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Listen To Him - Matthew 17:5
Listen To Him - Matthew 17:5
In Matthew 17, we read that Jesus took three of his apostles with him up onto a high mountain by themselves to pray (see Luke 9:28). We are not told which mountain. We are not told why just Peter, James, and John were taken by Jesus.
While there, Jesus is transfigured (metamorphosed) before them and both his face and garments began to shine. Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus and talked with Him. We learn from Luke’s account that the topic of their conversation was the coming departure of Jesus (Luke 9:30).
As I was reading this I had several thoughts.
Moses (the giver of the Old Testament) and Elijah (the great prophet of the Old Testament) are REAL. They not only are real, but they yet live. Whether taken alive (Elijah) or dying and being buried (Moses), such is NOT the end of one’s being.
Jesus IS the Son of God, so said the Father.
Peter speaks rather than listens. Mark added: “For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified” (Mark 9:6). We have many people like Peter today, not knowing WHAT to say they yet feel compelled to say SOMETHING.
WE are to listen to HIM and not attempt to tell Him what should be done.
This is STILL a lesson for men to learn. We often hear comments that begin “Surely, God wouldn’t….”; or “It seems to me that God would…”. Such comments are most often void of even a suggestion of scripture behind them. While they may not suggest anything overtly evil (as here with Peter’s statement), they are overstepping our rightful boundaries with the Lord. In all we do, let it be done by the Lord’s direction (Col. 3:16-17). In all of our teaching, let us teach men to observe all that the Lord taught (Matt. 28:18-19). In our affirmations on what God would approve, let us not go beyond the teaching of Christ (2 John 9-10).
Peter remembered this event unto his dying days. In his last letter Peter wrote: "For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” (2 Pet. 1:16-17).
Hugh DeLong
