PAY ATTENTION TO GOD'S PROPHETIC WORD

The Transfiguration Builds Faith

The transfiguration was a prophetic event. Said Jesus:  "The Son of man is destine to come in the glory of his Father with his angels . . . Truly I say to you that there are some of those standing here that will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his Kingdom."  (Matthew 16:27, 28)  Did some of the apostles actually see Jesus coming in his Kingdom?   Matthew 17:1-7 states:  "Six days later Jesus took Peter and  James and John his brother along and brought them up into a lofty mountain by themselves.  And he was transfigured before them."  What a dramatic event!  "His face shone as the sun,and his outer garments became brilliant as  the light.  And, look!  There appeared to them Moses and Elijah, conversing with him."  Also, " a bright cloud overshadowed  them," and they heard God's own voice saying:  "This is my Son whom I have approved; listen to him.'  At hearing this the disciples fell upon their faces and became very much afraid. Then Jesus came near and, touching them, said:  'Get up and have no fear.' "

This awesome event likely took place on one of the rides of Mount Hermon, where Jesus and the apostles spent the night.  The transfiguration evidently occurred at night, making it especially vivid.  One reason Jesus called it a vision was that long-dead Moses and Elijah were not literally present.  Only Christ was actually there.  (Matthew 17:8, 9) Such a dazzling display gave Peter, James and John a spectacular foregleam of Jesus' glorious presence in Kingdom power.  Moses and Elijah find parallels in Jesus' anointed heirs, and the vision powerfully reinforced his testimony about the Kingdom and his future kingship. 

The transfiguration helped to strengthen the faith of the three apostles who were to play a leading role in the Christian congregation.  Christ's shining face,  his glistening garments, and God's own voice declaring that Jesus was  His beloved Son to whom they should listen - all of this served its purpose most effectively.  But the apostles were to relate the vision to no one until Jesus was resurrected.  Some 32 years later, this vision was till vivid in Peter's mind.  Pointing to it and its significance, he wrote:  "No, it was not by following artfully contrived false stories that we acquainted you with the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but it was by having become eyewitnesses of his magnificence. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when words such as these were borne to him by the magnificent glory:  ' This  is my Son, my beloved, whom I myself have approved.'  Yes, these words we heard borne from heaven while we were with him in the holy mountain." - 2 Peter 1:16-18.

Of utmost importance was God's proclamation:  "This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved; listen to him."   This statement focuses attention on Jesus as God's enthroned King, to whom all creation must render obedience. the overshadowing cloud indicated that the fulfillment of this vision would be in visible.  It would be discernible only with the eyes of understanding on the part of those who recognize "the sign" of Jesus' invisible presence in Kingdom power.  (Matthew 24:3)  In fact, Jesus' instruction not to tell the vision to anyone until he had risen from the dead shows that his exaltation and glorification would  come after his resurrection.

After referring to the transfiguration, Peter stated:  "Consequently we  have the prophetic word made more sure; and you are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and a daystar rises in your hearts.  For  you know this first, that no prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation.  For prophecy was at no time brought by man's will, but men spoke from God as  they were borne along by holy spirit."  (2 Peter 1:19-21)  The transfiguration underscores the reliability of God's prophetic word.  We must pay attention  to that word and  not to "artfully contrived false stories" that do not have divine backing or approval.  Our faith in the prophetic word should be strenghtened by the transfiguration because that visionary  foreview of Jesus' glory and Kingdom power has become a reality.  Yes, we have undeniable evidence that Christ is present today as a powerful heavenly King.

Next time: How the Daystar Rises

Watchtower, 2000