Moses And Elijah Exalted Jesus

When Jesus took Peter, James, and John and brought “them up into an high mountain” (v. 1), He “was transfigured before them” (v. 2). The glory that was concealed in his human body (Php 2:6), became visible to His three disciples! Afterwards, “there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with” Jesus. They knew that Moses and Elijah have already died, but yet they saw them very much alive. This is a wonderful reminder that all the redeemed who die will “be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor 5:8)!

When Moses died, he was buried by the Lord somewhere “in a valley in the land of Moab” (Deut 34:6). He pictures all believers who died “by faith” (Heb 11:23). Elijah did not die physically but “went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (2 Ki 2:11). He pictures all the saints of God who “shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thes 4:17); during the rapture! Luke’s account gives us more detail of what they were talking about; he recorded that they “spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem” (Lk 9:31), or His death on the cross. The word “decease” literally means exodus that pertains to death.

They were talking about the day that Jesus would make His exodus out of His humanity (Heb 1:3); when He would offer “one sacrifice for sins for ever” (Heb 10:12), and will be raised from the dead “in three days” (Jn 2:19). Moses represented the law (Rom 10:5), while Elijah represented the prophets that spoke of One that would come Whose “government shall be upon His shoulder” (Isa 9:6). Our Lord Jesus is that perfect “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29), Who also fulfilled the requirements of the Law (Mt 5:17). Moses and Elijah came to exalt the greatness of Jesus and to reveal to the disciples that He was Who He claimed to be! God bless you!



- Pastor Melito Barrera