MATTHEW 17:1- 9, Mark 9:2, Luke 9:28-36.

Peter, James and John accompanied Jesus to the Mount of Transfiguration, where right before their eyes, he changed his appearance from a normal, ordinary person to reveal the divinity that was veiled within him. It must have been an awesome experience.

Jesus contained the fullness of God within himself. (Colossians 2:9). He was veiled in human flesh and looked like any other man as he walked among humanity undisclosed until he revealed himself. If he had released his full glory no man would have been able to look upon him and live and so he only let a little of his divine glory shine through.

John later wrote that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth.” (John 11:14). Moses saw this same glory when he climbed Mount Sinai and entered the cloud of God’s glory. When he came out he reflected that glory and had to put a veil over his face. (Exodus 33:20, 34:33-35). For the disciples, this was an experience like Mount Sinai.

Try and imagine the scene. The climb up the mountain had been rigorous and it was now dark and the disciples were tired and had fallen asleep. However, they awoke in time to see that Jesus had altered his form and “was transfigured before them resplendent with divine brightness”. (Amplified Bible). He shone from the inside with brilliant light, with his face shining like the sun and his garments glistening white with intense light “such as no launderer on earth could whiten them.” This light was not reflected light, it came from deep within him as the Light of the world. (John 8:12). The light which “shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it.” (John 1:5 NLT). 

I wonder what the disciples thought when they awoke to see this awesome event. When they were fully awake, they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, appear with Jesus and heard them talk. They even heard what they said, for they talked about the manner in which Jesus would die. The Amplified Bible says two men also appeared in splendour, majesty and brightness and “they were holding a protracted conversation with Jesus”. What was it about?

Moses and Elijah were two of the most prominent men in history. Moses represented the laws of God and Elijah represented the prophets of God throughout the entire Old Testament. Together they represented the promises and prophecies of God about how the Messiah would come and redeem his people. No one else could have known the prophecies better than these two who were involved in an intense conversation with Jesus.

The two greatest men of the Old Testament talked about the death of Jesus, not about his glory but about the manner of death he would suffer in Jerusalem! This was a crossroads in the earthly life of Jesus for I believe it was here that he turned back from the gates of heaven and went to the cross. 

At that moment of divine glory Jesus could have stepped straight into heaven without dying, if he had chosen to do so. He was the perfect man without flaw and entirely sinless. There were no barriers that could have kept him out of heaven, but he turned his back on the glory and came down from the place of power to die on the cross for us. 

The three disciples witnessed this awesome event, and Peter, seldom at a loss for words, took up the conversation, saying, “Master, it is good and suitable and beautiful for us to be here.” He went on, “Let us construct three booths (tents), one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah! – not noticing or knowing what he was saying.” (Amplified Bible).

As he spoke suddenly a bright cloud covered them and they became very afraid and fell on their faces as a voice said, “This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him.” Then Jesus came to them and touched them and said “Arise, and do not be afraid.”

You will notice how often Jesus told them not to fear.

Why would Peter say such a strange thing that does not seem to have any connection with the event? Peter was a Jew, and what he saw was of astounding significance to him as a Jew, for it was a preview of the Glory of the Lord’s Kingdom. The Feast of Tabernacles or Booths, also called Sukkot, was when the Jewish people built “booths” in remembrance of their time in the desert. It was a Feast of great joy and celebration, looking back to the time when the people dwelt in tents or booths and when God dwelt with them in the Cloud of his Glory in the Tabernacle. It also looks forward to the return of Jesus when he will permanently dwell on earth with his people in the future Kingdom of God on earth.

Many years later, Peter referred to this event and said that he and the other disciples had already seen what the “coming” of the Lord would be like when they saw his glory on the holy mount and heard the voice from heaven. (2 Peter 1:16-19). It had been a preview for the return of Jesus, for Peter used the word “coming”, which is the Greek word parousia and is used to describe the return of Jesus to earth to remain with his people.

The Bible says that when Jesus returns he will establish the Kingdom of God and dwell forever with his people who will rule and reign with him. Watching this awesome transfiguration Peter had jumped to the conclusion that it was about to happen and, being Jewish, he immediately wanted to celebrate by making three booths, one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah.

However, as he spoke, a cloud suddenly appeared and covered them, and they became afraid as the voice of God spoke, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” What an awesome endorsement of who he was.

Jesus immediately told the disciples not to tell anyone until he had “risen from the dead.” Can you imagine how confusing it must have been for those three disciples to understand that the Lord was first going to die? How hard it must have been for them not to tell the others of the awesome things they had seen and heard.

Sometimes, it is impossible to tell others the things God has shown you. Peter wanted to stay in the Presence of God and, like him, we often want to stay on the mountaintop, but, like the disciples, we have to come down from there and experience difficulties and maybe even suffering. However, we will never be alone, for Jesus chose to go to Jerusalem to suffer for us and will be with us.

Can you see the link this event had with the cloud of Moses in the wilderness? On both occasions, the Lord revealed himself to his disciples in the “Cloud of Glory”. On both occasions, it was here on earth that the Lord revealed himself. Can you also see the link this has with the future return of Jesus in the “Clouds of Glory?”

At the transfiguration, the Lord revealed himself to living disciples and the two greatest men of the past, and they were all together in his presence right here on earth at the same time; their feet never left the ground. Peter understood it as a preview of the coming (parousia) of Christ at his return to establish his Kingdom on earth when he will gather together those who have gone before and those who are alive and all will enter the Cloud of his divine Presence and be with him forever.

It must have given Peter enormous strength and comfort for he never forgot it through all the trials of his life. Later, as a much older man, he wrote of it in his second epistle and encouraged us also to hold fast to the promises of God. (2 Peter 2:16-21).

We must never forget what God has done for us and in the darkest days of trial, we can know that the promises of God will stand true. All who trust him will one day see him face to face and enter into his Glory. (2 Corinthians 3:18). Remember the words of Jesus when he came down from the mountain and faced the future, “Arise, and do not be afraid.”

So too we can face the future without fear no matter what it might hold for the King of Glory has gone before us and overcome all things for all who believe in him.

Write down at least three things you can learn from this event in Jesus’ life.

  In a few words what can you learn and apply from this?