James O. Davis is the founder and president of Second Billion (TM). You are invited to learn more about Second Billion by visiting www.billion.tv.
INTRODUCTION
Even though we have read the record of the Transfiguration many times, I feel we have not fully understood that it is a prophetic preview of the Second Coming of Jesus. The Transfiguration was actually a glimpse of Glory and a foretaste of the future. Part of the reason is because of the chapter divisions of Matthew 16 and 17. Realize that the Scriptures are inspired, but the numbers are not. In fact, it was a long time before the chapter divisions were placed in the Bible. Some were not inserted correctly and have thus divided subjects and caused some confusion.
Jesus began to talk about His Second Coming right before the start of Matthew 17. Notice the two verses at the end of chapter 16, which seem to present a discrepancy, because Jesus had said, “Some of you who are standing here shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom.”
Was Jesus right or wrong? He was not wrong. The Transfiguration was a microcosm of the Second Coming when you put the pieces of the entire picture together. It was a prophetic preview. It was a foretaste of the future. It was a picture that Matthew was recording for the saints concerning the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. As we study this portion of Scripture, I want us to learn three primary lessons about the Transfiguration as it relates to the Second Coming.
FIRST, LEARN WHAT THIS PERIOD INDICATED
A) Notice the Duration -- Matthew 17:1 says, “And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart.” I want you to notice the duration. The Word says, “after six days.” This was nearly a week after Jesus had said that some of those that were standing there would see Him coming in His Kingdom.
The Old Testament prophets never saw the church age; they always saw Jesus Christ coming in His glory and power. They preached it like it was about to happen. In the New Testament, the disciples are also preaching the soon return of Jesus.
When Peter preached to the crowd on the Day of Pentecost, he first told the story from Joel. He then leaped over the church age and preached about the signs in the moon and stars and what was going to take place during the Tribulation. Then he says, “This same Jesus who left here is going to come back again.”
Understand that Matthew was sharing about the Second Coming of Jesus. If it was to be soon then, it is definitely soon now. I want you to see the duration, but also the division.
B) Notice the Division -- Peter, James and John were with Jesus. The rest of the disciples, and many other people, were also there on that occasion. They heard Jesus say that “some would not pass away before He would come in His glory and Kingdom.” Although many today are in the work of the Lord, or may be faithful to attend the house of the Lord, still some are not ready for His return. There will be a division as to who is ready when Jesus comes in His glory. I want you to see that there is a division, but that there also is a departure.
C) Notice the Departure -- The Bible says that “He took them up into a high mountain.” When Jesus does come back in His glory, there is going to be a rapture, a departure. Some church workers will be left behind. Some will be tares while others are wheat. The tares will be left behind. Friend, you have got to be genuinely ready for the coming of Jesus if you are going to go with Him when He returns.
Jesus was sharing with all of the people that day about the soon-ness of His coming and that there was going to be a separation between those who are ready and those who will be left behind. Jesus’ message and prophecy are still going to come about just as He told them a long time ago. It will happen just as Matthew recorded.
Some time ago a man was staying in a chalet in the Swiss Alps. Early one morning he heard what sounded like an earthquake. Hurriedly he got out of bed and ran to the front desk and asked if there was something wrong, if the mountains were breaking up? He was scared. The man at the front desk explained, “Sir, we are on the west side of the mountain. As the sun comes up in the east, and the snow and ice expand as they begin to warm. The expansion causes a large crashing noise. It’s not the end of the world, it’s just the beginning of a new day.”
I tell you, there is coming a new day. There is coming a new glory. There is coming a time when Jesus will come back and literally rapture us--grab us, snatch us out of the grip of this world. It will not be the end of the world, but it will be a new day for those who are found faithful and ready. I want you to understand the period indicated. The Bible indicates that it will be a time of short duration; and, before we realize it, Jesus will return to take us to be with Him in Glory.
SECOND, WE LEARN THE PERSONS WHO ARE INVOLVED
A) The Intimates -- Not only do we notice the period indicated, but we see the persons involved. When Jesus comes in His glory, there are going to be people involved. Notice again Peter, James and John; they are the intimates. These men were the inner-circle. They received more teaching from Jesus than anybody else. Does that mean Jesus has favorites? No. But you can count on it, Jesus has always had some intimates. He has always had some men and women who loved Him more than others, who were always hungry and thirsty for more.
Are you one of the intimates? Do you have an intimate relationship with Jesus? Is He able to communicate with you? Are you able to respond to Him? Do you know His voice? Do you understand His words? Peter, James and John were intimates, not favorites. We, too, need to be intimate and ready for Jesus to return. I want you to see the intimates, but also the participants.
B) The Participants -- The Bible says in verse three, “And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with Him.” That’s very interesting. Peter, James and John symbolized those who perceived the coming of Jesus, but Moses and Elijah symbolized those who will be participating in the coming of Jesus.
Moses died, but Elijah never did. When Jesus Christ returns, there will be those who have passed away and those who are still living. Moses represents the elected crowd and Elijah the raptured crowd. When Jesus returns, both those who are in the grave and those which are still alive will be caught up to be with Him forever. Moses and Elijah are a picture of the Second Coming because they represent the resurrected and the raptured crowds when Jesus returns.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:51, “Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed. The dead shall be raised incorruptible and we which are alive shall be changed. O Death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon used to say, “I hope I die before Jesus comes again. Because, on the day that He returns, I want to come out of that grave and look back and say, ‘Oh grave, where is your victory?’”
We, too, have something to sing and shout about. We don’t need to doubt, pout, moan or groan—Jesus is coming back in all His power and glory for those who are ready for His return.
C) The Magnificent -- We’ve seen the intimates and the participants, but if we are going to understand and comprehend the Second Coming, we have got to see the Magnificent. The Bible says in verse 8, “And when they had lifted up their eyes they saw no man save Jesus only.” The Second Coming is not about some pet prophesy, program or plan—it’s about a Person. The Second Coming does not center on you and me; it centers on Jesus.
The Bible notes that while they were on this mountain that Jesus’ appearance was changed. His face was changed and He was transfigured. The word “transfigured” comes from the word “metamorpho” from which we get “metamorphosis”. It’s the change that takes place outwardly. When Jesus comes in His glory, our physical body is going to take on a supernatural body and be like His body. It will be an eternal body. It will be a victorious body “over death, hell and the grave.” Jesus is going to change us and we are going to be with Him forever.
His appearance is changed and His apparel is changed. The Word says, “His raiment was as white as light.” Our clothing, too, is going to be changed. It will be eternal clothing. This corruptible will put on the incorruptible and we will live forever in the power and glory of Jesus Christ.
I want you to comprehend the persons involved, and the period indicated, but if we’re going to be fully able to see the significance of the Second Coming—particularly concerning Matthew 17—we all need to understand the program for the interval.
THIRD, WE LEARN THE PROGRAM FOR THE INTERVAL
A) Peter’s Attitude -- What are we supposed to be doing until Jesus returns? What is the program for the interval? What is the Church to be doing until Jesus Christ comes back?
Some of us have the same attitude as Peter. In verse four the Bible says, “Peter answered and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles—one for thee, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He wanted to go into a building program and stay on the mountain top with Jesus. He was not interested in leaving the mountain and going back to the valley.
Many of us want to stay on the mountain and not return to the valley either. We enjoy the supernatural experiences, but we do not want to take them to the valley where we can be useful for God. Like Peter, there are many who want to build up buildings instead of elevating evangelism. We are more interested in having one spiritual high after another. But, we will never appreciate the mountain top until we return to the valley, and we do not need to be in the valley until we have been on the mountain.
Are you like Peter, always trying to stay on the mountain top? Jesus does not just do supernatural things in our lives to keep us on top of the mountain. He wants us to return to the valley where hurting people are found. The Second Coming is not only for the Church to get ready, but for the Church to get others ready. It was not taught just to shock people, but to save people. The Second Coming was given for you and me to understand that we need to be in the valley telling others about Jesus. A lot of times the Church has turned inward and has forgotten about the outward needs.
Jesus did not like Peter’s attitude then and He does not like it now. Not only do we need to see Peter’s attitude, but we need to see the Savior’s action.
B) The Savior’s Action -- A lot of times I think we have forgotten that the Second Coming was given to stir us to get others to the mountain. I want you to see the Savior’s action in verse fourteen, “And when they were come to the multitude…” They had gone from the mountain top to the multitude below. “There came to him a certain man kneeling down to him and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and sore vexed, for oftentimes he falleth into the fire and into the water.”
While Jesus had been on the mountain with Peter, James, John, Moses and Elijah, a father had brought his demon-possessed boy to the other disciples to have the demons cast out. Having failed, Jesus says to them, “O ye of little faith…” He then begins to share with them concerning faith in God and casts out the demons and heals the boy.
If Jesus had stayed on the mountain that boy would never have been delivered. If Peter, James and John would have stayed on the mountain, they would never have seen that Jesus could heal the boy. Jesus Christ came from the mountain to the multitude. He came from the mountain to the man. He came from victory to the valley. He came from the transfiguration to the tragedy. He left the holy place to go to a hopeless place. He left blessedness to go to broken-ness. He left the netherworld for the needy world. He left the place of glory to go down to place of gloom and where people were hurting.
It is a lazy brand of Christianity when somebody wants to stay on the mountain with Jesus, but not take Jesus down to the valley. Jesus did not like that attitude then and He does not like it now. The Second Coming is not only to show us that Jesus is going to return, but that we should minister to those in need in the valley.
C) The Scripture’s Authority -- Isn’t it interesting to see there were two mountains that day? In Matthew 17:20, 21, Jesus had said, “…If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goest not out but by prayer and fasting.” Jesus was saying, there was a mountain of transfiguration but also a mountain of tragedy. People are hurting, dying, need deliverance, and for Jesus Christ to come into their lives. If we stay on the mountain we will not be able to deliver the boy.
We have seen Peter’s attitude, the Savior’s action, and the Scripture’s authority because the Bible says if we have that kind of faith in Jesus, we will be able to move those kinds of mountains. We must leave the mountain of transfiguration and go to the mountains of tragedy to help people and bring them to Christ.
Do we really care about the needs of people who do not know the Lord? Many hurting people are going to miss the Second Coming unless we take them to the mountain. The only way we can take them to the mountain is to go to the valley. We need to become intimate with Jesus and take Him with us to the valley in order to see lives changed, corrected, consecrated, committed and made ready for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Does it matter whether those people stay in the valley or whether they make it to the mountaintop with Jesus? Jesus came the first time and He died so we could leave the mountain and go to the valley. That’s what Christianity is all about: living victoriously and delivering others who are hurting and need Jesus in their personal lives. If Jesus were to come today, they would be left behind. We need to leave the mountain and go to the valley and get them ready for the coming of Jesus.
CONCLUSION
Seventy-five years ago the Titanic set sail from England to America. They said the Titanic was an unsinkable ship, and really, that was the only thing it ever did. It made its way into treacherous waters. Its captain was told there were dangerous icebergs along the way and that he should be careful. He read the note, folded it, put it away, and said: “Sail on.” They sailed on and you know the story. They hit an iceberg and over 1,500 people died that night as a result.
There were people in the first, second and third class sections of that ship. Some were up and outers while others were down and outers. Some were very poor while others were very rich. There were people on board from all facets of society and many countries of the world. But, when the news arrived in New York that the Titanic had sunk, there were not longer many classes of people listed, only the saved and the lost.
Today, there are still only two classes of two people in the world: those who are saved and those who are lost. When Jesus returns, those who are lost will be left behind. Those who are saved will be caught up with Him into Glory. The only way the lost can be saved is for you and me to go to the valley and get their dirt and blood on our clothes and take them to the mountain.
Jesus can come at any time. He said, “When you think not, so shall the Son of Man return.” If we really believe that Jesus could come at any moment, we will not stay on the mountain top very long. We will do everything we can to get them ready for the Second Coming of Jesus.
That’s what made the New Testament Church so different. They lived every day as though it would be the last day before Jesus would return. Matthew was trying to show the Church something concerning the Second Coming of Jesus. We’ve seen the period indicated. We’ve seen the persons involved. But the program for the interval is the key for understanding the Second Coming. Jesus wants us to leave the mountain and go to the man, meet his needs, and get him ready for Christ’s return. He wants to use you and me. He wants us to leave the mountain, go to the valley, and save the people by the power of Jesus Christ!
