TEXT: Matthew 17:1-8

SUBJECT: Life of Elijah #12: The Transfiguration

This afternoon brings us to the last sermon in our "Life of Elijah". Nine centuries before, he had ridden to glory in the chariot of fire. Now, he is still in glory, in the presence of Jesus Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration.

Shortly before His passion, our Lord invited three disciples to join him at the summit of a high mountain. They no doubt expected a prayer meeting. They got something else, something they would never forget. The Savior was "transfigured" before them. For a moment, the veil of His humiliation was drawn, and they "beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father". His face shone more brightly than the sun; His clothing became whiter than any earthly white. He was not alone; two men accompanied Him in His glory: Moses and Elijah. He talked with them and shared their fellowship. They were old friends, of course. He had been with them before the Incarnation; now they were together again.

The disciples were stunned at the sight; the years of wonder had not prepared them. Peter, the most impulsive of the disciples, blurts out an idea: "Lord...let us make three booths, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah". But before he could give the details, Peter is interrupted by a Voice: "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" The disciples swoon at the majesty of that Voice; when they came to, "they saw no one but Jesus only".

This is Elijah's last appearance in the world. And the most important thing he ever did. What was he doing? He was honoring the Lord Jesus, of course. But we can't be satisfied with that. We must go on to discover what Christ was doing with Elijah on the Holy Mount.

Two things seem clear to me: He was paying tribute to the prophets of old and He was superseding them in the prophetic office. Let's look at each.

Moses and Elijah were the key figures in Old Testament prophecy. The former gave the Law; the latter (representing all of the prophets) interpreted and applied it. Their words were God's Word. Whoever heard them, heard God. Consequently, their words were true in every part and worthy of the God who gave them.

Not everyone believes this. Early in Church history there was a man named Marcion who thought the Old Testament was unworthy of God. He was appalled by its massacres, by its imprecatory prayers, by its harsh laws, and by its standards of morality. Many of today agree with him; some of them are true believers in Christ. They feel embarrassed by parts of the Old Testament; they hope their unsaved friends don't ask about them. Perhaps you've felt this way.

Our Lord Jesus had no qualms about affirming the Old Testament Scriptures in their entirety. In Luke 16:17, He said: "It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail". A "tittle" is an accent mark; yet even this insignificant stroke of the pen is sturdier than heaven and earth. Speaking of the prophets, He said "Scripture cannot be broken". The so-called "myths" of Scripture He thought of as factual. The flood, the destruction of Sodom, and Jonah swallowed by the great fish come readily to mind. He was eager to affirm the unmixed truth and final authority of Holy Scripture.

His talk with Moses and Elijah underscored His abiding respect for the Law and Prophets. Why should He disown their message? It was His own.

We ought to have a deeper reverence for the Old Testament Scripture. Paul ascribed to them "a glory". They were so glorious they caused the face of Moses to shine when he peered into them. David placed that Word "above all God's name" (Psalm 138:2). It was a greater revelation of Himself than "the heavens which declare His glory" or "the firmament which shows His handiwork".

It is sickening to hear people disparage the Old Testament Scriptures. Especially those who believe in Christ. For if we believe in Him, we must believe in the whole Christ. He sincerely believed "God spoke" through them.

Moses, Elijah, and Christ were true prophets of God. Prophets were greatly respected in Israel. Elaborate tombs were built over their remains; little boys were named after them. Peter revered them as much as anyone else. And so, he had a capital idea: Build three booths for the prophets who stood before him. He wanted to visit with each; to learn from each; perhaps their combined ministries could turn the people back to God.

The thought was well-intentioned. And wretchedly foolish. The heavenly rebuke made it clear: "This is My Beloved Son--Hear Him". Moses and Elijah spoke the Word truly, but neither spoke it with finality. They "knew in part and prophesied in part".

But our Lord knew God perfectly and communicated Him fully. Three verses make this clear:

Our Lord nowhere contradicts Moses and Elijah. But neither does He just repeat them. Their prophetic ministries were but types of His own. And just as the fulfillment is always greater than the promise, so His prophethood is greater than theirs. No one argues that the One "Lamb of God" was greater than the thousands of lambs sacrificed of old. No one thinks David was a greater king than his Son. But when we assert His prophetic superiority to the servants of old, people become highly offended.

But Moses and Elijah are not among them. When Peter suggested three booths be built, they didn't agree to it. They must have been horrified at the thought of robbing their Savior of His surpassing glory. We ought to be as well. The Old Testament Scripture are the Word of God. But they are not His final word. That belongs to Christ. When He speaks, everyone is silent; when He finishes, nothing is left to be said. The Apostles and Evangelists, of course, wrote and preached after our Lord Jesus. But all they did was write and preach His words. How? "The Holy Spirit came to them in [Christ's] name and taught them all things, bringing to their remembrance whatever He said to them".

To what good use can we put this doctrine? It is very useful in interpreting the Scripture; I think it is the key. The Old Testament Scriptures are always to be interpreted in light of the New Testament. Not because they are less inspired or less true, but because they are incomplete. This is no defect; they were designed to be that way. They were a temporary measure awaiting "the fulness of time". Now, like the disciples, we're to "lift up our eyes and see no one but Jesus only".