Transfiguration (Matthew 17 - P 42)

Matthew 17: 1 - 13  

Scholars are not 100% certain where this event took place.  Most lean toward Mt. Hermon.  Mt. Hermon is a beautiful mountain fourteen miles from Caesarea Philippi where Peter made his great declaration concerning the identity of Jesus.  This event was most likely not at the summit of the mountain because Mt. Hermon is 9400 ft above sea level and 11,000 ft above the Jordan valley floor.  Imagine Jesus taking his close inner circle of three disciples somewhere up on Mt. Hermon as he continues to ready himself for the coming journey toward Jerusalem and the cross.  If you have hiked in the mountains, imagine them along a lovely trail, surrounded by foliage and trees and cool mountain breezes.  Then it happens ...

Why Moses and Elijah?  Why not Abraham or David or a host of other Old Testament men of God that we can think of?  I think Jesus is needing confirmation before he heads to Jerusalem and the cross.  No one would choose that!  So, perhaps, Jesus needed confirmation that he was indeed on the path that God had chosen for him.

Moses ... the greatest of all the Jewish law-givers ... the friend of God ... the one who brought God's law to men and women.  He appeared.

Elijah ... the greatest of all the prophets ... the one through whom the voice of God spoke to men and women ... the one who stood against all the prophets of Baal ...and idolatry.   He appeared.

These two men were pillars in the Israel's history ... and directly connected that history to God.  I think perhaps it was Moses and Elijah whom Jesus needed to hear say  ... "this is the path, walk on it."

Then God himself confirms to Jesus that he was indeed on the right path.

The second question that comes to my mind is:  Why on a mountain?  Why not around the Sea of Galilee where so much of Jesus' teaching and ministry had happened?  Well, it was on a mountain that Moses received the laws of God.  It was on a mountain where Moses met with God and he, too, had the radiance of God on his face. (Mt. Sinai)  It was on a mountain where Elijah met God ... in a still quiet voice rather than in the wind and the fire.  (Mt. Horeb).  There is something about the mountains.

I had a niece who would probably respond to this questions with:  "Of course it was on a mountain!  That's where God's presence is strongest."  She is with the Lord now ... after an avalanche in 2008.   You can find her story at www.dod.org.  Look for:  The Time to Live is Now: the Legacy of Lygon Stevens.  You can learn about her story and how she believed God met her in the mountains.  There is something about the mountains.

What are some practical lessons we can learn through this event?  First, sometimes the appropriate response to an encounter with God is to be still - to absorb ... not to immediately "do" something.  Peter wanted to immediately "do".  And God said 'no'.  Never forget what God told us through the Psalmist:

Be still ... and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)

It is in stillness ... quietness ... heart and mind ... soul and spirit ... be still.  Are you practicing the discipline of stillness in your life?  Ever?  If not, this is a good time to begin ...

Also,  after this thrilling experience, it was back down the mountain ... back to the road to Jerusalem ... back to what had to be done.  So often when we experience a wonderful spiritual high, we want to stay there.  A wonderful retreat ... a particularly uplifting service or Christian concert ... a good Bible study.  We don't want to go back to ordinary life, daily living stuff. We just want to do another Bible study or go to another event.   But Jesus and Peter, James and John went back down the mountain.  They went back to work.  You and I need to remember that.  Our work, as we are being transformed into the image of Christ, is to show Christ to the world.  Our work is to make disciples.  Our work is to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our particular environment.  It's messy.  It's hard.  Sometimes it's painful.  It's sacrificial.  It's not "all about me".  The spiritual "highs" are to strengthen us for the work that needs doing.  The assemblies of Christians are to strengthen us for the work that needs doing.  The Bible studies are to strengthen and equip us for the work that needs doing.  So often we mistake those things FOR the work!  As you think about this wonderful event ... never forget that this foursome went back down the mountain.

Lord, help us desire quietness with You.  And transform that desire into the discipline to do it.  Father, give us eyes to see the work You have for us to do.  We don't want to miss it!  Open our eyes ...