One of the great events of our sacred recorded history was the visit of Elijah and Moses with Christ on the Mountain. On this mountain, away from the hustle and bustle of the world and its affairs, He metamorphosed, His body changed forms from the natural to the spiritual. In this body He received they who were without physical bodies at all, Moses and Elijah. Luke tells us He changed the fashion of His body. The Greek word for fashion here is eidos which means to change the form or kind of body in which He had lived. The fashion of the countenance of His body was not the same and what they spoke about was told in Luke 9:30: “they talked with Him about His “change” or exodus from this world which “would be accomplished at Jerusalem.”! From whence did Moses and Elijah come and what purpose was in their coming is often missed.
Often among the ancients there were ceremonies which heralded great changes. With the Hebrews when a son reached the age of responsibility and was to take over the affairs of the family, even the family of his father, they held the ceremony of adoption. The oldest son had by this time accomplished all that his father intended him to accomplish, wanting nothing, and was ready for promotion to be head of all his father had. This conclave was to honor the son and relieve the father and was held in utmost discipline. In the presence of friends and honored guest, the father would call the son to a higher platform, describe his honor and discipline, and place on him the leadership of all the father possessed. The Hebrew father would, they tell us, always have as a part of his speech this phrase; “this is my son, in whom I am well pleased.” The Roman Catholics use the word conclave for the assembly of bishops to select the next pope. On the Mount of Transfiguration Christ was accorded the authority and position of taking over ALL God, the Father, son, and Holy Spirit had promised Him. Here, He received the rite of adoption that awaits all we faithful who will have discharged their pledge of obedience on the Judgment Day. Galatians 4:1-6; Romans 8:23; Ephesians 1:5
Notice, it was given Him BEFORE His death, burial, and resurrection. This would make it impossible for anyone to assume Christ would then of go through all that would define Him as head over His body, the Church of Christ. Before the witnesses of the greatest men who had held the greatest positions before and after His death we would see Christ “receive honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 2 Peter 1:17
Having received of the Father this honor and glory, when Jesus had risen from the dead and before He ascended to the Father, could meet with His disciples and exclaim; “All authority has been given unto Me in heaven and on earth.” Matthew 28:18-20 He did not wait for the Jews to accept Him nor in fact the Gentile world. He arose “with healing in His wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” Malachi 4:2 He, who had all authority, came forth from the grave with this authority. The Mountain of Transfiguration was Christ day of recognition seen by only a few. For He arose and about Him was this statement made: “declared to be the Son of God with power.” Romans 1:4 he had the power WHEN, not IF He arose!! It was already established that Christ would “rise from the dead and that His flesh would no more see corruption.” Acts 2:27 Christ would no longer be under the Law of Moses; “tutors and governors until the time appointed.” Galatians 4:2
Also, at this mountain conclave, Christ was to inform some of His children things He had already told His disciples, Matthew 16:18-of immediate events which would “shortly come to pass.” Revelation 1:1; Isaiah 14:9 Messengers from two worlds met with the Master of all worlds and would carry back the message: “He has risen, indeed.” Luke 24:34 “And if I, if I be not lifted up from the earth, can draw all men unto Me.” John 12:32 Moses carried this message back to the Hadean world in Hades and Elijah took the same message to the 3rd heaven. There would no longer be two places of abode for they who had died who had been in the flesh: “in the dispensation of (called) the ‘fullness of times’ He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him. Ephesians 1:10 How would Christ explain to Moses and Elijah the preaching of our brethren preaching Christ “chickened out” before Calvary and had to beg for help?? It is atheism!!
