MATTHEW 3

Today’s study in Matthew 3 we have a couple of titles. Verses 1-12 The preaching of John the Baptist. Verses 13-15 The Baptism of Jesus. Verses 16-17 The Trinity of God. And as usual many prophecies will be coming to pass, Matthew 3 and verse 1 reads.

Mat.3:1] In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
[2] And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Let’s first establish that John the Baptist himself is prophecy fulfilled. In Malachi 4 and verse 4 reads.

Mal.4:4] Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

In the day that Moses presented the laws. Remember Mat.5:17 Jesus says, Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Mal.4:5] Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

Here is why many of those around John the Baptist thought he was Elijah, but there are two advents. But John, being in the spirit of Elijah, will do the following also.

Mal.4:6] And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Notice the plural in fathers, we are speaking of God and Satan. John will speak to both the Kenites, of the Serpent’s seed, and to the children of God. Now, about these two advents, prophesied in Daniel we have the second coming of the LORD, Dan.2 and verse 44 reads.

Dan.2:44] And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

And as said by Gabriel to Zacharias, John’s father, in Luke 1 and verse 14 reads.

Luke 1:14] And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
[15] For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
[16] And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

Their hearts shall return to their fathers, plural. The children of Israel return to God and the Kenites return to Satan. Back to Matthew 3 and verse 3 reads.

Mat.3:3] For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

This is prophesied in Isaiah 40 and verse 1 reads.

Isa.40:1] Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
[2] Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.

For her iniquity is pardoned tells us this is the first advent.

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.
[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:
[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.

The Glory of the LORD is Salvation, the Savior has come. This is the first advent, with John the Baptist being in the spirit of Elijah. The second advent Elijah will come as one of the sons of oil, the two witnesses. Isa.40:6-10. Back to Matthew 3 and verse 4 reads.

Mat.3:4] And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

John wore the raiment of the prophets and ate the food of the prophets because he was a prophet.

Mat.3:5] Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
[6] And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

Confessing their sins means simply they repented of their sins. In verse 2 above we see John had asked everyone to repent. They came and heard the testimony of John the Baptist and believed. I have done a study in Topical Teachings titled Baptism and to be Baptized.

Mat.3:7] But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
[8] Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

John the Baptist knew these Pharisees and Sadducees were Kenites, offspring (generation) of Cain, the serpent’s seed. Let’s go to the first prophecy in God’s Word, Genesis 3 and verse 14 reads.

Gen.3:14] And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
[15] And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

They bruised his heels on the cross, but at the second advent Christ shall bruise his head. Two seeds, that of the Serpent, and that of the woman’s seed. These are the two fathers (plural) that were spoken about above. But, let’s not overlook verse 8, even a child of Satan can come to repentance, that change of heart, and being forgiven he becomes a child of the Living God. For whosoever believeth.

Mat.3:9] And think 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.
[10] And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Telling these Kenites don’t think you can hide behind Abraham. The first earth age perished with water, the second earth age will perish with fire. This is important in understanding the differences between the baptism of John and the baptism of Jesus Christ.

Mat.3:11] I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
[12] Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Let’s go to Hebrews 12 and verse 29 reads.

Heb.12:29] For our God is a consuming fire.

We see here there is similarity between baptism and earth ages. Between John’s baptism and the Baptism of Jesus Christ. Back to Matthew 3 and verse 13 reads.

Mat.3:13] Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
[14] But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

John wasn’t refusing to baptize Jesus, he just thought he wasn’t worthy to baptize the LORD. But Jesus will calm him and give him the confidence he will need.

Mat.3:15] And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

To fulfill all righteousness is to fulfill all prophecy. To suffer it, means to permit or allow.

Mat.3:16] And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

The second He in this verse is John the Baptist. John saw this only, it must have been a promise that God spoke to John about being a sign for him to know that the Son of God has been baptized. Prophesied in Isaiah 11 and verse 1 reads.

Isa.11:1] And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
[2] And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

Back to Matthew 3 and verse 17 reads.

Mat.3:17] And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Completing the sign from God to John the Baptist that the Word of God has come. Christ has come to Jerusalem. Let’s go to Psalms 2 and verse 6 reads.

Psa.2:6] Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
[7] I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

Remember the reason for Jesus coming in the flesh. Let’s go to Hebrews 2 and verse 14 reads.

Heb.2:14] Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Let’s finish this lesson in Colossians 1 and verse 13 reads.

Col.1:13] Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Another great study today, don’t miss the next lesson, it keeps getting better. Let’s go to his throne.

Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.

KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible