Leviticus 19:35-20:21; Mark 9:1-13; Psalms 43:1-4; Proverbs 14:3-4
NT: “After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain by themselves to be alone. He was transfigured in front of them, and his clothes became dazzling — extremely white as no launderer on earth could whiten them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it’s good for us to be here. Let’s set up three shelters: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” — because he did not know what to say, since they were terrified. A cloud appeared, overshadowing them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my beloved Son; listen to him!” Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.” (Mark 9:2-8 CSB)
Jesus took Peter, James, and John up to a high mountain, and there at the top of that mountain, He was transfigured. He wasn’t just given white linen clothes to wear, He was metamorphosed into something completely different. He was changed completely into a glorified state. Then Moses (representing the law), and Elijah (representing the prophets) appeared with Him. They spoke with Him and encouraged Him in what He had to do to fulfill all the law and the prophets. The word talks about how we, as faithful followers and disciples of Jesus, get to share in the Lord’s glory. As Jesus was transformed, so we are transformed when we come to faith in Him. We aren’t just given clean garments to wear, we are transformed into something completely new and completely unsullied… cleaner than we could ever hope to make ourselves. In the midst of all that, Peter didn’t know what to say, so he suggested that they build three tabernacles and just hang out there and bask in… soak in the wonder of the Lord’s glory and wonder. In response to that, God the Father thundered from heaven, “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!” Hear His words and do them… don’t sit around here on the mountain… listen to My Son and do what He says. It can be so tempting to want to soak in the glory of the Lord… to forget about the outside world and just enjoy God’s wonderful presence. But God doesn’t display His glory for us to soak in it. God displays His glory and glorifies us that we may radiate His glory to the outside world as we hear the words of His Son and obey them. And as we obey the Son and faithfully follow Him, His glorious presence is in us and with us always.
Psalms: “Send your light and your truth; let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling place. Then I will come to the altar of God, to God, my greatest joy. I will praise you with the lyre, God, my God.” (Psalms 43:3-4 CSB)
Many scholars believe that Psalm 43 is a part of and a continuation of Psalm 42. So the psalm that starts out with ”as a deer longs for water, so my soul longs for You,” continues with, “Send Your light and Your truth; let them lead me. Let them bring me to your mountain of glorious presence.” The way to the mountain of transfiguration is to desperately desire the Lord and allow His truth to lead us to Him. And following the way of the Lord will lead to the altar… it will lead to the place of sacrifice, where we place our lives on the altar as a living sacrifice. And there at the altar, we will find our greatest joy and be transformed from glory, to glory, to glory.
Jamie Hicks 