Imagine waking up in the morning and thinking that this will be just another day… kind of normal. Everything starts like it always does. But then… something happens and an ordinary day turns into an extraordinary moment. It’s this moment that changes everything for you… you see things differently, hear things differently, and you have been given a whole new perspective. In fact, this glorious moment set you on a new pathway. Well, this happened one day to Jesus’ inner circle of disciples, Peter, James, and John, when He led them to a high mountain and to their surprise, they saw what they had never seen before… Jesus transformed into His heavenly clothes. They not only saw Jesus’ appearance change but they also witnessed two Old Testament prophets, Moses and Elijah, accompany Jesus. AND… they heard God speak from heaven: “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him” (Matthew 17:5).
Let’s examine this a little bit more. What did they learn in that moment? What was revealed to these three who would one day lead the church forward?
Jesus was who He said He was! He was the Son of God. He was holy, divine, and sent by God. He was the TRUE GLORY of the King.
Jesus was affirmed by God! God’s words from heaven confirmed what Jesus was sent to do and what He was about to do.
Jesus came as the fulfillment of the Old Testament! Two of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament accompanied Jesus: Moses as the giver of the Law and Elijah as representative of the Old Testament prophets who spoke of the coming Messiah.
The transfiguration is a glimpse into heavenly life! We read that Moses and Elijah were talking with Jesus. This is a beautiful picture of the fellowship we will have with Jesus one day… a fellowship that is sweet, amazing, and personal.
Of course, there is much more I could say about this moment the disciples saw the transfigured Jesus, but I believe this changed everything for them. As they left that mountain, Jesus tells them not to tell anyone until after His resurrection. Why would He say that? Because they didn’t quite understand the significance of it. This is seen in Peter’s response… “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Matthew 17:4). We cannot explain something if we don’t understand it ourselves. After the resurrection, and once the Holy Spirit indwelt them, they would understand. Imagine the day they finally told the other disciples about this mountain-top experience. No doubt, there was an awe that filled the place.
I’m thinking that we need to frequent this story often. Really ponder what’s happening and what you learn. The transfiguration can give us brand-new perspective, erase any doubts we might have, catapult our faith to new heights, and lead us forward with greater passion. Sometimes we just need a freshness, an awakening. Sometimes we just need to see Jesus in a new light. And sometimes we just need to hear the same voice and same message from God that the disciples heard on this mountain. Let Jesus’ transformation change you today.