12; Joel 3:17)
The Lord Himself coming forth as a mighty man. (Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 9:6)
"... I will save them out of their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and cleanse them; so shall they be My people and I will be their God. And David My servant shall be King over them, and they all shall have One Shepherd: they shall also walk in My judgments, and observe My statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, [even] they and their children and their children's children for ever: and My servant David shall be their Prince forever. Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them: it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God and they shall be My people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore ..." (Ezekiel 37:24-28; Isaiah 40:11; Luke 1:32; I Peter 2:25; John 10:16; Revelation 21:3; Revelation 22:3; John 12:34; Isaiah 55:3; II Corinthians 6:16; John 1:14)
"And I will sanctify My great Name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned int he midst of them, and the heathen shall know that I AM the Lord," saith the Lord God, "when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes ... and ye shall be My people and I will be your God." (Ezekiel 36:23-28; Hebrews 9:13-19;)
"He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10-11; I Timothy 3:16)
"I am the Lord that sanctify them ..." (Ezekiel 20:12)
"God manifest in the flesh ..." (I Timothy 3:16; Colossians 2:9)
This is why Jesus referred to Isaiah 61:1-2 when He said, "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. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn." (Isaiah 61:1-2; Matthew 3:16-17; Luke 4:18-19; John 1:32; John 3:34; Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:22; Psalm 147:3; Isaiah 42:7; Acts 10:43; Matthew 5:4)
His Name is Jesus. "Be it known unto all and to all the people of Israel, that by the Name of Jesus Christ, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, [even] by Him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the Head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby ye must be saved." (Acts 4:10-12)
The Word which brings salvation and the forgiveness of sins -- Emmanuel, meaning "God with us." (Matthew 1:21-23; John 1:1-18) The Word made flesh. (John 1:14) The King of kings and Lord of lords, Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending. (Revelation 1:8, 11; Revelation 22:13; Revelation 21:6-7; Revelation 19:16)
"One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all and in you all." (Ephesians 4:5-6) "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory for ever, amen." (Romans 11:36)
"Have we not all one father? Hath not ONE God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?" (Malachi 2:10)
In other words, why do we align our faith with the traditions of men rather than the Word of God -- preferring (like those in John the baptist' time) to stand on the bank of the river, rather than understand, that "for this cause, He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance ... for where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator." (Hebrews 9:15-18)
God's last will and testament was personally delivered in the promised Christ! God in Christ. Not another but the same God who created the world in the beginning loved us enough to shed His precious holy blood on a cross for you and I.
"Wherefore when He cometh into the world," He saith, "Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me ..." (Hebrews 10:5-7; Psalm 40:6-8) He Himself took away the first so that He Himself could establish the second, "by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Hebrews 10:9-10; John 17:19; Hebrews 9:12)
"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days," saith the Lord, "I will put My laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 10:16-17)
Yes, we are saved and set apart because of His love for us. We are saved by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves -- it is the gift of God. Not of works lest any man boast. Rather, "after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7)
Is Christ divided? (I Corinthians 1:13) You decide, but as for me and my household, we will praise and give glory to the one and only God who loved us enough to become our Saviour. And like Jude, we will earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints "before certain men crept in unawares (who were before of old ordained to this condemnation), ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the ONLY Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." (Jude 1:3-4)
Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear MY voice, and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with Me. To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne. He that hath an ear; let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." (Revelation 3:20-22)
Stand in the offering plate.
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