Day 69 – About John
“This is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’” Luke 7:27
After John’s disciples departed, Jesus turned to the crowds to speak of the man who lay in Herod’s dungeon. He reminded them that John was no fragile reed swayed by every passing breeze of popular opinion, nor was he a man-pleaser dressed in soft robes, seeking comfort or the approval of the courtly elite. John lived a disciplined, sober life of radical devotion, utterly detached from worldly luxuries and steadfast in his calling as a servant of God.
Yet John was far more than a preacher in the wilderness; he was a uniquely chosen prophet. Jesus quoted Malachi 3:1 to reveal that while earlier prophets spoke of the coming Messiah, John himself was specifically prophesied – a messenger sent to prepare the very way of the Lord. In this, he held a distinction unlike any who came before him. Among those born of women, there was no greater prophet than John the Baptist, primarily because he possessed the singular privilege of pointing directly to Jesus and declaring, “He is here,” rather than whispering, “He is coming.”
Yet in the very same breath, Jesus uttered a truth that reshapes how we understand our standing in God’s kingdom: “But he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” Though John stood at the absolute pinnacle of the Old Covenant order, he lived and died before the finished work of the cross and the empty tomb. He did not live to experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit or the full, unravelling beauty of the New Covenant.
What a profound comfort this is for every believer and minister of the Gospel today. As John Trapp noted, gospel servants may face the world’s contempt, but in the eyes of heaven, they occupy a position of glorious intimacy with God, one bought by the blood of Christ and sealed by His Spirit.
Pray with me: Lord Jesus, thank You for the incredible privilege of living on this side of the cross. Help me never to take for granted the grace of the New Covenant or the inheritance You have given me. Teach me to stand firm in my calling like John, while resting joyfully in the greater righteousness You have provided for me. Amen. ©
Love, Iriza
