What if you were camping in the mountains, and suddenly one of your friends, the leader of the group, started glowing—shining as brilliantly as the sun! And not only that, but two famous people from history suddenly appeared, maybe historical figures like George Washington and Winston Churchill. You'd remember that!
Near the end of his life, the apostle Peter remembered back to such a life-changing experience. He wrote about it in a letter reminding the brethren of some of the most important lessons he had learned and taught them. In 2 Peter 1, Peter first recounts many of the rich and wonderful promises God has made.
In verse 14, he talks about his body as his tent—his tabernacle. In the next verse Peter speaks of his approaching death using the Greek word exodus, his departure—like Israel exited Egypt and lived in tents on their way to the Promised Land.
Tents, the exodus—that reminds me of Leviticus 23:43 about dwelling in booths at the Feast of Tabernacles, "that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt."
Then Peter recounts this awesome event from his time with Christ, an event that gives us a vision of the future time we will picture at the Feast. That event was the Transfiguration.
"For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty" (2 Peter 1:16). In verses 17 and 18 Peter recalls hearing the Father's affirmation "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" on the mount during the Transfiguration.
Please take the time to read the account in eight short verses in Mark 9:1-8. It's a powerful reminder and excellent preparation for the coming Feast.
Peter, James and John were in vision "transported" into the future to see Christ in His glory in His Kingdom.
The word translated "transfigured" is later used to show the change we Christians must make to become in the likeness of Christ (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18). To be part of that Kingdom, we will also have to be transfigured—transformed, by the renewing of our minds through yielding to the Holy Spirit to obey every word of God.
Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets, and both are mentioned together in Malachi 4:4-6 in a prophecy of the end time.
Through this vision, God made clear to the disciples that Jesus Christ was far above these heroes of history that Peter, James and John were in awe of. The voice from the cloud told them that Christ was God's beloved Son and they should hear Him! This alludes to Deuteronomy 18:15-18 where Moses told the people a Prophet would come after him, and to hear Him. Christ was that Prophet. He was the Son of God, and at that voice the disciples "fell on their faces and were greatly afraid" as it says in the parallel account in Matthew.
This word, translated "hear" or "listen," in its full sense means obedience.
William Barclay wrote, "The glory of Jesus on the mountaintop and the visions of the prophets combine to make it certain that the Second Coming is a living reality which all men must expect and for which all men must prepare."
Remember the Transfiguration. Remember to hear what Christ is telling us at the Feast and throughout our lives. Remember this promise of His return, and remember to prepare for the coming of His Kingdom! UN
