transfiguration lesson

[Randy Kluth]

We may have wondered why Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus and his closest disciples on the Mt. of Transfiguration?

This was a pre-glorification event, showing the closest disciples what lay ahead in the future for all of the faithful. At that time they were still under the Law, obtaining their relationship with God through sacrifices at the temple, and through obedience to the many requirements of the Law. Jesus was showing them that achieving glorification rested on Jesus' work and not on the works of Israel under the Law.

Moses represented the works of the Law, and Elijah represented how prophecy interprets the Law as fulfilled by the redemption of Jesus. It would be a new covenant. None of this is explained at that time, since they were still under the Law, and could not be told yet to transcend the Law. But later, they would know what this meant, that the New Covenant supersedes the Law.

We may have wondered, in the past, just where the Scriptures tell the Jews they can abandon the Law and start to live outside of the boundaries of the Law? Well, here it is! Don't be concerned about building a permanent place for Moses and Elijah, both of whom were prophets of the OT system. Rather, focus on Jesus as the permanent voice of God. He supersedes the Law.

 

[DPMartin]

your references to the law seems ok-ish

but the two with the Lord. think about it, the Lord is escorted by two. when He visited Abraham before He went to see about Sodom and Gomorrah He was in the flesh because Abraham feed Him and was escorted by two. at the transfiguration He was with two when Peter and John went to the grave of Jesus there was two one at the head one at the foot of the place He was laid. when the Lord ascended to Heaven at the Mt of Olives there was two telling the disciples of Jesus' return. in the last three and a half years of the seven mentioned in revelations the two had the same powers of God with them that Moses and Elijah had. those two have the status in God's sight of both sides of the Lord Himself or they wouldn't be there.

though one could see in the transfiguration references to fulfillment or agreement of law and prophets in Christ Jesus but there's a lot more there then meats the eye.

 

[Randy Kluth]

your references to the law seems ok-ish

but the two with the Lord. think about it, the Lord is escorted by two. when He visited Abraham before He went to see about Sodom and Gomorrah He was in the flesh because Abraham feed Him and was escorted by two. at the transfiguration He was with two when Peter and John went to the grave of Jesus there was two one at the head one at the foot of the place He was laid. when the Lord ascended to Heaven at the Mt of Olives there was two telling the disciples of Jesus' return. in the last three and a half years of the seven mentioned in revelations the two had the same powers of God with them that Moses and Elijah had. those two have the status in God's sight of both sides of the Lord Himself or they wouldn't be there.

though one could see in the transfiguration references to fulfillment or agreement of law and prophets in Christ Jesus but there's a lot more there then meats the eye.

Yes, thank you. That brings up some good points. One, two witnesses are important to establish the truth of something. It actually takes two *reliable* witnesses--not just any old two witnesses. They could be liars. And so, Jesus had Moses and Elijah on the Mt. of Transfiguration, testifying to the reality of the power of Christ to "glorify," which I think refers to resurrection power, and the power to raise God's people from the dead and to grant them immortality. Moses and Elijah were two of the most powerful witnesses that Jesus could show Peter, James, and John.

And yes, many of the important accounts were testified to by angels or by reliable men of God. or even women of God. As far as the two witnesses in Rev 11, I think they may be historical figures, just like Moses and Elijah were--reliable, saintly witnesses that everybody will agree are reliable witnesses to something. They aren't given names yet because they haven't arrived yet in history. In the case of Moses and Elijah, they had already lived, and came back from the grave to testify in the form of human bodies. I don't believe they had resurrection bodies yet.

So these two witnesses, or two prophets, will be end-time men of God with a reliable reputation. And I believe they will be in Israel in the last days, testifying against AntiChristianity. We are already witnessing the beginnings of that Antichristian bloom. We should all be able to testify to the evil that is descending upon the Western world, and upon the entire globe.

But I believe these two witnesses will live in Israel, and present a final witness to the Jewish nation and to the entire world that God will keep His promises, and will bring AntiChristianity under judgment at the 2nd Coming.

 

[DPMartin]

well on the two witness in rev. i do believe its more of a God will not leave the world without the truth. there has always been some one or more in the world that the Lord has a relationship with that expresses the truth of Lord God of Israel. then there's no excuse on the world's part.


and anti-Christ isn't really anti-Christianity per say. the world has never wanted God's influence in the world. now with Jesus coming not only is God's influence going to be in the world the world will be ruled by the Son of God. nothing can stop it, but that doesn't mean the world won't try.

 

[Randy Kluth]

well on the two witness in rev. i do believe its more of a God will not leave the world without the truth. there has always been some one or more in the world that the Lord has a relationship with that expresses the truth of Lord God of Israel. then there's no excuse on the world's part.


and anti-Christ isn't really anti-Christianity per say. the world has never wanted God's influence in the world. now with Jesus coming not only is God's influence going to be in the world the world will be ruled by the Son of God. nothing can stop it, but that doesn't mean the world won't try.

I'm not sure what you mean by saying "anti-Christ isn't really anti-Christianity?" Otherwise, I agree with you.

 

[DPMartin]

I'm not sure what you mean by saying "anti-Christ isn't really anti-Christianity?" Otherwise, I agree with you.

man doesn't want presence of God in the world, whether it by Jew or by Christian or by God Himself via His Son. because they don't get to run the place any more. they will loss that power. why do you think the Jewish authorities hated Jesus? its for the same reason. what happened on what some call palm Sunday is the traditional ceremony of inaugurating a King in Jerusalem. so the leadership had to get rid of Jesus.

the anti-Christ is simply anti Lord God. most are ether atheist or at the least God stays in Heaven and we rule the world. there's no real Lord God please come into the world and rule us mentality, unless it be those who love Him.

being what we are in Christ we will be risen back into the world into the presence of God in the world via Jesus Christ.

 

[Randy Kluth]

man doesn't want presence of God in the world, whether it by Jew or by Christian or by God Himself via His Son. because they don't get to run the place any more. they will loss that power. why do you think the Jewish authorities hated Jesus? its for the same reason. what happened on what some call palm Sunday is the traditional ceremony of inaugurating a King in Jerusalem. so the leadership had to get rid of Jesus.

the anti-Christ is simply anti Lord God. most are ether atheist or at the least God stays in Heaven and we rule the world. there's no real Lord God please come into the world and rule us mentality, unless it be those who love Him.

being what we are in Christ we will be risen back into the world into the presence of God in the world via Jesus Christ.

Well, Antichrist and AntiChristianity are one and the same for me. Yes, the world hates the presence of God as a threat to their own independence and self-sufficiency. That's true.

But the Antichrist comes specifically to consolidate that mentality, particularly in Europe, where Christianity used to rule. That's why we might call it "AntiChristianity." It is the overthrow of established Christian tradition and rule.

This spirit will permeate the world through the rise of this old Roman Imperial system, just as Christianity once used to rule the world from Europe, so to speak. It will be an attempt at extinguishing Christian tradition or "Western values" from the earth.

The Antichrist is a political power concentrated in Europe and consolidating 10 major nations. It will apparently be an unchallenged superpower on earth until its term of 1260 days has expired. Then international battle will rise again at Armageddon.

This political system will both hate God and hate genuine Christianity. It will burn Rome, the symbol of Christian power in Europe, as I understand it.