After 6 day Jesus took with him Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
Elijah and Moses appeared talking with Jesus.
It should be noted that Elijah and Moses were not talking to Peter, James and John as well. It was not an open conversation, were their views or thoughts were requested.
We know from Lukes gospel Ch 9 v28–31 that they talked with Jesus about his departure.
Considering that all we know about the conversation is this, we do not need to speculate that it is appropriate to conclude that Elijah’s and Moses’s own departures are relevant, as their own departures facilitated their participation in the conversation.
Elijahs departure is recorded in 2 Kings Ch 2 v8-14.
We have some parallels with that which has just preceded the mount of transfiguration in the emphasis on ‘Seeing’ being critical, and on the fact that they saw no man other than Jesus after the Father has spoken.
We also have a parallel on ‘talking’ being a central tenant of communion and impartation. Jesus has been actively engaged with this with his disciples, and here on the mount it is shown indeed to be a parallel with heavens purpose: God came in the cool of the day.
Elisha then, continues in the same manner as Elijah, they perform the same action. A homogeneity of harmony within the anointing of Gods Spirit. The Acts of the apostles should continue with the whiteness of his purity.
‘My Father, My Father’, where is the Lord, the God of Elijah? Paul, answered that question, with that which Jesus had been teaching his disciples: Christ in you the hope of glory. And had not the Father spoken, and eyes been opened to see Jesus. Stephen had parted Jordan, and the revelation of mercy transformed Paul. Laying their cloaks at his feet.
John Ch 20 v17.
Jesus is the introduction to the Father. Passing through Jordan is meant to symbolize a new relationship with the Father.
It is not without coincidence that the Lord speaks to Joshua after Moses has departed in a new way, ‘just as I promised Moses’.
Elijah, crosses the Jordan from the covenanted side and is taken up to God on the same side as Moses died. Yet, Elijah did not die, he was taken up into God. Moses is shown the whole land covenanted to Abraham and dies there upon Mount Nebo, because he ‘broke faith with the Lord in the midst of the people of Israel at the waters of Merida-Kadesh’.
Yet both of these men join Jesus at the Mount of transfiguration, which I believe was Mount Hermon, the head of the Jordan river. And I guess it could be stated that Jesus is the rock who was struck once at Calvary! That living water might flow outwards in mercy and not anger.
Jesus cried in John Ch 7 v37-39, on the last day of the feast in Jerusalem.
Jesus did not die on the same side of the Jordan as Elijah and Moses. He gave up his life as a sacrifice for all in the central place of the land covenanted to Abraham, at the very heart of all the promises of God.
At the mount of transfiguration, is a river of life that preceded the fall of Adam, a higher reservoir is his life than how Adam fell. Before Adam fell, before the need for his angry waters to be cut off, the Lamb slain before the foundations of the World.
Both Elisha and Joshua entered the promised land. And the Church of Jesus Christ is centered on a heart transformation established by a God who keeps covenant promises: Ezekiel Ch 36 v26.
Both represent in departure and reappearance upon this mount a continuity to the next generation.
While Lukes gospel gives a timeframe of around 8 days, Marks gospel states after six days. And upon this mount are six people. This speaks to me that what follows concerns man.
It is profound that after God the Father speaks from the cloud concerning his divine beloved Son, that immediately Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man. And that they were to keep this matter to themselves until he had risen from the dead.
Jesus died in the heart of the promised land. This speaks of hope unto all who like Moses have known a measure of the goodness of God & yet have blown it and been technically disqualified, an exposure of a polar opposite nature to that of Gods love.
Moses was born in Egypt and came to the banks of the river Jordan.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and died in Jerusalem, having lived the core of his life in the promised land. Jesus did not ascend to heaven at Calvary, in the manner that Elijah ascended to heaven, Jesus died at Calvary, not due to disobedience or misrepresentation, but in obedience to his Fathers need for a sacrifice for our sins.
Gods eternal wisdom had Elijah ascend to heaven on the same side of the Jordan as Moses. We only enter the land with the anointing that comes from another, his garment is are covering and righteousness.
Until the Son of man!
What does that statement conjure in the minds of men? Sons are a fruit of men. Clearly the Son of man is from man, or at the very least in affiliation with them.
The Father has spoken from heaven and instructed Peter, James and John to hear Him. And the first thing Jesus speaks about is the Son of man.
This is staggering, that after his endorsement as being the divine Son of God, he refers to himself as the Son of man. And having been born through Marys obedience to Gods Word, he is indeed also Son of man.
When we consider Jesus as being the fruit of man, it does pose some mental opposition as he had no earthly Father. But as we consider this according to the principles of faith we do have one in kind.
Abraham is referred to as the Father of the faith. And the man to whom the land and his seed was promised.
The original Word of God given to man was to ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth’
All that God had made was good. And therefore, man was also commissioned to produce good fruit.
Had man not disobeyed the commandment of God all his fruit would have had to have been good, as it had been blessed directly & commissioned by God.
God commanded man not to eat of one tree only, as it would bring death.
Adam listened to another voice that distorted the clarity of what God had said (Did God actually say). In this respect, Saul not obeying Gods command finds common ground with Moses striking the rock twice. And that is why salvation always comes through the hearing of faith, obedience is a state of heart that believes and takes God at his Word: ‘Be it unto me according to thy word’.
The fall of man and the corruption of man had produced a Cain, a deviation away from offering back to God what he himself had provided as a mantle to clothe them with.
Man in his fall now had an innate inability to fulfill this blessing and commission of God.
But here after the Father has spoken affirming his divine Son, Jesus immediately refers to himself as the fruit of man.
The Father of the faith, Abraham, on the third day lifts up his eyes and saw the place from afar, one of the mountains of Moriah. Where he was to offer his son, his only son Isaac, whom he loved.
Isaac says to his father ‘My Father’, and does that not echo down the pages of scripture. The promised land has always been Sonship.
Where is the lamb for a burnt offering? Isaac knew the clarity of the pattern given to man. Isaac unto whom all the inheritance was committed did not have a deviation from Gods way in his designs. Other voices, mocking ones etc had been removed from his life.
Then God speaks prophetically through Abraham the Father of are faith: ‘God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my Son’. So they both went on together.
On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided (Or he will be seen- margin)
The scribes had a clear understanding that Elijah must come first to restore all things.
And Jesus adds that which is written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt. That ‘Elijah had already come in type, having been treated as they pleased, as it is written of him’.
Malachi Ch 4 v1-6.
Jesus bore the curse of the entire world at Calvary.
God provided himself, the Word of God, the blessing of God, the multiplication, fruit and commission of God. That which man due to disobedience could never do or produce.
God fulfilled his own word unto man: Son of man!
The central tenant of family, the good seed, the mandate of God originally given to one man and one women.
The restoration of all things, ‘Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’.
John the Baptist was specifically named of God. God establishing that the herald of his Sons entrance into humanity was a entrance defined by Gods graciousness. A correct reflection of his nature.
John who would write the last cannon of scripture, in his gospel penned too that his nature is grace (Luke Ch 1 v63).
John Ch 1 v14: 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.
John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me’.
For from his fulness we have all received grace upon grace.
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he made him known.
Tell no one until the Son of Man had risen from the dead!
No other foundation can be laid. God will not have the entrance into life through works of the law, but rather upon the finished work of the Word at Calvary.
Elijah! Not Moses, is referenced again as they come down the mountain.
Elijah a man of like passions as us. Elijah who first comes on the scene as one who stands before the living God.
Elijah who raises a widows son: “See, your son lives”.
A widow waiting to have her last Passover meal with her son before death. Who akin to Abraham gathered a few sticks to prepare her burnt offering. She obeyed the word of the prophet, and she gave of all she had, all that could naturally sustain them she offered in obedience to the Word of prophecy.
See saw the fruit of Gods restoration of all things, her Son being risen from the dead after Elijah has three times stretched himself upon the child. It mattered not that there was famine and drought, God had provided himself a sacrifice – the God who answers by fire.
The father who meets him at the base of the mountain, he is a figure of patriarchy, unto whom the promises had been committed and passed down from generation to generation.
Jesus removes the if from the equation, in respect to whether he is the one sacrifice through whom the access to the Father is made. The restoration of mans ability to be a blessing, to multiply and have dominion. He makes the word of God clear, not distorted, the truth is grace if you believe you can reflect his nature: All authority and dominion – Matthew Ch 28 v18.
Gabriel, like Elijah stood in the presence of God. And after six month is sent to Nazareth, to a virgin who has not know a man.
‘For nothing will be impossible with God’.
Mary already believed the covenant promises of God. She already knew when the angel Gabriel spake to her that this that had been spoken would happen despite her being a virgin. She knew that Joseph would not be the Father, she already had a faith that did not break with the Lord in the midst of the people of Israel.
It was cultivated from one generation to the next, the word of God passed down, the prophesy of Isaiah etc. It may have been partially dormant, but the seed had already been planted.
Named to save men from their sins.
‘Let it be to me according to your word’. Her response brought the light of life into humanity again – the light of this world.
Mary believed the Word of God. And was at liberty to speak.
And the angel departed from her.
The angel did not need to speak further to her. What was Gabriels report back to throne room like. No doubt an understanding was furthered as to why she had been favored. She mirrored the purpose of Gods creation: “See, your Son lives”.
And God said: Let there be light and there was light.
1 John Ch 1 v 3-4: All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
eternalrays 