Lord’s Day, Vol. 14 No. 10
Rejected the Counsel of God
Luke 7:24-30 (KJV) And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 25 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. 26 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. 27 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. 29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
The truth of God is to be embraced. God’s Word is to be believed and trusted. God’s messenger is to be honoured and respected. For wisdom of life and eternal life is imparted by God through His messenger. John the Baptizer, God’s messenger, was rejected by the Pharisees and lawyers, the religious establishment of Israel. Though he spoke the Word of God in truth proclaiming that Jesus is Israel’s prophesied Messiah. Our Lord Jesus Himself vindicated John by affirming his ministry!
John was a man of unshaken self-consistence, a man of steadiness and constancy. He was not a reed shaken with the wind, first in one direction and then in another, shifting with every wind; he was firm as a rock, not fickle as a reed. If he could have bowed like a reed to Herod, and have complied with the court, he might have been a favourite there; but none of these things moved him. [Matthew Henry]
John was a man of unparalleled self-denial, a great example of mortification and contempt of the world. He was not a man clothed in soft raiment, nor did he live delicately (v25); but, on the contrary, he lived in a wilderness and was clad and fed accordingly. Instead of adorning and pampering the body, he brought it under, and kept it in subjection. [Matthew Henry]
John was Christ’s forerunner. He was being prophesised of in Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I send my messenger before thy face” (v27).
John preached repentance and reformation of men’s hearts and lives. His message was not of this world but that of God’s heavenly kingdom.
John was accounted as the last of the Old Testament prophets. He was the greatest of them all. John was Messiah’s heralder. And yet he has not himself seen the fulfilment of Christ’s salvific work in His crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension. In that sense, all that come after John have more privilege than John, having seen the full extent of Messiah’s salvific work.
Jesus Christ showed the perverseness of the men who rejected John’s godly counsel to embrace the truth that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah). These Pharisees and lawyers rejected John’s preaching. John urged and persuaded them to repent of their sins and come to Christ for salvation to no avail. Rather, it was the publicans and sinners that humbled themselves to receive Jesus as the Christ, repenting of their sins, find salvation in Him.
May the gospel truth go forth to save souls for His glory. Amen.