The Mount of Transfiguration - the other Exodus
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The Mount of Transfiguration - the other Exodus preview
The Mount of Transfiguration - the other Exodus preview
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
After some events in life nothing is ever the same.
School, graduation
Births, deaths
Major moves, major decisions
Employment or lack thereof
Tornado
When Champion was sold to Volvo - plant closed
Crisis, catastrophes, disasters
Tornado
Champion sold to Volvo and eventual plant closing
Marriages- ours and those dear to us
Seeing, really seeing Jesus - conversion, discipleship and following Him
Milestones - how some of these are remembered depends on how they impact us
“Protestant” Reformation - to some extent the difference depends on whether we are being moved and transformed by the reformation or resist it.
Revival
Among these events, some are more noteworthy than others and from then on serve as milestones for the present and glimpses of the future. Mark’s record of the Mount of Transfiguration provides us both the many facets of this milestone and insights as to how to accurately remember and mark milestones.
Facets of the Mount of Transfiguration Milestone/Exodus -
Before we consider the facets as such, most of you are probably wondering about my suggesting that the events on the Mount of Transfiguration are in any way parallel with the Exodus.
Exodus:
Greek word - departure
“The movement of a group people - Cambridge English Dictionary
Book of Exodus
Recreation of the State of Israel - 1948
In some Exodus instances - we are shown the Exodus to come - Moses - waters of Meribah, where the people quarrelled with the Lord - tell the rock to yield water - instead Moses struck the rock with the staff twice -
Transitional event after crossing the Red Sea but before they crossed the River Jordan.
“And I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying, ‘O Lord God, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours? Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.’ But the Lord was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the Lord said to me, ‘Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again. Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes westward and northward and southward and eastward, and look at it with your eyes, for you shall not go over this Jordan.
Deut 3:23-
For you shall see the land before you, but you shall not go there, into the land that I am giving to the people of Israel.”
Deut
Deut
And the Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.”
SOMETIMES, GOD GRACIOUSLY GIVES US A GLIMPSE OF WHERE HE IS TAKING US.
When the curtain is pulled back, we always face some choices:
In considering what God as shown us, do we camp where we are and continue to celebrate the moment?
Or with the clearer glimpse of where we and what it prepared for us, do we move on with renewed vigor and resolve?
Facets of the Mount of Transfiguration Milestones/Exodus -
The events recorded by Mark suggest a transition from Christ’s ministry of preaching/teaching & discipling, to heading directly toward Jerusalem and with that in mind, a more concentrated discipling.
Peter’s declaration at Caesarea Philippi - Jesus’ plain explanation of what He came to do - 1st of three plain explanations.
Change in methodology
First 1/2 - crisscrossed Galilee caring for those in need and large crowds - disciples failed to fully understand Jesus - Messiah - Son of Man
Outside of Israel - Tyre, Sidon, Decapolis, Caesarea Philippi
Ends with a tentative confession of Christ
The scandal of the cross
but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,
Second 1/2 -
Ends with the full confession of the Roman centurion that truly this man was the Son of God -
Journey toward Jerusalem - concentrated time with disciples but still time for people - Zacchaeus , blind Bartimaeus
With the transfiguration, the disciples are shown the true nature of Jesus - the living Christ - in all of His glory
Truly - true remember this - 10:29; 11:23; 12:43
Mount Hermon - 9,200 ft - 3,000 meters - probable - Mt Tabor suggested by some but not that high and too far south.
Timing & those involved
After 6 days - thus far does Mark note time so specifically - later did - ,
Peter, James & John - inner circle - - healing of Jairus’ daughter- - private questions on the Mt of Olives re the temple and future events - - prayer in Gethsemane
Events and details confirmed by 2 or 3 witnesses - Duet 17:6
Events
Transfigured - form of verb - metamorphoo - always in the context of a radical transformation - Matthew used the same word -
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Christ’s nature could not change but His divine nature became clear when the veil of His humanity was pulled back.
Face became different -
Face shone like the sun - ;
Clothes - radiant - exceedingly white - lit - flash and gleam like lighting - blazing glory probably awakened the 3 -
Jesus had this glory for all of eternity
And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Elijah & Moses - had not ceased to exist but were in heaven - Abraham’s bosom
Therefore no basis for “soul sleep” or “souls continue only in the mind of God” or “at death we cease to be” & with that “no everlasting heaven or hell.”
“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
Now in glorified bodies - - glorified bodies not only for Jesus
Moses - honored leader - led the exodus - rescued the nation from captivity - human author of the Pentateuch - delivered the law - proclaimed God’s truth - like a priest interceded for his people - authority of a king but never had a throne
Elijah - one of greatest of the prophets - defended the law and truth - preached against those rejected God - validated by miracle - ;
Would have been introduced to the 3
Spoke with Jesus of His death and what He would accomplish in Jerusalem
who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
Lk 9:
Marking the Mount of Transfiguration:
Peter and the other 2 disciples’ perspective
As the 2 men were leaving -
It’s good for us to be here - didn’t know what to say - terrified
Let’s make 3 tabernacles - KJV, NASB - tents - ESV - skenas - tent, hut, humble temporary dwelling
So as to make this permanent
Perhaps Peter thought the millennial kingdom was about to begin - coming day of the Lord would include keeping the feast of booths.
Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths.
Perhaps Peter saw this as connected with Jesus promised that some would see the kingdom come with power -
Moses and Elijah might also lead
Father’s perspective
Cloud overshadowed them, a voice came out of the cloud - shekinah - symbol of God’s presence - ; -45; ; ; Deut 1:33
And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.
God promised to come with clouds of glory
Dan
“I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
Rev
This is my beloved Son - chosen one - - with whom I am well pleased -
Father’s affirm
Listen to Him!
Command/rebuke
Jesus, the one of whom the law and the prophets spoke - disciples to listen and obey
Deut
“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Peter remembered what he heard - quoting ; cc - listening to Jesus = listening to the Father - therefore need to repent.
“And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
Acts 3:17-
“And suddenly, looking around, they no longer they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.” -
Preview of the kingdom over - what had witnessed not a vision of the mind but an experience of God’s actual presence that apart for a couple of other instances - burning bush, commander of the Lord’s army - - this was unprecedented since the garden of Eden.
Although they would stumble at times, their faith and focus on Jesus would stabilize. Central to this would their focus on JESUS.
For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.
2. Remembering and Marking this & other Milestones -
As they came down Jesus charged them to tell no one UNTIL the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
Reminder re what the Son of Man must do -
After His resurrection, they tell others His death, burial and resurrection. They understood that and obeyed.
On the day of Pentecost Peter explained -
This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.
Later he expanded on that.
But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.
In Thessalonica Paul preached the resurrection - spent 3 sabbaths - some believed, others disturbed.
And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”
explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”
Paul reminded the believers in Corinth that Christ’s death, the cross and His resurrection were central to the Gospel that he preached and they believed.
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
1 Cor
At this point in time, the disciples did not understand believe that. They were the fruit of what they had been taught.
Mark 9–16: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Chapter 2: When Does Elijah Come? (Mark 9:9–13)
There was no place in the disciples’ thinking for a dying and rising Messiah. What they believed was what the scribes had taught the people and therefore what the people believed. Messiah, in their view, would come to conquer and judge His enemies, bring salvation to the Jewish people, and elevate Israel to world supremacy. After destroying all the enemies of Israel and of God, He would establish His earthly kingdom of righteousness, peace, and knowledge. He would be worshiped, pour out divine blessings on the world, and crush any appearance of evil.
Regrettably, what is taught in many Christian traditions today is not that different. That only major difference would be that God will raise them and the Church, rather than Israel, to a place of prominence. And even more sadly, other ways to God will slide into that kingdom with their way to God seen as not being described in the same terms but in the final analysis as effective.
TO INSURE THERE WAS NO MISUNDERSTANDING, WHAT WAS TO BE TOLD OTHERS AND WHEN OTHERS WERE TO BE TOLD, JESUS WAS VERY DIRECT.
When & what to tell others?
Keep silent until He rises from the dead = when He is risen keep talking
Previous commands to keep silent for a while - ; ; - lest they communicate an incomplete Gospel.
While Jesus performed miracles, the primary message of the Gospel is the death, burial resurrection of Jesus - with a kingdom to come.
An incomplete Gospel is not the true/accurate Gospel
Jesus’ teaching about His death, burial and resurrection was a work in progress, not in the sense that Jesus taught them something new and deeper, but rather in the sense that until the disciples grasped certain truths they could not assimilate additional truths. Even after Jesus’ DBR, the disciples were focused on how did this fit into the kingdom.
He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Acts 1:
What does this rising from the dead mean?
Like most of the Jews of that era, the disciples believed in a resurrection. That would expressed and affirmed by Mary and Martha.
Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jn
What they did not understand was how the resurrection on the last day dovetailed with Jesus’ affirmation that His DBR was in the immediate future.
In time and with the witness of the Holy Spirit they would see the pieces come together and make sense. For now they had many questions.
What about Elijah?
First coming to restore things
Good question that stemmed from a commitment to understand the Word. Malachi had told them that Elijah would come.
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
In that day someone always prepared the way for the King or someone important. Isaiah had explained that would also be true for the Messiah.
Has come and they did to him as they pleased
A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
But for the Messiah the way to be prepared was spiritual in the hearts. Matthew, Mark, Luke & John all recorded that John the Baptist understood this as his ministry, to prepare the way for the Lord, by preaching a message of repentance for forgiveness of sins.
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’ ”
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Mk
The challenge for the disciples and for many today, was understanding how all that had been promised re the coming of the Messiah, the day of the Lord, the great day of the Lord and the kingdom would come together. The sequence of those events further stretched their understanding because they included judgment and destruction of those who rejected the Messiah. The details involved come up again with the disciples’ later questions about the destruction of the temple - when these and those things would come to pass - most detailed account - & 25.
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.
“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”
Mal
Please note Jesus’ clear and succinct answer.
But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”
Mk
After affirming that Elijah had come - John the Baptist/spirit and power of Elijah - He focused the disciples on how John the Baptist was received - they did as they pleased rather repent and be baptized - religious leaders rejected him/Israel failed to recognize him. Probably took things too literally - Elijah versus spirit and power of Elijah - - not Elijah
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
Matt
What about the Son of Man/Jesus? - it is written
He would be rejected. Nevertheless, His DBR was a fact.
Truths to remember from the Mount of Transfiguration and the mountains in our lives:
Because of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection we have an eternal hope and a Gospel to share today and tomorrow.
Lessons learned on the mountain need to tempered with all of Scripture and shared humbly when we and others are confident it is time.
3. Our Lord calls us and walks with us on the mountains and through the valleys.
He should be treated with contempt