Luke 9:28-36 NIV
28 About eight days after
Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a
mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the
appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of
lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared
in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They
spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at
Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very
sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two
men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving
Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us
put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did
not know what he was saying.)
34 While he was speaking, a
cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the
cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying,
“This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” 36 When
the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this
to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.
Way More Than Oxi-Clean
This is a hearing and seeing lesson from God. A lesson from
God on losing self to gain self. Jesus gave Himself to God’s will and to us. Jesus
gave His life that we may have life and live in eternal abundance. It’s another
one of those times when God puts what mankind thinks is needed to survive, in
reverse.
We sinful men live trying to save self. Rather here God
points us to Jesus’ way and God’s way. Lose self to gain ourselves with God and
our neighbor.
Sometimes it all sounds like circular speak…
In this passage we read of another journey with Jesus to
pray. And during this time of prayer, the disciples witness a transfiguration.
But it’s more than a transfiguration. This is a sneak peek. Jesus is about to
go through His own Exodus of sorts. An exodus and a crossing over. Yes, this is
a sneak peek that over the passing of time, we, today, get to look into and
listen to. So, let’s look and listen…
On the mountain in prayer, suddenly two men appear along
side of Jesus. One is Moses and the other is Elijah. Keep that in mind as we
look to the following passages of scripture:
Luke 24:1-6a NIV
24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the
women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the
tomb, 3 but when they entered, they
did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering
about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood
beside them. 5 In their fright the women
bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do
you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has
risen!
It's the resurrection of Jesus! Who were these
two men? Two men in bright clothing. Were they maybe angels? It seems to imply
angels. Or, were these two men the same men that were with Jesus at the
Transfiguration? I’ll just leave that here for you to think and ponder and pray
on. Maybe it doesn’t even matter. But the point is that this is the
resurrection and we also have the bright as lightning appearance of something
beyond this world.
So, at the resurrection we witness the bright white
of two men. We also need to read of what took place at Jesus’ ascension with two
men and bright white clothing.
Acts 1:9-10 NIV
9 After he said this, he was
taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently
up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in
white stood beside them.
It seems that there is a theme here with this Transfiguration
and this time of prayer. Two men and some really bright clothes or something. Okay,
so that’s just weird. Maybe God is giving Jesus’ closest disciples that sneak
peek into what was to come. But before we get to the resurrection and the
ascension, there was a huge journey ahead for Jesus especially and for all Jesus’
disciples. So, was this whole Gospel about a punctuation mark to Peter, James
and John that was to remove any doubt that Jesus was God?
This experience brings forth an anticipation for something
greater. These guys saw God’s glory, after all! They actually entered the Cloud
of God! Remember the Cloud that led the Israelites in the desert. The Cloud
that enveloped the Tabernacle in the wilderness. The Cloud by day and the Pillar
of Fire by night.
This Cloud, this Shekina, is a Jewish term meaning
literally the dwelling of God. Yes, God’s presence. Moses experienced this…
Exodus 24:15-18
15 When Moses went up on the
mountain, the cloud covered it, 16 and the
glory of the Lord settled
on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the
seventh day the Lord called
to Moses from within the cloud. 17 To the
Israelites the glory of the Lord looked
like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 18 Then
Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the
mountain forty days and forty nights.
This Cloud was present at the Tabernacle and the Temple as
well…
1 Kings 8:10-11 NIV
10 When the priests withdrew
from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. 11 And
the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the
glory of the Lord filled
his temple.
So, this presence of God has been around for a while. Throughout
the Old Testament and now in this Transfiguration Gospel in the New Testament
as well. And even at the Ascension of Jesus, and once again on Jesus’ return…
Revelation 1:7 NIV
7 “Look,
he is coming with the clouds,”
and
“every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all
peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen.
In this Cloud, the disciples got a glimpse of Jesus AS GOD.
In this Cloud, I believe they received a glimpse of Jesus resurrection and
maybe their own resurrection. In this Cloud of God, did they witness Jesus’
ascending into heaven as well?
What can I say? Take note
of the Cloud!
Yes, Peter, James, John and likewise Moses and Elijah, and
by the grace of God, you and I as well, are given a revelation of, Jesus as the
Savior, Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus as not only human but God too.
I can imagine that the disciples wanted this time to last.
Maybe they wanted this time to last forever. This was an awesome experience.
Back to the sneak peek.
Jesus life on earth needs to be viewed from His resurrection. Viewing Jesus
life on earth with you, here and now, displays His heavenly power and great
Light. Viewing Jesus life on earth and Jesus’ life with you and me, is not an
illusion. Rather, this IS God’s Truth.
Here in this
Transfiguration; Moses and Elijah were also transfigured. They also appeared in
the glory of God in Jesus. Moses and Elijah were the Law and the Prophet as
seen from the bright light of the resurrection of Jesus. Looking through the
eyes of the resurrection, we witness the fullness and fulfillment of the Law
and the revelation of all God’s Prophets. Looking through the view of Jesus
life from His resurrection, reveals the bright Light of the forgiveness of mankind’s
sin and the salvation of all who believe.
That’s a big deal there.
Think about it a while. Take that into prayer.
It’s no wonder that this
Gospel passage ends in silence with the disciples.
Silence is not only the lack
of words. We fall silent, as we fall on our knees, in the presence of God. Yes,
total silence.
God gifted Moses with a
panoramic view of the Promised Land. God gifted Peter, James, John and Moses
and Elijah, you and I as well, with a bright light view of Jesus, our Savior,
our God. All looking back from the view of the resurrection of Jesus and to our
own resurrections on that last day.
Yes, praise God! Jesus
built more than a tent, more than a temple. Jesus built and has prepared a
house for you and me, right from the creation of the world and into the
salvation only Jesus, our God, could provide from the resurrection to the
ascension and to Jesus’ return.
See the Light! See the bright
Light and be silent and listen, Jesus is God’s Son, listen to Him!
But yet, as we leave the
mountain, and the cloud in silence.
There is something coming in the life of Jesus. Jesus will suffer,
be ridiculed, be crucified and die in and for our sin.
Look at the life of Jesus through the resurrection.
Repent and turn to God and believe.
What a gift! Thanks be to
God!
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