Mine Eyes have Seen the Glory
Notes
Transcript
Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”
Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.
As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.
And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.
Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.
While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud.
And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”
When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.
A mountaintop experience is one where God gives you a quick, breathtaking glimpse of his plan for you. From the mountaintop you can see the big picture, which may help you avoid getting lost in the depths once you are off the mountain. Jesus’ three disciples had the ultimate mountaintop experience, giving them hope and confidence in the coming dark days.
I. How did they See the Kingdom?
I. How did they See the Kingdom?
Jesus predicted that some would see the kingdom of God before they died. We can figure out what this means by comparing what came later - Peter, James, and John saw Jesus on the mountain of transfiguration. Jesus began to glow.
How is the Kingdom = Jesus glowing?
How is the Kingdom = Jesus glowing?
Clearly Jesus does not mean that they saw all that the kingdom will bring. The Kingdom will bring many other things that did not happen that day.
Jesus will defeat all the armies of the world Rev 19:15
Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Satan will be bound Rev 20:2-3
He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
All the living/resurrected will be judged. Rev 20:6
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
What else did happen, though? Jesus will shine with the glory of God Rev 1:12-16
Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire;
His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;
He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
So that’s what Jesus’ meant by seeing the Kingdom of God. The disciples would get a preview of what Jesus will look like when he comes in glory. It is what they see about what Jesus is. The kingdom will also include many things that Jesus does, but they can’t see that without the kingdom actually coming.
Why are Moses and Elijah There?
Why are Moses and Elijah There?
But Jesus does not appear alone. Moses and Elijah are with him. But this is odd. Elijah went to heaven without dying (2 Kings 2:11), one of only two men to do so. Enoch was the other one. But that can’t be the reason just these two men appeared with Jesus, since Moses did, in fact die on the top of Mount Pisgah.
Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
Instead, these two men are representatives of all the Old Testament saints who will rise again and stand with Jesus in his Kingdom. Moses, the Great Lawgiver; and Elijah, the Great Prophet. Daniel 12:3, 13
Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
“But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.
This is one of the rare times we see someone appear on earth after death. Moses, at least, is a real life ghost. Only other times this happened was Samuel who appeared to Saul 1 Samuel 28:12-14; after Jesus’ crucifixion many saints were raised, so they were clearly now alive Matthew 27:52-53. John saw the souls of the tribulation martyrs in heaven, but this was a vision. This tells us a few important things about what it is like for a Christian to be dead.
When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!”
And the king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What did you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth.”
So he said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is covered with a mantle.” And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed down.
and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
There is some kind of visible form for those in the intermediate state between death and the resurrection.
Those who have died can be recognized (Though the disciples could only have recognized who the men were if they said who they were. They didn’t have a real picture of Moses and Elijah any more than we do.)
Those who have died are capable of speaking and learning. Moses and Elijah spoke with Jesus about his upcoming departure, something they could only have learned after they had died.
The Bible tells us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord 2 Cor 5:6-8 . Since Christians who die are with Jesus in heaven, they can’t very well appear here on earth except in unusual circumstances.
So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
Glory can only come through the Cross
Glory can only come through the Cross
The conversation of Moses and Elijah with Jesus was about his upcoming death. The Greek word translated “deceased” is lit. ἑξοδος - it means departure and you can hear it is the word “exodus.” Which is interesting given that Moses was there. I’m not sure it’s important, but it is interesting.
His death was "about to be be accomplished.” this is the word “fulfilled.” That is, Moses and Elijah know that Jesus’ death is the fulfillment of prophecy. There are a few hints of Jesus’ death that would have been in the Bible before they lived, but they are scattered enough that I think the only way they could have known this is if they learned more about God and his Word after they died. They could not have known that the name of the Prophet like Moses was Jesus, or that the one who would crush the Serpent’s Head was the carpenter from Nazareth.
Still, this means that Moses and Elijah know and believe more about God than anyone else on earth, except for Jesus. Dying gives you a greatly increased knowledge and faith in God. 1 Cor 13:12
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
But while the dead in Christ know and believe more, they do not know everything. Rev 6:10-11.
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
If Jesus could only enjoy his glory through the cross, it is also true that we only can enjoy it with him through sufferings Rom 8:17;
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
II. What was Peter’s Mistake?
II. What was Peter’s Mistake?
At that point, Peter and the others wake up. Some people talk when they don’t know what to do. Peter was one of those people. If he doesn’t know what to say, he says something. We are told he didn’t know what he was talking about. But what, exactly was so wrong that God corrected him from heaven?
He didn’t want it to end
He didn’t want it to end
Notice that Peter only speaks up as Moses and Elijah are preparing to leave (v.33). Obviously Peter doesn’t want this amazing experience to end, so he tries to come up with a compromise that will let them stay longer - tents for everyone.
But as wonderful as mountaintop experiences are, they cannot last forever this side of the Kingdom of God. What Jesus was showing them was only a preview of what he would look like in the Kingdom, it isn’t the whole show. Thus, this side of heaven, you must come off the mountain eventually.
He confused the preview for the real thing
He confused the preview for the real thing
Peter was focusing on the experience of the mountain, when God’s purpose wasn’t just a cool experience, but a glimpse of glory to strengthen them for the days ahead. The real kingdom of God isn’t just a cool visual, it mean real ruling and a new social order where righteousness lives everywhere. Thus, to remain on the mountain would be pointless, just a gratification of a cool experience. The real purpose of the mountain is to strengthen you in the valley. In the dark days ahead, Peter could remember what he had seen to give him hope for the future. God actually wanted Peter to be a more effective servant, and that can only happen once you’ve come down from the mountain.
He made Jesus equal with Moses and Elijah
He made Jesus equal with Moses and Elijah
There’s no doubt Peter meant well. He certainly wasn’t trying to insult Jesus, and Jesus didn’t take it as an insult. But he did end up lessening Jesus’ importance nevertheless. His idea was three tents; one for each, making all three of them equals. But Jesus is not equal to Moses and Elijah. As great as the other two are, they are mere men, while Jesus is God in the flesh. He shouldn’t be treated as equal.
III. How did God correct him?
III. How did God correct him?
The cloud isn’t just an ordinary cloud, which is why they were afraid. It is the shekinah glory of God. Exod 40:34-38. Even Moses couldn’t enter the shekinah glory cloud, because it is too full of the visible presence of God for mortal eyes to safely see. But why does God appear in a cloud at all? Peter’s mistake needs correcting. Under the circumstances it is a pretty big mistake - I can’t call it sin, because Peter’s intentions are completely pure, it’s just a dumb expression of the fear that overwhelmed him. He doesn’t mean to speak so foolishly. But nevertheless, the foolishness needs to be corrected, before it infects the others. The appearance of the glory of God highlights that this cool experience isn’t just “shiney,” but means that the presence of God himself will be throughout the kingdom, when it finally does come.
Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys.
But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up.
For the cloud of the Lord was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
Since people can’t normally enter the shekinah glory, here the presence of God is muted at least a little, so that Peter, James, and John can see it without harm. But it will reinforce whatever God says next, so they will realize Peter’s mistake.
The correction elevates Jesus back to his rightful place of authority.
God restates what was said at Jesus’ baptism (Luke 3:22), reminding them that Jesus wasn’t just another prophet, but God’s special son. He is not equal to Moses or Elijah.
And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
Moses himself described the Messiah as someone Israel must listen to; that’s what God says (Deut 18:15). Peter, of course, wasn’t thinking of not listening, but the effect of his mistake would have resulted in that, if it had continued. Happily, Peter realized his mistake before anything bad happened. Where do you think Luke got this information? It had to be either Peter, James, John, since they are the only ones there. Thus, Peter later remembered the event, and humbly and publically admitted that that was a dumb thing to say.
“The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear,
And with that, the experience was over. the voice was gone, Jesus was back to normal. They told no one. Luke does not emphasize that this was at Jesus’ order (Matt 17:9). That’s because Jesus has to be careful about spreading clear words about his Messiahship, so that the coming clash between him and the leaders will take place at the right time. So if they aren’t to tell anyone, what was the point?
Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”
So that Peter, James, and John would be able to be eyewitnesses of the glory they were preaching 2 Pet 1:16-18
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.
For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
To have their faith confirmed 2 Pet 1:19-21 The idea here is that the prophetic word is confirmed by what they saw, so we who did not see that should believe God’s prophetic word given by God’s Holy Spirit.
And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
Expect Jesus to come in glory, and we with him in glory as well
Glory must come through the Cross.
Life after Death for the Christian means greater faith and knowledge of God
Jesus is glorious, greater than all; worship Him Alone.
We have a completely certain Scripture given by the Holy Spirit, to which we must obey.