The Transfiguration
“And after six days Jesus took with him James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them and his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” And suddenly looking around they no longer saw any one with them but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of man should have risen from the dead.” Mark 9: 2-9
This account of ‘The Transfiguration’ Mark’s source coming from James, John or Peter. The Transfiguration was kept a secret until after Jesus’ resurrection. These three disciples saw a glimpse of the kingdom of God that day on the mountain, seeing Jesus speaking to Moses and Elijah.
Peter being an eye witness referred to the transfiguration in his second letter. In it he gives us further observations that are both natural and theological in content.
Peter wrote of the majesty of Jesus. He must have noticed the manner in which Jesus spoke to Elijah and Moses; his gracious demeanour.
I’ve noticed our Queen as she makes her way through a crowd of well wishers, she is so gracious and carries authority of her regal office were ever she goes.
Peter also noticed that Jesus received honour and glory from his Father God by being recognised as his Son, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
In reference to God, Peter used the words ‘Majestic Glory.’ The sovereignty of God, the kingly greatness of the Lord of all creation.
Peter went on to say making a theological point, “Jesus is the prophetic word made sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place.” The testimony of King David “The word a lamp to my feet, a light to my path.” 2 Peter 1: 16-19. Psalm 119: 105.
Peter was referring to the lampstand that lit the room called the Holy Place this room was next to ‘The Most Holy Place’ or also known as ‘The Holy of Holies’. It was a room with no natural light, the priests worked in there making the shrewbread, tended the altar of incense and filled the lampstand with olive oil, its’ seven lamps were kept lit, never to go out.
I purchased this miniature brass lampstand from the Jewish Museum in Manchester, England.
The lamp gave artificial light, but its symbolism refers to Jesus Christ ‘The light of the world.’
The lampstand had no joints or sections; it was made out of a single block of pure gold. It was beaten, hammered into shape. It had six branches going out of its sides, three branches on one side and three on the other.
These branches had flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms on them. On the shaft were four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. One bud was under the first pair of branches going out from the lampstand. A second bud under the second pair and a third bud under the third pair. The buds and the branches were all of one piece with the lampstand, in total there were seven lamps that made up the lampstand. Exodus 37: 17-23
The whole Lampstand – Jesus, the light of the world.
The gold from the earth, beaten into shape from one block. Jesus coming from heaven contained in his body the church. In Christ before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1: 4.
The composition of the Lampstand.
The Base – Jesus the source of our eternal life.
The shaft – bearing the branches as it serves the branches with the oil. Jesus is all in all, strengthening and caring for his family of believers.
The branches – the church enlightened by the Word, individually members of one another
The oil – filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Below some scriptures about the light of Christ.
”To give the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4: 6.
“Having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.” Ephesians 1: 18.
The seven churches in Revelation are described as being seven lampstands. Revelation 1: 20.
The church embraces the whole light of Christ. This light is able to penetrate the darkest of sinful lives, as a result enabling a person to have the opportunity to enter into the light, the knowledge of Jesus and his forgiveness and love and to know the power of his resurrection that transforms lives from the darkness of a living death, a tomb or a tunnel, or a pit of sludge or being stranded like a beached whale. Jesus saves us, rescues us, loves us and calls us his own.
We are the branches of the Lampstand
The Light of Christ in You
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory shall be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” Isaiah: 60: 1-3
The Morning Star
“I Jesus have sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star. Rev 22: 16.
We see the stars shining brightly in the heavens, the stars are an emblem of a lofty position. Rev 2: 28
Jesus’ brightness like that of a morning star. This star shines brightly as the sun rises at dawn. Peter wrote, “Until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your heart.” 2 Peter 1: 19
The presence of God is within every believer in Jesus Christ.
The dawning in a person’s heart of the knowledge of the truth about Jesus is just amazing the presence of the Lord inwardly becomes real, not just to ourselves but to others as the light of Jesus is visibly seen in us.
I’ve seen the light of Christ shining in Christians on a number of occasions: In my twenties I saw the light of Christ in a young man who today would be described as having learning difficulties. It was lunch time and my sister and I were passing through a room where this young man was sat reading. We asked him what he was reading. He looked up and said that he was reading his Bible and began to quote from what he was reading; as soon as he spoke I saw his face was glowing in the light of Christ.
On another occasion a lady came to my market stall as we conversed she told me that she was a Christian as soon as she started to tell me this her face shone with the light of Christ.
I’ve also seen the light on a line of scripture in my Bible, some time ago.
On another occasion I was at a church function the room well lit and full of people. I happened to look across the room and saw around the head of the late Rev Ron Freeman, a halo around his head and in the light the word ‘love.’ I realised that others have seen the halo of light around the heads of Christians; many of the pictures of people painted on stained glass windows have the halo around the heads of them.
The light of the perfect day approaching.
When I thought about these two men talking with Jesus. Moses died in old age and Elijah was translated into heaven taken up by the whirlwind by the banks of the Jordon River. When Jesus calls out his body of believers Paul tells that those who have died in faith will be raised up to meet Jesus in the air and those who are alive will be taken up from the earth so together we shall meet the Lord in the air. I see Moses representing those who have died in faith and Elijah representing those taken up from the earth to meet the Lord.
Jesus having this expectation in himself of his coming, this expectation is in us, because Christ is in us.
This hope of Jesus’ coming is born in us through Jesus’ own desire to come from heaven and call out his church.
After Jesus has called out his church.
Elijah and Moses.
James, John and Peter seeing Moses and Elijah together with Jesus, is it possible that they will be the two witnesses identified by John in Revelation. The signs that were done by Elijah and Moses in their life time are performed by the two witnesses in Revelation 11?
Two Jewish men in the power and Spirit of Elijah and Moses.
Arnold Fruchtenbaum “Footsteps of the Messiah” suggests that these two witnesses will probably be two Jewish men whom God raises up at the beginning of the tribulation. He also writes; “The scripture clearly teach that Elijah is to return before the tribulation. But there is no scriptural warrant to make Elijah one of the two witnesses.” Page 159
These men empowered by the Lord to perform signs similar to that of Moses and Elijah.
The Two Witnesses witness during the first part of the tribulation
In the last book of the New Testament ‘Revelation’ the Apostle John wrote about the two witnesses; two olive trees and two lampstands.
The produce of the olive trees provided oil for the lampstands.
The two witnesses empowered by the Holy Spirit will give testimony to Jesus and prophecy for 1,260 days.
They have the power for: fire to pour from their mouths and consume their foes, to with hold rain from the earth during the time of their prophesying and they have the power over the waters to turn them into blood and to smite the earth with plagues.
Elijah brought fire from heaven and consumed his foes and his prayer held back the rain.
“Elijah the Tishbite in Gilead said to King Ahab, “As the Lord the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years except by my word.” 1 Kings 17: 1.
“After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.” 1 Kings 18: 1.
Moses
Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and asked him to let the Hebrew people leave Egypt, but Pharaoh refused to let them leave. Moses holding the rod struck the Nile and its water’s turned into blood. Exodus 7: 20
Elijah was called ’the troubler of Israel’ as he spoke out against the idolatry of Israel.
In Revelation chapter eleven after the prophesied death of the two witnesses by the antichrist. Their bodies will be left on the street as a gesture of defiance by those spoken out against because of their sinful lives by the two witnesses; they will rejoice and celebrate by giving each other presents.
Their rejoicing will be short lived as God resurrects the two witnesses and they ascend into heaven.
Christians from the Tribulation gathered before the throne of Jesus
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands . . . . . Then one of the elders addressed me saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and whence have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.” Revelation 7: 9-17
The two witnesses bring forth a multitude of believers through their faithful witness. The palm branches held by the tribulation saints are in connection with “The Feast of tabernacles or Booths”
Assurance from the words of scripture.
The Lord has given us the light of his word that his church for today, that we will not enter into the Tribulation. “Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thessalonians 1: 10.
Let us rejoice in the hope that we have and pray for those who do not yet have this peace and assurance. Lord, may our witness today bring people to faith in Jesus. Amen