James, John and Peter were asked by Jesus to keep his meeting with Moses and Elijah a secret, until after Jesus’ death and resurrection.
I wondered what would have happened if the disciples had told the leaders and people about this meeting before Jesus’ death and resurrection. If the people had heard from the disciples that Jesus was seen with Elijah, it may have satisfied the people that Elijah had heralded and revealed the Messiah. However, it would have caused a real problem for Jesus, because he knew he had to die on a cross and on the third day be raised from the dead.
Also the people would probably have put an even greater demand on Jesus to make him their King which would have been insurrection, an illegal uprising.
We read of instances were the people wanted to make Jesus their King: On the first occasions; "Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew himself from the people because they wanted to make him their king. John 6: 15
The second was the triumphant entry into Jerusalem verse 36, ” When Jesus had said this, he departed and hid himself from them.” John 12 : 12-36
James, John and Peter did not tell anyone about the Transfiguration until after Jesus was risen from the dead.
"Trust and obey for there is no other way" This hymn reminds us that we can trust that the Lord knows our situations and he has prepared the way before us. We might look at the options but it is always best to obey the Lord.
In our reading as they came down the mountain James, John and Peter questioned Jesus about Elijah, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?”
Jesus pointed out that Elijah had already come and he had been treated with contempt as it was written about him.
The similarity between Elijah and John the Baptist’s ministry.
Elijah was known as the troubler of Israel. 1 Kings 18: 17
Elijah spoke out against King Ahab and Queen Jezebel’s idolatry. The King and Queen of Israel supported the prophets of Baal the Canaanite god and they killed the prophets of the God of Israel. Elijah challenged Ahab to see whose god would consume the sacrifice with fire. He built his altar and the prophets of Baal built theirs. But it was Elijah’s altar and sacrifice that was consumed by fire. Afterwards he slew the prophets of Baal. The reaction from Jezebel she intended to take her revenge by having Elijah killed. Elijah’s response to hearing this he fled to Beersheba.
Later we read that Elijah anointed Elisha as his successor. Elijah and Elisha walked crossed over the Jordan and whilst walking along the banks of the river a sudden whirlwind caught Elijah and he was taken up into heaven.2 Kings 2:8-12
John the Baptist troubled King Herod
John the Baptist spoke out against King Herod marrying his brother Philips’ wife Herodias as it was against the Law of Moses. Herod was so annoyed he had John arrested and put him in prison. Sometime later Herod held a banquet for his birthday. During the evening Herodias’ daughter danced before Herod and his guests he was so pleased that he offered to give her anything she wanted. After he said this she consulted with her mother and asked for John’s head to be brought to her on a platter. Herod was put in the position of upholding his promise to her so he reluctantly obliged. Matthew 14: 1-10
Elijah and John the Baptist were steadfast in their walk with God.
Jesus troubled the Jews
The high priest asked Jesus at his trial, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, ”I am; and you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Mark 15: 61,62. They all condemned him as deserving death.
“The Messiah’s Secret.” page 83
“As the people watched Jesus dying on the cross someone shouted,’Lets see if Elijah will come and take him down.’ Mark 15: 36. They expected Elijah to come at the Passover, he was to come and announce the Messiah’s arrival. The man who shouted wanted to see if Elijah would come and rescue Jesus before he died and proclaim him as the Messiah, then they would believe in him. “Come down from the cross and we will believe in him,” said the chief priests, scribes and elders.”
“At the Passover table a place is set for Elijah, the herald of the Messiah, and he would announce that the Messiah had at last come. For the rabbis say the Messiah is most likely to come on the night of the Passover, so the traditional cup and an empty chair awaits him.”
The man was no doubt disappointed as Elijah did not appear.
The peoples expectation of Elijah coming in person was very great. Jesus had told them that John the Baptist ministered in the spirit and power of Elijah. Matthew 11: 14. Luke 1:17.
At Jesus’ trial he said, “You will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
Jesus has promised that he will come again, the first occasion is when he will call out his body of believers, the church.
Jesus having this expectation in himself of his coming, this expectation is in us, because Christ is in us.
This hope of Jesus’ coming is born in us through Jesus’ own desire to come from heaven and call out his church.
This reminds us of were Paul expounds Jesus' coming his calling out of the church: 'Those who have died in faith will be raised up to meet Jesus in the air and those who are alive will be taken up from the earth so together we shall meet the Lord in the air'. I see John the Baptist representing those who have died in faith and Elijah representing those taken up from the earth. 1 Thessalonians 4: 15,16.
in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he has given to us further understanding of this meeting in the air, “I tell you a mystery, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed in a moment. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15: 51-53.
God is able to do what seems impossible to us, to change our human bodies, to a body that will continue for ever.
When I was a girl I enjoyed watching the wild life in a nearby pond.
The Pond
The life cycle of a Dragonfly.
The dragonfly lays its eggs on the stems of grasses that grow around the edge of the pond. The eggs drop off the stem into the water where they hatch. The ‘nymph’ eat small fishes, tad poles and other creatures that reside in the pond. They live totally in the water they do not breath air and they know nothing of the world outside the pond.
They live in the pond between 1 and 3 years until a change begins in their bodies as they develop wings. Eventually they reach the stage were they climb up a plant stem and as they approach the surface, they breathe air for the first time and their wings are released. Then the moment arrives they fly away from the pond into a new world and a new life.
Just like the dragonfly I firmly believe that our creator God is able to change our bodies from being mortal bodies into immortal bodies.
We are born into this world knowing only about God our creator. It is when we hear and receive the good news about Jesus that the reality of knowing God transforms our inner being and unites us to the kingdom of our God and Saviour.
This life cycle also explains the resurrection.
The egg representing a person who hears and receives the good news about Jesus.
The water representing the hidden depths of our sinful lives and were Jesus forgives us and frees us from all unrighteousness. After confessing our sin to God, our sin is dealt with by Jesus as he bore our sin upon the cross, we are crucified with Christ.
The rising to new life represents were we are raised up and translated into Christ's kingdom. Colossians 1: 13.
Booths
At the Transfiguration why did Peter suggest making three booths one for Moses, one for Elijah and one for Jesus?
Was it to commemorate the meeting between the three of them? Or was it prophetic of a booth called the church that Peter would help to build along with the other Apostles and early followers.
Booths
Jacob made peace with his brother Esau afterwards Jacob and his family journeyed to Succoth and there he built himself a house, and made booths for his cattle.
The Jews commemorate this event with Succoth - The Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. Lev 23: 40-44
Succoth – The Feast of Tabernacles or Booths
This feast also commemorates the Booths the Israelites constructed and lived in on their wilderness journey to the Promised Land.
"It takes place in the autumn in September or early October and for seven days the Jewish people live in Booths made up of leafy branches, and branches of willow and palm. During that week at certain times in their services they rejoice waving their ‘Lulav’ thanking God for his provision of shelter for the Israelites on their journey. “The Lulav consists of a palm branch, myrtle and willow tied together by a golden thread. They also celebrate the harvest and take with them a citrus fruit symbolic of the fruit of the Promised Land”. “Feasts of Israel” by Victor Buksbazen
The word “Booth” had a double meaning: a structure made up of leafy branches, palm and willow and a tabernacle - A tent made of animal skins and later Solomon constructed a tabernacle made of stone.
Moses was given the pattern to make the tabernacle in the wilderness.
“And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst, According to all that I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.” Exodus 25: 8, 9.
“On the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of testimony; and at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning.” Numbers 9: 15 – 23.
The prophetic message of ‘Succoth – The Feast of Tabernacles or Booths’ that there is shelter in the tabernacle of God under the wings of the God’s glory, for the Jew first, and also the Gentile.
Prophesy relating to the coming of the Messiah
“In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old. That they might possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name, “says the Lord who does this.”” Amos 9: 11, 12.
The Booth that Peter would help build was Christ’s Church.
Jesus said to Peter, “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church.” Matthew 16: 18
The Booth or Tabernacle of David is no longer a shelter made of leafy branches or a building made of animal skin or stone, but in a person Jesus Christ.
From my studies Peter was the first leader of the church at Jerusalem. He had been chosen by Jesus to shepherd the early church, “When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time Jesus said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” Jesus said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter said to him, “Lord; you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” John 21: 15-17.
Jesus gave to Peter the keys of the kingdom. Peter using one key opened the door of the kingdom to the Jews at Pentecost and used the second key to open the door of the kingdom to the Gentiles, when he visited the Centurion Cornelius and his family with the good news about Jesus. Acts 2: 14, 22, 29, 36. 10:1, 34,35. 11: 19.
James the Lord’s brother was the second leader of the early church.
"The letter of James is traditionally identified as James the Lord’s brother. (Matthew 13. 55; Mark 6. 3) The brothers of Jesus did not believe in him during his ministry (Mark 3.21, 33-35; John 7. 3-9) after the ascension, however, the brothers of Jesus are found with the Jerusalem church (Acts1.14) and Paul speaks of the appearance of the risen Lord to James (1 Corinthians 15.7) who became leader in the Jerusalem church. (Acts 12.17; 15.13; 21.18; Galatians 1.19; 2.9, 12)". Notes taken from Eyre & Spottiswoode Study Bible Revised Standard Version.
James quoted Amos prophecy at the Jerusalem Conference
The Apostles, Elders and followers had gathered at Jerusalem to discuss the question about the Gentiles coming to faith. James reminded the assembly, “Brethren listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, as it is written, “After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up, that the rest of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, Say the Lord, who has made these things known from of old.” Acts 15: 13-18
The temple with its tabernacle was still in place when James and Simeon quoted from the book of Amos. James implied that the ruins were not a building, but the re-establishing of the throne and kingdom of the Davidic line in Jesus the Messiah, Also that the Gentile who accepts the Messiah would enter into the kingdom.
Christ's body, the church, embraces and shelters all who believe in Jesus, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave or free, there is neither male or female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3: 28
Our bodies are temporal just like the booths.
When I write a letter I place it in an envelope,write on the address and put a stamp on it and post it believing that it will arrive in due course to its destination. The envelope is the means of containing the letter which is the important part. When the letter is received I expect the envelope to be disregarded and disposed of.
The envelope is like our bodies and the letter is like the soul/spirit of the person contained within our bodies, this is the most important part of us. When we die it is like the letter being taken out of the envelope and kept, so our soul is kept in heaven. Our bodies return to dust, but I believe that when the calls out his church, those Christians who have died their dust will be gathered and will have their resurrected immortal body, and together with those who are alive will meet the Lord in the air.
Even though I do not fully understand, I do not put limits to what our Lord God can do.
