Exodus 20: 18-22. Matthew 17: 1 – 13.
God calls us to witness our faith in Jesus and I’ve been encouraged on at least six occasions where I’ve seen Christians both men and women faces light up, aglow with the Spirit of Jesus when witnessing their faith to me.
A lady came to my market stall and we chatted about various things and when she began to witness her faith in Jesus her face lit up, just like switching on a light and her face glowed beautiful in the Spirit of Jesus.
While at work, I was passing through a room and stopped to ask a young man what was he reading? When he looked up at me and began to share what he was reading in the Bible about Jesus, his face lit up so brightly across the room.
In all three Gospel accounts the disciples Peter, James and John first saw Jesus’ face shine like the sun and his clothing became dazzling white. Luke states that Jesus was praying when his appearance changed.
All three Gospels record the presence of Elijah and Moses in conversation with Jesus.
Luke gathering information must have heard from one of the disciples what he had overheard from their conversation, “They spoke of his departure that he was to accomplish at Jerusalem.” Jesus didn’t reveal that he was the Christ during his public ministry because he knew that he had to die on the cross to accomplish God’s plan of salvation at Jerusalem.
When Jesus was dying on the cross, “Someone there in the crowd shouted. “Let’s see if Elijah will come and take him down.” The Jews were taught that Elijah would come on Passover night, every household had an empty chair at their table to signify Elijah’s coming. “The Gospel in the Feasts of Israel.” Victor Buksbazen.
They were also taught that the Christ would not come and die, when he comes he would remain for ever. Mark 15: 34. John 12: 34. The Messiah’s Secret.
As they watched their eyes were heavy with sleep and as they were parting Peter standing close by said to Jesus, “Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make 3 booths one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
Mark wrote in his account, “Peter didn’t know what to say when he suggested that he would build three booths. Barn’s Commentary suggests that Peter thought he would prolong their conversation by providing booths.
Then the cloud came and enveloped them all and they heard the voice of God, “This is my beloved Son, my chosen, in whom I am well pleased, listen to him.” Immediately they fell to the ground in awe.
The disciples hearing God’s voice from the cloud was a tremendous witness, as the disciples knew that God had spoken to Moses when he met with God on Sinai in the cloud.
“When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”
20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”
21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven.”
God’s presence was in the cloud as the voice came from the cloud.
All three accounts in the Gospels witness hearing God identify Jesus as God’s Son. Jesus is both God’s Son and King of the Kingdom of God.
The writer of Hebrews quoted from Psalm 2: 7 “”Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee.” And “I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son”. Verse 8 he quoted from Psalm 45: 6,7. “”But of the son he says, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever. The righteous sceptre is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” Hebrews 1: 5, 8.
Peter recalls seeing His majesty, and his divinity and when the voice identified Jesus as God’s Son, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” He continued to say, “The lamp shines in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the morning star rises in your heart.”
How awesome for Peter to be in Jesus the Son of God’s presence and yet later when he was in a dark place Peter denied knowing Jesus and when Jesus’ prophecy was fulfilled the cockerel crowed, the lamp shone, he remembered Jesus’ words and gradually the day dawned on the day of Jesus’ resurrection the morning star rose in his heart. 2 Peter 1: 16-21. Revelation 22: 16.
As they descended the mountain, Jesus told them not to tell what they had seen until after he was raised from the dead. We read that they questioned what rising from the dead meant. The resurrection wasn’t understood even though the Psalmist and King David had prophesied the bodily resurrection of the Christ. On the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection in the house at Jerusalem, there he opened their minds and revealed the prophesies in the Law of Moses and the Psalms. Luke 24: 44-48.
At Pentecost the disciples proclaimed publicly for the first time that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah and that God had raised Jesus from the dead. “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.” Psalm 110: 1. 16: 10. Acts 2: 32.
The disciples and the leaders of Israel were taught that the resurrection of the dead would take place on the last day. John 6: 39. Job 19: 25, 26. Dan 12:2. Ezekiel 37
Coming down the mountain the disciples maybe reflected what had taken place. It would be only a short time after what they had witnessed, when they raised the question as to why Elijah was there with Moses, they had understood from the scribes that Elijah must come before the Christ.
Malachi had prophesied that Elijah would herald the Christ’s coming. Jesus said that Elijah had come, they understood him to mean John the Baptist. John had preached a baptism of repentance and pointed to Jesus as being the ‘Lamb of God’ the one who would redeem Israel from their sins. They hadn’t perhaps heard that when John baptised Jesus a voice from heaven was heard to say, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3: 17.
They had not recognised that John was in the Spirit of Elijah, as John didn’t perform any signs like Elijah did.
We start the #doyouknowHim? Outreach at the end of February in Ramsbottom, Hawkshaw and Edenfield. I wonder how many people will see the light of Christ in people’s faces as we witness our faith in Jesus.