December, 1933
438
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
JANUARY 21, 1934 JESUS BEGINS HIS MINISTRY M atthew 4:12-25
not silence the message. When John’s voice was stilled, another, far more power ful than John’s—the voice of Jesus Him self—took up the message and once more the people heard, “Repent ye, for the king dom of heaven is at hand.” The kingdom was at hand in the person o f the King, had the people been open to receive the truth God was offering them. Jesus was the promised King, but because He did not come in the manner in which they expected Him, they would have none o f His claims. Because God is not pleased to act in the manner we expect, we, too, are tempted to turn from Him. But the decision concerning how God shall act and what He shall do must be left in His hands, not in ours. The kingdom to which He referred was that kingdom promised by the prophets of old. It was to be a literal kingdom upon this earth, over which Messiah would reign, and out from which there would go streams of blessing to all the earth. It was an earthly kingdom, and such the people understood it to be. The modern idea that the Lord Jesus was here speaking of a spiritual kingdom is wholly erroneous and calculated to break down belief in the written Word o f God. Over and over in Matthew’s Gospel we find the words, “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by” the prophets. The prophets, the people to whom they spoke, and the people for whom they spoke, all believed that a literal kingdom was intended; if God meant something else than they thought, He would be altogether false if He allowed them to continue in their ignorance. III. T he C hoosing of A ssociates (18-22).
this passage. God knew what would tran spire when John the Baptist should come; God had written this history centuries be fore it took place. It was no surprise to Him when John was sent to prison, neither was it a surprise that Jesus would have to move from Nazareth to Capernaum. And the Christian need not be at all perplexed over today’s events, as though they are a surprise to God. Our God has already seen all that will take place, and He is prepared for every turn in events. History is but the outworking of that which is always before the eye o f God. II. T he D efeat of S atan (17 ). Satan supposed that if he could close the mouth o f John, he would bring to an end John’s witness, that is, the preaching o f repentance and the announcement that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. But while he silenced the messenger, he could BLACKBOARD LESSON
Golden Text'. “Repent: for the king dom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17).
Outline and Exposition I. T he R emoval to C apernaum (12-16). h e ministry of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus, was closed when he was imprisoned. John had not only borne testimony to the person of Jesus, but he had also fulfilled his office as a prophet o f the Old Testament, by bearing witness to the righteousness of God in condemning Herod the king be cause o f licentiousness and intemperance. Herod was angered by such witness, and Satan moved him to place John in prison. John may have had some doubts concern ing his testimony to Christ, and may have wondered whether or not he was true in that testimony, but he had no doubt as to his duty as a prophet o f the Lord. He would fulfill that duty by condemning the sin o f which he knew, and this condemna tion brought him to prison. When the news o f this imprisonment came to Jesus at Nazareth, He left His home town and proceeded to Capernaum. This move was not made because of any fear that He had for His own safety, but in order to defeat Satan by fulfilling pro phecy. Satan’s schemes came to naught, and Jesus now entered His public ministry as the promised Messiah. Isaiah 9 :1, 2 and 42:7 should be studied in connection with
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