*Kingdom Matters Devotional*

Topic: The Glory of the Kingdom of Heaven (3)

_Main Text: Hebrews 11:39 - “And all these, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise.”_

Brethren, welcome to the third edition of this enriching series. May the Lord grant you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Amen.

In our last edition, we reflected on the life of John the Baptist, whom Jesus described as the greatest among those born of women. This statement is striking, especially when viewed through the lens of human standards, where greatness is often measured by outward accomplishments such as miracles, wealth, or status. We concluded that in the Kingdom of Heaven, greatness is not defined by results, influence, or earthly success. In this edition, we will go deeper into why John held such a high rank in the eyes of Jesus.

Friends, to fully grasp the context of this revelation, I encourage you to read Hebrews 11 in its entirety. This chapter, often referred to as the “Hall of Faith,” lists many of the patriarchs; men and women who demonstrated unwavering faith. Yet, verse 39 gives us a deeper insight, stating that “All these, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise.” For purposes of clarity, permit me to tell you that this “promise” that they did not receive was not material wealth, earthly possessions, or even answered personal prayers. Rather, it was something far more profound: the hope of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, the King and His Kingdom.

Child of God, you must understand that while John the Baptist had intimacy with the King, these patriarchs saw Him from a distance. They prophesied of Him, longed for Him, and shaped their lives around the promise of His coming. They embraced shadows, types, and figures like Moses lifting the brazen serpent without ever beholding the reality in their time, and Isaiah, prophesying of Him as He whom the government will be on His shoulder, but never experienced Him. But then came John the Baptist, and unlike the patriarchs, John did not merely hope for the promise; he witnessed it. He beheld the Lamb of God with his own eyes, introduced Him to his generation, and had the sacred honor of baptizing Him.

Given the above insights, I can confirm to you, as inspired by the Holy Spirit, that in the Kingdom of Heaven, your greatness is measured by how clearly Jesus is revealed to you and how faithfully you reveal Him to others. For instance, John may not have worked miracles. He had no personal wealth, no church building, and no worldwide platform. Yet he carried the deepest revelation of Jesus in his time. That intimate knowledge and personal encounter with Christ was the reason Jesus esteemed him so highly. In contrast, many persons in this generation boast of signs and wonders, large congregations, and impressive ministries, yet lack true intimacy with the King. Simply put, proximity to Jesus outweighs performance for Jesus.

Beloved, how much of Jesus do you truly know? Beyond your public ministry, your social media followers, or your spiritual gifts, how much of Christ has been formed in you? How much of Him do you carry and reveal to your generation? Don’t forget, John’s life teaches us that true Kingdom greatness flows from a heart that knows, beholds, and reveals Jesus.

Thank you for studying this edition with me. In our next edition, we will explore the profound mystery of how the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than John the Baptist. You won’t want to miss it.

Shalom,

Bro. Williams Elogun,
Gospel Flame Ministry,
Worldwide.

Follow our Facebook pages for inspiring spiritual updates:

@Gospel Flame Ministry
@Bro Williams Elogun
Join our Facebook group
@Kingdom Matter Devotional

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/CFMN3Wh2csT5TvCn/?mibextid=K35XfP
Join our WhatsApp group:
https://bit.ly/3ZxRUBR