Randy Green's Blog - Posts Tagged "transfiguration"
Mount of Transwhat? – Part 1
Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him [Matthew 17:1-3].
In Matthew 17 Jesus took His three closest disciples with Him up an unspecified mountain. While they were there Jesus was transfigured. This is why that location is known as the Mount of Transfiguration.
Today as we walk down the sidewalk, we don’t often hear the kiddies playing while the parents converse about the topic of transfiguration. Be real now. When was the last time the topic came up at a church eat or a ballgame in the park? Just as I thought. Been a while!
But the topic carries the utmost theological significance, so it really should be a popular topic on the web and in the cafés and at the dinner table and on the sidewalks. Today we will initiate a discussion of the topic of transfiguration.
So what does the word transfiguration mean? Matthew 17 is a good place to begin vetting the word. Here are the vital parts to transfiguration:
• His face shone like the sun
• His garments became as white as light
• Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him
Yes, that last point is vital to a correct understanding of the concept behind the word transfiguration. Here’s why. In prior posts we’ve expatiated on the two natures of Jesus Christ. He is both God and man. He is fully God and fully man simultaneously.
He has always been the Son of God, existing with and being equal to God through all eternity. At approximately 3 B.C. He willingly was conceived in the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, in order to take upon Himself real and full humanity, a human body of like nature as all of ours, the sin nature excepted.
Nine months later he was born with a real human body and spent his twenty years growing into Jewish manhood. Thenceforth from 3 B.C. onward through all eternity He is fully God and fully man. In this way He is capable of bringing sinful man back into right relationship with the thrice holy God.
Now consider the transfiguration, dear friends. Jesus—remember, fully God and fully man simultaneously—ascended this mountain with Peter and James and John. Each day the three disciples walked with and talked with and beheld with their eyes Jesus the man, Jesus in human flesh. Suddenly they saw Him radiate the brightness of the sun. Even His clothing glowed pure white. Ergo, they caught a glimpse of Jesus’ deity, Jesus the Son of God.
The tabernacle built at Mt. Sinai housed the Shekinah cloud of glory. The Shekinah was perched atop the mercy seat inside the Holy of holies compartment of the tabernacle. The Shekinah appeared as a gigantic mushroom CLOUD during the daytime, but it resembled a pillar of FIRE during the nighttime. God is light, bright light, very bright light—no, even brighter than that! In the appearance of the Shekinah, God dwelt inside the tabernacle in the midst of the camp of Israel and shone out of it as the brightest of lights. The tabernacle was a tent structure.
Jesus’ human body served as the tent, the tabernacle in which God dwelt among men while He walked the earth back in the day. His flesh served as the tent fabric. Atop the mountain Jesus the Divine shone ever so brightly, like the Shekinah did from inside the tabernacle. By this picture story Jesus revealed to His three closest disciples both His humanity and His divinity simultaneously.
We will continue with this topic in our next post. For now why not join me for some quiet time with the Lord Jesus.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
In Matthew 17 Jesus took His three closest disciples with Him up an unspecified mountain. While they were there Jesus was transfigured. This is why that location is known as the Mount of Transfiguration.
Today as we walk down the sidewalk, we don’t often hear the kiddies playing while the parents converse about the topic of transfiguration. Be real now. When was the last time the topic came up at a church eat or a ballgame in the park? Just as I thought. Been a while!
But the topic carries the utmost theological significance, so it really should be a popular topic on the web and in the cafés and at the dinner table and on the sidewalks. Today we will initiate a discussion of the topic of transfiguration.
So what does the word transfiguration mean? Matthew 17 is a good place to begin vetting the word. Here are the vital parts to transfiguration:
• His face shone like the sun
• His garments became as white as light
• Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him
Yes, that last point is vital to a correct understanding of the concept behind the word transfiguration. Here’s why. In prior posts we’ve expatiated on the two natures of Jesus Christ. He is both God and man. He is fully God and fully man simultaneously.
He has always been the Son of God, existing with and being equal to God through all eternity. At approximately 3 B.C. He willingly was conceived in the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, in order to take upon Himself real and full humanity, a human body of like nature as all of ours, the sin nature excepted.
Nine months later he was born with a real human body and spent his twenty years growing into Jewish manhood. Thenceforth from 3 B.C. onward through all eternity He is fully God and fully man. In this way He is capable of bringing sinful man back into right relationship with the thrice holy God.
Now consider the transfiguration, dear friends. Jesus—remember, fully God and fully man simultaneously—ascended this mountain with Peter and James and John. Each day the three disciples walked with and talked with and beheld with their eyes Jesus the man, Jesus in human flesh. Suddenly they saw Him radiate the brightness of the sun. Even His clothing glowed pure white. Ergo, they caught a glimpse of Jesus’ deity, Jesus the Son of God.
The tabernacle built at Mt. Sinai housed the Shekinah cloud of glory. The Shekinah was perched atop the mercy seat inside the Holy of holies compartment of the tabernacle. The Shekinah appeared as a gigantic mushroom CLOUD during the daytime, but it resembled a pillar of FIRE during the nighttime. God is light, bright light, very bright light—no, even brighter than that! In the appearance of the Shekinah, God dwelt inside the tabernacle in the midst of the camp of Israel and shone out of it as the brightest of lights. The tabernacle was a tent structure.
Jesus’ human body served as the tent, the tabernacle in which God dwelt among men while He walked the earth back in the day. His flesh served as the tent fabric. Atop the mountain Jesus the Divine shone ever so brightly, like the Shekinah did from inside the tabernacle. By this picture story Jesus revealed to His three closest disciples both His humanity and His divinity simultaneously.
We will continue with this topic in our next post. For now why not join me for some quiet time with the Lord Jesus.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Mount of Transwhat? – Part 2
Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him [Matthew 17:1-3].
This is the deepest of theological instruction, my friends. The message of 1 John is that anyone who denies that Jesus has come in the flesh does not belong to Jesus. 1 John also preaches that anyone who denies the Son does not belong to Jesus. Jesus in the flesh bespeaks Him being truly and fully human. Jesus the Son of God bespeaks Him being truly and fully God.
In other words we cannot dismiss or reject the two natures of Jesus and receive Him as our Savior. If we deny His Person, whatever we are believing in is not the true Jesus. Both natures are necessary for our salvation, so we must receive the real Jesus in His fullness. Let us be very clear about this doctrine. It is indispensable to the Christian faith, to the faith of any true Christian regardless of denominational bent or bias.
Oh, but what about the third point, you know, Moses and Elijah appearing and speaking with Jesus? It’s like this. Moses was the Lord’s prophet to bring the Law to Israel. Elijah was the Lord’s prophet to bring Israel back to the Law. Israel had fallen into pagan idolatry and then added Baal worship to her pantheon of gods. Elijah at God’s behest went to war against the false gods, in order to bring the Israelites back to the worship of the one true God, the Lord (aka Yahweh).
The eternal Son of God took upon true human flesh and bore the name Jesus, in order to bring grace to the Israelites, and through them to the Gentiles too. Grace triumphs over Law any day of the week, dear friends. Moses the man and Elijah the man could not save anybody, just as the Law never could. Jesus the God-man can and does save anyone who will call upon Him. Still, it’s not by Law He does this but by grace.
When Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus, it revealed the truth of the resurrection and life after death. After all, they were still alive and talking with Jesus centuries after they left this earth! Moses did die physically, but he still lives in eternity. Elijah was raptured to heaven and never did die physically, and he is still alive in eternity.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 the Holy Spirit taught about what will transpire at the rapture of the Church. The Christians who have already died will rise first—Moses served as a type of this group. After them the Christians who are still alive physically will follow them—Elijah served as a type of this group. But where will we all go? To meet the Lord in the air, that’s where! And guess what the Lord will look like then? Well, He will be the resurrected Christ, so His body will shine like the sun and His clothing will glow pure white.
So what does this remind you of? Hmm. That’s a toughie. Let’s see… No, that isn’t it. Maybe… Nah, not that either. Oh, I got it! It’s the antitype of the transfiguration. Moses represented the dead Christians and Elijah the living Christians. Jesus represented, well, the living, resurrected Lord God because He is the living God.
Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die [John 11:25-26]. Jesus classified the believers as those who died and those who still lived. This is in accord with 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17—there is Jesus, and there are the believers who have died at the time Jesus returns in the clouds, and there are the believers who are still alive at the time Jesus returns in the clouds.
Now keep that context in mind, as we return to the secene on the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus ascended a high mountain, which symbolized Him as being high above the earth, aka in the clouds. Jesus is the resurrection. Moses and Elijah came to Him as he was “in the clouds”, and they symbolized the dead in Christ and those in Christ who are still alive. Jesus’ transfiguration was a picture story which revealed the truth of the rapture. This is Biblical typology, dear friends. It employs visible, physical realities to teach invisible spiritual truths.
All hail, King Jesus! May we all bow before you and acclaim you as our personal Lord and Savior. Be Lord of my life, I pray. Amen.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
This is the deepest of theological instruction, my friends. The message of 1 John is that anyone who denies that Jesus has come in the flesh does not belong to Jesus. 1 John also preaches that anyone who denies the Son does not belong to Jesus. Jesus in the flesh bespeaks Him being truly and fully human. Jesus the Son of God bespeaks Him being truly and fully God.
In other words we cannot dismiss or reject the two natures of Jesus and receive Him as our Savior. If we deny His Person, whatever we are believing in is not the true Jesus. Both natures are necessary for our salvation, so we must receive the real Jesus in His fullness. Let us be very clear about this doctrine. It is indispensable to the Christian faith, to the faith of any true Christian regardless of denominational bent or bias.
Oh, but what about the third point, you know, Moses and Elijah appearing and speaking with Jesus? It’s like this. Moses was the Lord’s prophet to bring the Law to Israel. Elijah was the Lord’s prophet to bring Israel back to the Law. Israel had fallen into pagan idolatry and then added Baal worship to her pantheon of gods. Elijah at God’s behest went to war against the false gods, in order to bring the Israelites back to the worship of the one true God, the Lord (aka Yahweh).
The eternal Son of God took upon true human flesh and bore the name Jesus, in order to bring grace to the Israelites, and through them to the Gentiles too. Grace triumphs over Law any day of the week, dear friends. Moses the man and Elijah the man could not save anybody, just as the Law never could. Jesus the God-man can and does save anyone who will call upon Him. Still, it’s not by Law He does this but by grace.
When Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus, it revealed the truth of the resurrection and life after death. After all, they were still alive and talking with Jesus centuries after they left this earth! Moses did die physically, but he still lives in eternity. Elijah was raptured to heaven and never did die physically, and he is still alive in eternity.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 the Holy Spirit taught about what will transpire at the rapture of the Church. The Christians who have already died will rise first—Moses served as a type of this group. After them the Christians who are still alive physically will follow them—Elijah served as a type of this group. But where will we all go? To meet the Lord in the air, that’s where! And guess what the Lord will look like then? Well, He will be the resurrected Christ, so His body will shine like the sun and His clothing will glow pure white.
So what does this remind you of? Hmm. That’s a toughie. Let’s see… No, that isn’t it. Maybe… Nah, not that either. Oh, I got it! It’s the antitype of the transfiguration. Moses represented the dead Christians and Elijah the living Christians. Jesus represented, well, the living, resurrected Lord God because He is the living God.
Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die [John 11:25-26]. Jesus classified the believers as those who died and those who still lived. This is in accord with 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17—there is Jesus, and there are the believers who have died at the time Jesus returns in the clouds, and there are the believers who are still alive at the time Jesus returns in the clouds.
Now keep that context in mind, as we return to the secene on the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus ascended a high mountain, which symbolized Him as being high above the earth, aka in the clouds. Jesus is the resurrection. Moses and Elijah came to Him as he was “in the clouds”, and they symbolized the dead in Christ and those in Christ who are still alive. Jesus’ transfiguration was a picture story which revealed the truth of the rapture. This is Biblical typology, dear friends. It employs visible, physical realities to teach invisible spiritual truths.
All hail, King Jesus! May we all bow before you and acclaim you as our personal Lord and Savior. Be Lord of my life, I pray. Amen.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Mount of Transwhat? – Part 1
Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him [Matthew 17:1-3].
In Matthew 17 Jesus took His three closest disciples with Him up an unspecified mountain. While they were there Jesus was transfigured. This is why that location is known as the Mount of Transfiguration.
Today as we walk down the sidewalk, we don’t often hear the kiddies playing while the parents converse about the topic of transfiguration. Be real now. When was the last time the topic came up at a church eat or a ballgame in the park? Just as I thought. Been a while!
But the topic carries the utmost theological significance, so it really should be a popular topic on the web and in the cafés and at the dinner table and on the sidewalks. Today we will initiate a discussion of the topic of transfiguration.
So what does the word transfiguration mean? Matthew 17 is a good place to begin vetting the word. Here are the vital parts to transfiguration:
• His face shone like the sun
• His garments became as white as light
• Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him
Yes, that last point is vital to a correct understanding of the concept behind the word transfiguration. Here’s why. In prior posts we’ve expatiated on the two natures of Jesus Christ. He is both God and man. He is fully God and fully man simultaneously.
He has always been the Son of God, existing with and being equal to God through all eternity. At approximately 3 B.C. He willingly was conceived in the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, in order to take upon Himself real and full humanity, a human body of like nature as all of ours, the sin nature excepted.
Nine months later he was born with a real human body and spent his twenty years growing into Jewish manhood.
Thenceforth from 3 B.C. onward through all eternity He is fully God and fully man. In this way He is capable of bringing sinful man back into right relationship with the thrice holy God.
Now consider the transfiguration, dear friends. Jesus—remember, fully God and fully man simultaneously—ascended this mountain with Peter and James and John. Each day the three disciples walked with and talked with and beheld with their eyes Jesus the man, Jesus in human flesh. Suddenly they saw Him radiate the brightness of the sun. Even His clothing glowed pure white. Ergo, they caught a glimpse of Jesus’ deity, Jesus the Son of God.
The tabernacle built at Mt. Sinai housed the Shekinah cloud of glory. The Shekinah was perched atop the mercy seat inside the Holy of holies compartment of the tabernacle. The Shekinah appeared as a gigantic mushroom CLOUD during the daytime, but it resembled a pillar of FIRE during the nighttime. God is light, bright light, very bright light—no, even brighter than that! In the appearance of the Shekinah, God dwelt inside the tabernacle in the midst of the camp of Israel and shone out of it as the brightest of lights. The tabernacle was a tent structure.
Jesus’ human body served as the tent, the tabernacle in which God dwelt among men while He walked the earth back in the day. His flesh served as the tent fabric. Atop the mountain Jesus the Divine shone ever so brightly, like the Shekinah did from inside the tabernacle. By this picture story Jesus revealed to His three closest disciples both His humanity and His divinity simultaneously.
We will continue with this topic in our next post. For now why not join me for some quiet time with the Lord Jesus.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
In Matthew 17 Jesus took His three closest disciples with Him up an unspecified mountain. While they were there Jesus was transfigured. This is why that location is known as the Mount of Transfiguration.
Today as we walk down the sidewalk, we don’t often hear the kiddies playing while the parents converse about the topic of transfiguration. Be real now. When was the last time the topic came up at a church eat or a ballgame in the park? Just as I thought. Been a while!
But the topic carries the utmost theological significance, so it really should be a popular topic on the web and in the cafés and at the dinner table and on the sidewalks. Today we will initiate a discussion of the topic of transfiguration.
So what does the word transfiguration mean? Matthew 17 is a good place to begin vetting the word. Here are the vital parts to transfiguration:
• His face shone like the sun
• His garments became as white as light
• Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him
Yes, that last point is vital to a correct understanding of the concept behind the word transfiguration. Here’s why. In prior posts we’ve expatiated on the two natures of Jesus Christ. He is both God and man. He is fully God and fully man simultaneously.
He has always been the Son of God, existing with and being equal to God through all eternity. At approximately 3 B.C. He willingly was conceived in the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, in order to take upon Himself real and full humanity, a human body of like nature as all of ours, the sin nature excepted.
Nine months later he was born with a real human body and spent his twenty years growing into Jewish manhood.
Thenceforth from 3 B.C. onward through all eternity He is fully God and fully man. In this way He is capable of bringing sinful man back into right relationship with the thrice holy God.
Now consider the transfiguration, dear friends. Jesus—remember, fully God and fully man simultaneously—ascended this mountain with Peter and James and John. Each day the three disciples walked with and talked with and beheld with their eyes Jesus the man, Jesus in human flesh. Suddenly they saw Him radiate the brightness of the sun. Even His clothing glowed pure white. Ergo, they caught a glimpse of Jesus’ deity, Jesus the Son of God.
The tabernacle built at Mt. Sinai housed the Shekinah cloud of glory. The Shekinah was perched atop the mercy seat inside the Holy of holies compartment of the tabernacle. The Shekinah appeared as a gigantic mushroom CLOUD during the daytime, but it resembled a pillar of FIRE during the nighttime. God is light, bright light, very bright light—no, even brighter than that! In the appearance of the Shekinah, God dwelt inside the tabernacle in the midst of the camp of Israel and shone out of it as the brightest of lights. The tabernacle was a tent structure.
Jesus’ human body served as the tent, the tabernacle in which God dwelt among men while He walked the earth back in the day. His flesh served as the tent fabric. Atop the mountain Jesus the Divine shone ever so brightly, like the Shekinah did from inside the tabernacle. By this picture story Jesus revealed to His three closest disciples both His humanity and His divinity simultaneously.
We will continue with this topic in our next post. For now why not join me for some quiet time with the Lord Jesus.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Mount of Transwhat? – Part 2
Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him [Matthew 17:1-3].
This is the deepest of theological instruction, my friends. The message of 1 John is that anyone who denies that Jesus has come in the flesh does not belong to Jesus. 1 John also preaches that anyone who denies the Son does not belong to Jesus. Jesus in the flesh bespeaks Him being truly and fully human. Jesus the Son of God bespeaks Him being truly and fully God.
In other words we cannot dismiss or reject the two natures of Jesus and receive Him as our Savior. If we deny His Person, whatever we are believing in is not the true Jesus. Both natures are necessary for our salvation, so we must receive the real Jesus in His fullness. Let us be very clear about this doctrine. It is indispensable to the Christian faith, to the faith of any true Christian regardless of denominational bent or bias.
Oh, but what about the third point, you know, Moses and Elijah appearing and speaking with Jesus? It’s like this. Moses was the Lord’s prophet to bring the Law to Israel. Elijah was the Lord’s prophet to bring Israel back to the Law. Israel had fallen into pagan idolatry and then added Baal worship to her pantheon of gods. Elijah at God’s behest went to war against the false gods, in order to bring the Israelites back to the worship of the one true God, the Lord (aka Yahweh).
The eternal Son of God took upon true human flesh and bore the name Jesus, in order to bring grace to the Israelites, and through them to the Gentiles too. Grace triumphs over Law any day of the week, dear friends. Moses the man and Elijah the man could not save anybody, just as the Law never could. Jesus the God-man can and does save anyone who will call upon Him. Still, it’s not by Law He does this but by grace.
When Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus, it revealed the truth of the resurrection and life after death. After all, they were still alive and talking with Jesus centuries after they left this earth! Moses did die physically, but he still lives in eternity. Elijah was raptured to heaven and never did die physically, and he is still alive in eternity.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 the Holy Spirit taught about what will transpire at the Rapture of the Church. The Christians who have already died will rise first—Moses served as a type of this group. After them the Christians who are still alive physically will follow them—Elijah served as a type of this group. But where will we all go? To meet the Lord in the air, that’s where! And guess what the Lord will look like then? Well, He will be the resurrected Christ, so His body will shine like the sun and His clothing will glow pure white.
So what does this remind you of? Hmm. That’s a toughie. Let’s see… No, that isn’t it. Maybe… Nah, not that either. Oh, I got it! It’s the antitype of the transfiguration. Moses represented the dead Christians and Elijah the living Christians. Jesus represented, well, the living, resurrected Lord God because He is the living God.
Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die [John 11:25-26]. Jesus classified the believers as those who died and those who still lived. This is in accord with 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17—there is Jesus, and there are the believers who have died at the time Jesus returns in the clouds, and there are the believers who are still alive at the time Jesus returns in the clouds.
Now keep that context in mind, as we return to the scene on the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus ascended a high mountain, which symbolized Him as being high above the earth, aka in the clouds. Jesus is the resurrection. Moses and Elijah came to Him as he was “in the clouds”, and they symbolized the dead in Christ and those in Christ who are still alive. Jesus’ transfiguration was a picture story which revealed the truth of the rapture. This is Biblical typology, dear friends. It employs visible, physical realities to teach invisible spiritual truths.
All hail, King Jesus! May we all bow before you and acclaim you as our personal Lord and Savior. Be Lord of my life, I pray. Amen.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
This is the deepest of theological instruction, my friends. The message of 1 John is that anyone who denies that Jesus has come in the flesh does not belong to Jesus. 1 John also preaches that anyone who denies the Son does not belong to Jesus. Jesus in the flesh bespeaks Him being truly and fully human. Jesus the Son of God bespeaks Him being truly and fully God.
In other words we cannot dismiss or reject the two natures of Jesus and receive Him as our Savior. If we deny His Person, whatever we are believing in is not the true Jesus. Both natures are necessary for our salvation, so we must receive the real Jesus in His fullness. Let us be very clear about this doctrine. It is indispensable to the Christian faith, to the faith of any true Christian regardless of denominational bent or bias.
Oh, but what about the third point, you know, Moses and Elijah appearing and speaking with Jesus? It’s like this. Moses was the Lord’s prophet to bring the Law to Israel. Elijah was the Lord’s prophet to bring Israel back to the Law. Israel had fallen into pagan idolatry and then added Baal worship to her pantheon of gods. Elijah at God’s behest went to war against the false gods, in order to bring the Israelites back to the worship of the one true God, the Lord (aka Yahweh).
The eternal Son of God took upon true human flesh and bore the name Jesus, in order to bring grace to the Israelites, and through them to the Gentiles too. Grace triumphs over Law any day of the week, dear friends. Moses the man and Elijah the man could not save anybody, just as the Law never could. Jesus the God-man can and does save anyone who will call upon Him. Still, it’s not by Law He does this but by grace.
When Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus, it revealed the truth of the resurrection and life after death. After all, they were still alive and talking with Jesus centuries after they left this earth! Moses did die physically, but he still lives in eternity. Elijah was raptured to heaven and never did die physically, and he is still alive in eternity.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 the Holy Spirit taught about what will transpire at the Rapture of the Church. The Christians who have already died will rise first—Moses served as a type of this group. After them the Christians who are still alive physically will follow them—Elijah served as a type of this group. But where will we all go? To meet the Lord in the air, that’s where! And guess what the Lord will look like then? Well, He will be the resurrected Christ, so His body will shine like the sun and His clothing will glow pure white.
So what does this remind you of? Hmm. That’s a toughie. Let’s see… No, that isn’t it. Maybe… Nah, not that either. Oh, I got it! It’s the antitype of the transfiguration. Moses represented the dead Christians and Elijah the living Christians. Jesus represented, well, the living, resurrected Lord God because He is the living God.
Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die [John 11:25-26]. Jesus classified the believers as those who died and those who still lived. This is in accord with 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17—there is Jesus, and there are the believers who have died at the time Jesus returns in the clouds, and there are the believers who are still alive at the time Jesus returns in the clouds.
Now keep that context in mind, as we return to the scene on the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus ascended a high mountain, which symbolized Him as being high above the earth, aka in the clouds. Jesus is the resurrection. Moses and Elijah came to Him as he was “in the clouds”, and they symbolized the dead in Christ and those in Christ who are still alive. Jesus’ transfiguration was a picture story which revealed the truth of the rapture. This is Biblical typology, dear friends. It employs visible, physical realities to teach invisible spiritual truths.
All hail, King Jesus! May we all bow before you and acclaim you as our personal Lord and Savior. Be Lord of my life, I pray. Amen.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Mount of Transwhat? – Part 1
Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him [Matthew 17:1-3].
In Matthew 17 Jesus took His three closest disciples with Him up an unspecified mountain. While they were there Jesus was transfigured. This is why that location is known as the Mount of Transfiguration.
Today as we walk down the sidewalk, we don’t often hear the kiddies playing while the parents converse about the topic of transfiguration. Be real now. When was the last time the topic came up at a church eat or a ballgame in the park? Just as I thought. Been a while!
But the topic carries the utmost theological significance, so it really should be a popular topic on the web and in the cafés and at the dinner table and on the sidewalks. Today we will initiate a discussion of the topic of transfiguration.
So what does the word transfiguration mean? Matthew 17 is a good place to begin vetting the word. Here are the vital parts to transfiguration:
• His face shone like the sun
• His garments became as white as light
• Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him
Yes, that last point is vital to a correct understanding of the concept behind the word transfiguration. Here’s why. In prior posts we’ve expatiated on the two natures of Jesus Christ. He is both God and man. He is fully God and fully man simultaneously.
He has always been the Son of God, existing with and being equal to God through all eternity. At approximately 7 B.C. He willingly was conceived in the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, in order to take upon Himself real and full humanity, a human body of like nature as all of ours, the sin nature excepted.
Nine months later he was born with a real human body and spent his twenty years growing into Jewish manhood.
Thenceforth from 7 B.C. onward through all eternity He is fully God and fully man. In this way He is capable of bringing sinful man back into right relationship with the thrice holy God.
Now consider the transfiguration, dear friends. Jesus—remember, fully God and fully man simultaneously—ascended this mountain with Peter and James and John. Each day the three disciples walked with and talked with and beheld with their eyes Jesus the man, Jesus in human flesh. Suddenly they saw Him radiate the brightness of the sun. Even His clothing glowed pure white. Ergo, they caught a glimpse of Jesus’ deity, Jesus the Son of God.
The tabernacle built at Mt. Sinai housed the Shekinah cloud of glory. The Shekinah was perched atop the mercy seat inside the Holy of holies compartment of the tabernacle. The Shekinah appeared as a gigantic mushroom CLOUD during the daytime, but it resembled a pillar of FIRE during the nighttime. God is light, bright light, very bright light—no, even brighter than that! In the appearance of the Shekinah, God dwelt inside the tabernacle in the midst of the camp of Israel and shone out of it as the brightest of lights. The tabernacle was a tent structure.
Jesus’ human body served as the tent, the tabernacle in which God dwelt among men while He walked the earth back in the day. His flesh served as the tent fabric. Atop the mountain Jesus the Divine shone ever so brightly, like the Shekinah did from inside the tabernacle. By this picture story Jesus revealed to His three closest disciples both His humanity and His divinity simultaneously.
We will continue with this topic in our next post. For now why not join me for some quiet time with the Lord Jesus.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
In Matthew 17 Jesus took His three closest disciples with Him up an unspecified mountain. While they were there Jesus was transfigured. This is why that location is known as the Mount of Transfiguration.
Today as we walk down the sidewalk, we don’t often hear the kiddies playing while the parents converse about the topic of transfiguration. Be real now. When was the last time the topic came up at a church eat or a ballgame in the park? Just as I thought. Been a while!
But the topic carries the utmost theological significance, so it really should be a popular topic on the web and in the cafés and at the dinner table and on the sidewalks. Today we will initiate a discussion of the topic of transfiguration.
So what does the word transfiguration mean? Matthew 17 is a good place to begin vetting the word. Here are the vital parts to transfiguration:
• His face shone like the sun
• His garments became as white as light
• Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him
Yes, that last point is vital to a correct understanding of the concept behind the word transfiguration. Here’s why. In prior posts we’ve expatiated on the two natures of Jesus Christ. He is both God and man. He is fully God and fully man simultaneously.
He has always been the Son of God, existing with and being equal to God through all eternity. At approximately 7 B.C. He willingly was conceived in the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, in order to take upon Himself real and full humanity, a human body of like nature as all of ours, the sin nature excepted.
Nine months later he was born with a real human body and spent his twenty years growing into Jewish manhood.
Thenceforth from 7 B.C. onward through all eternity He is fully God and fully man. In this way He is capable of bringing sinful man back into right relationship with the thrice holy God.
Now consider the transfiguration, dear friends. Jesus—remember, fully God and fully man simultaneously—ascended this mountain with Peter and James and John. Each day the three disciples walked with and talked with and beheld with their eyes Jesus the man, Jesus in human flesh. Suddenly they saw Him radiate the brightness of the sun. Even His clothing glowed pure white. Ergo, they caught a glimpse of Jesus’ deity, Jesus the Son of God.
The tabernacle built at Mt. Sinai housed the Shekinah cloud of glory. The Shekinah was perched atop the mercy seat inside the Holy of holies compartment of the tabernacle. The Shekinah appeared as a gigantic mushroom CLOUD during the daytime, but it resembled a pillar of FIRE during the nighttime. God is light, bright light, very bright light—no, even brighter than that! In the appearance of the Shekinah, God dwelt inside the tabernacle in the midst of the camp of Israel and shone out of it as the brightest of lights. The tabernacle was a tent structure.
Jesus’ human body served as the tent, the tabernacle in which God dwelt among men while He walked the earth back in the day. His flesh served as the tent fabric. Atop the mountain Jesus the Divine shone ever so brightly, like the Shekinah did from inside the tabernacle. By this picture story Jesus revealed to His three closest disciples both His humanity and His divinity simultaneously.
We will continue with this topic in our next post. For now why not join me for some quiet time with the Lord Jesus.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Mount of Transwhat? – Part 2
Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him [Matthew 17:1-3].
This is the deepest of theological instruction, my friends. The message of 1 John is that anyone who denies that Jesus has come in the flesh does not belong to Jesus. 1 John also preaches that anyone who denies the Son does not belong to Jesus. Jesus in the flesh bespeaks Him being truly and fully human. Jesus the Son of God bespeaks Him being truly and fully God.
In other words we cannot dismiss or reject the two natures of Jesus and receive Him as our Savior. If we deny His Person, whatever we are believing in is not the true Jesus. Both natures are necessary for our salvation, so we must receive the real Jesus in His fullness. Let us be very clear about this doctrine. It is indispensable to the Christian faith, to the faith of any true Christian regardless of denominational bent or bias.
Oh, but what about the third point, you know, Moses and Elijah appearing and speaking with Jesus? It’s like this. Moses was the Lord’s prophet to bring the Law to Israel. Elijah was the Lord’s prophet to bring Israel back to the Law. Israel had fallen into pagan idolatry and then added Baal worship to her pantheon of gods. Elijah at God’s behest went to war against the false gods, in order to bring the Israelites back to the worship of the one true God, the Lord (aka Yahweh).
The eternal Son of God took upon true human flesh and bore the name Jesus, in order to bring grace to the Israelites, and through them to the Gentiles too. Grace triumphs over Law any day of the week, dear friends. Moses the man and Elijah the man could not save anybody, just as the Law never could. Jesus the God-man can and does save anyone who will call upon Him. Still, it’s not by Law He does this but by grace.
When Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus, it revealed the truth of the resurrection and life after death. After all, they were still alive and talking with Jesus centuries after they left this earth! Moses did die physically, but he still lives in eternity. Elijah was raptured to heaven and never did die physically, and he is still alive in eternity.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 the Holy Spirit taught about what will transpire at the Rapture of the Church. The Christians who have already died will rise first—Moses served as a type of this group. After them the Christians who are still alive physically will follow them—Elijah served as a type of this group. But where will we all go? To meet the Lord in the air, that’s where! And guess what the Lord will look like then? Well, He will be the resurrected Christ, so His body will shine like the sun and His clothing will glow pure white.
So what does this remind you of? Hmm. That’s a toughie. Let’s see… No, that isn’t it. Maybe… Nah, not that either. Oh, I got it! It’s the antitype of the transfiguration. Moses represented the dead Christians and Elijah the living Christians. Jesus represented, well, the living, resurrected Lord God because He is the living God.
Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die [John 11:25-26]. Jesus classified the believers as those who died and those who still lived. This is in accord with 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17—there is Jesus, and there are the believers who have died at the time Jesus returns in the clouds, and there are the believers who are still alive at the time Jesus returns in the clouds.
Now keep that context in mind, as we return to the scene on the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus ascended a high mountain, which symbolized Him as being high above the earth, aka in the clouds. Jesus is the resurrection. Moses and Elijah came to Him as he was “in the clouds”, and they symbolized the dead in Christ and those in Christ who are still alive. Jesus’ transfiguration was a picture story which revealed the truth of the rapture. This is Biblical typology, dear friends. It employs visible, physical realities to teach invisible spiritual truths.
All hail, King Jesus! May we all bow before you and acclaim you as our personal Lord and Savior. Be Lord of my life, I pray. Amen.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
This is the deepest of theological instruction, my friends. The message of 1 John is that anyone who denies that Jesus has come in the flesh does not belong to Jesus. 1 John also preaches that anyone who denies the Son does not belong to Jesus. Jesus in the flesh bespeaks Him being truly and fully human. Jesus the Son of God bespeaks Him being truly and fully God.
In other words we cannot dismiss or reject the two natures of Jesus and receive Him as our Savior. If we deny His Person, whatever we are believing in is not the true Jesus. Both natures are necessary for our salvation, so we must receive the real Jesus in His fullness. Let us be very clear about this doctrine. It is indispensable to the Christian faith, to the faith of any true Christian regardless of denominational bent or bias.
Oh, but what about the third point, you know, Moses and Elijah appearing and speaking with Jesus? It’s like this. Moses was the Lord’s prophet to bring the Law to Israel. Elijah was the Lord’s prophet to bring Israel back to the Law. Israel had fallen into pagan idolatry and then added Baal worship to her pantheon of gods. Elijah at God’s behest went to war against the false gods, in order to bring the Israelites back to the worship of the one true God, the Lord (aka Yahweh).
The eternal Son of God took upon true human flesh and bore the name Jesus, in order to bring grace to the Israelites, and through them to the Gentiles too. Grace triumphs over Law any day of the week, dear friends. Moses the man and Elijah the man could not save anybody, just as the Law never could. Jesus the God-man can and does save anyone who will call upon Him. Still, it’s not by Law He does this but by grace.
When Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus, it revealed the truth of the resurrection and life after death. After all, they were still alive and talking with Jesus centuries after they left this earth! Moses did die physically, but he still lives in eternity. Elijah was raptured to heaven and never did die physically, and he is still alive in eternity.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 the Holy Spirit taught about what will transpire at the Rapture of the Church. The Christians who have already died will rise first—Moses served as a type of this group. After them the Christians who are still alive physically will follow them—Elijah served as a type of this group. But where will we all go? To meet the Lord in the air, that’s where! And guess what the Lord will look like then? Well, He will be the resurrected Christ, so His body will shine like the sun and His clothing will glow pure white.
So what does this remind you of? Hmm. That’s a toughie. Let’s see… No, that isn’t it. Maybe… Nah, not that either. Oh, I got it! It’s the antitype of the transfiguration. Moses represented the dead Christians and Elijah the living Christians. Jesus represented, well, the living, resurrected Lord God because He is the living God.
Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die [John 11:25-26]. Jesus classified the believers as those who died and those who still lived. This is in accord with 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17—there is Jesus, and there are the believers who have died at the time Jesus returns in the clouds, and there are the believers who are still alive at the time Jesus returns in the clouds.
Now keep that context in mind, as we return to the scene on the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus ascended a high mountain, which symbolized Him as being high above the earth, aka in the clouds. Jesus is the resurrection. Moses and Elijah came to Him as he was “in the clouds”, and they symbolized the dead in Christ and those in Christ who are still alive. Jesus’ transfiguration was a picture story which revealed the truth of the rapture. This is Biblical typology, dear friends. It employs visible, physical realities to teach invisible spiritual truths.
All hail, King Jesus! May we all bow before you and acclaim you as our personal Lord and Savior. Be Lord of my life, I pray. Amen.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
