Mt. of Transfiguration

All right, good morning. We are on our fifth mountain and

I'm not going to review those, the ones we've done already, but

we had the mount of temptation last week and hopefully that was

a blessing to you and and you learned something from it.

We're going to look at another one today that is not a it's,

it's what we call a mount, but it's not a, this particular

mountain is not a the name of the mountain, but we're going to

look at the mount of Transfiguration this morning.

Does anybody now this is Sunday school, so we got to, we're

going to think, I know it's early, but we're going to think

a little bit here. Does anybody know what they

consider which mountain is considered the mount of

Transfiguration? What is the actual physical

mountain? Does anybody know?

There's two of them that people go back and forth and we're not

going to argue about that. But anybody, Trey?

No good guess though. Nope.

Good guess though, kind of kind of not real real popular ones.

Mount Hermon and Mount Tabor. And the Bible doesn't actually

tell us which one it is 'cause we'll we'll go there and we'll

read it here in just a second. Excuse me, but the Bible doesn't

tell us which mountain they actually went up.

It just says they went up on a high mountain.

And but I want you to think about this because this is

important to our lesson. Another, another thinking

question. Where in Jesus ministry did this

amount of transfiguration happen roughly beginning and middle?

Anybody have any idea? And I did, I purposely didn't

give you the the passage because it'll give you where it's at.

It's in the middle. Yeah, it's, it's in the

beginning middle. I would say that the, the, the,

the, the end of the first half, maybe all right, that's the

amount of transfiguration. So now knowing that, let's go to

Matthew chapter 17. And that's where we're going to,

Matthew 17 · chapter mention

we're going to start there. We're going to read this

passage. There's actually three different

places that it's that is talked about in the in Matthew, Mark

and Luke. And we are going to go look at

those because those are very important to our lesson as well.

But we'll look at those as we go through it.

But we're going to start with Matthew chapter 17 and read this

Matthew 17 · chapter mention

passage. And then we'll we'll talk about

the amount of transfiguration. But I think now this goes

without saying, it's very important to the Jews.

There was 3 positions that were very important to them, the

prophet, the priest, and a king, right?

I think, I think we would all agree on that.

Remember when Saul becomes king, they are begging for it.

They want a king. We want to be like other

nations. So the king, the king, position

of king was important to them, but the position of prophet and

priest was very important because God said it was.

And so they took that seriously and it was important to them.

And what happens here on the Mount of Transfiguration, we'll

see it in just a second is as we read Matthew 17 is I think it's

important that it happened right here in the middle of his of his

ministry. It wasn't at the beginning

because Jesus was still calling his disciples and everything

else, and it wasn't at the end as a final proof of who he was.

It was in the middle to show them.

See in Matthew chapter 16, Jesus tells them I'm going to die and

Matthew 16 · chapter mention

I'm going to be resurrected. And they don't understand it.

They're, they're confused by what's happening.

I'll, I'll destroy this temple and rebuild it in three days.

Even his disciples were confused as to what he was trying to say.

And so the next thing, the next chapter here in Matthew 17, we

have Jesus, I think I believe finally going, OK, I need to, I

need to prove to my own disciples who I actually am so

that they really get behind this, not because I need them,

but be, but I need them to spread this gospel.

And if they don't believe it after I go, who's going to be

left to spread this? And so I think Jesus is is

obviously under the direction of the Holy Spirit has this this

mount of transfiguration experience to show Peter, James

and John what's really going on with his ministry.

You got to remember, even after Jesus dies, the disciples think

he's going to resurrect and start his earthly Kingdom.

They still just didn't understand exactly what was

going on. But let's read Matthew chapter

Matthew 17 · chapter mention

17. We're going to start right here

in verse one and there's a the first, the third word here is

important after six days. So we'll come back to that

later. But after six days, Jesus taketh

Peter, James and John his brother and bringeth them up

into an high mountain apart six days from what?

From this time that Jesus had done some of these works and and

you have to read verse chapter 16 to see what he's talking

about. But Peter's saying six days

after that, he takes Peter, James and John his brother, and

bringeth them up into a high mountain apart.

And again, it doesn't mention which mountain it is.

So it's all left to speculation. And was transfigured before

them. And his face did shine as the

sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

And we're going to come back to verse 2 here in a minute.

That's very important as well. And behold, there appeared unto

them Moses and Elias talking with them.

Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for

us to be here, if thou wilt, let us make here 3 tabernacles, one

for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias, while he yet

spake. Behold, a bright cloud

overshadowed them. And behold a voice out of the

cloud, which said, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well

pleased, Hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it,

they fell on their face, and were so afraid.

And Jesus came and touched them and said, Arise and be not

afraid. And when they lifted up their

eyes, they saw no man save Jesus only.

And then it continues on. They came down from the

mountain. Jesus charged them, saying, tell

this vision to no man until the Son of man be risen again from

the dead. And his disciples asked him,

saying, why then say the scribes that Elias must first come and

and then they start asking him what exactly happened?

But I think it's interesting I've always thought in verse 4,

you see then answered Peter and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is

good for us to be here if thou wilt let us make 3 tabernacles,

one for thee, one for Moses and one for Elias.

And that's just kind of drops in there.

Doesn't really make sense what that verse.

Why? Why is he even saying why is

Peter saying that? But it's interesting.

I think it's Luke. No, it's Mark that says, because

Peter was so afraid and didn't know what else to say, he asked

Jesus that. So he literally it really

doesn't fit and there's no reason for it.

And but that's what happened. Peter was so afraid.

He just starts talking kind of in typical Peter fashion.

So I think that's interesting that he just starts spouting and

Luke actually calls him out on it.

He didn't know or Mark, he didn't know what else to say.

So he just started talking and asked Jesus to build a build a

Tabernacle there. But then then God himself says,

this is my beloved son. Listen to him.

Listen what he has to say. And so anyway, we are going to

look at the Mount of Transfiguration this morning,

the Mount of preview, the mount of what was coming.

And even in His earthly ministry, remember, this is not

at the end. This is still in the middle of

His ministry. So it's a preview of what was

going to happen. And then also after his

resurrection, His kingship, what was going to happen with that?

He needed to show the disciples that on the Mount of

Transfiguration. So let's pray and then we'll get

right into this lesson. Father, thank you for this day

you've given us. Got to thank you for another

opportunity. We have to open your word and to

learn from it. Got to pray that you would feed

us from your word for that we would look at this, this story,

this, this happening in, in, in history and your earthly

ministry. And it would just shore up in

our minds and, and just give us even more confidence in the fact

that we are worshiping the true Son of God, the Messiah that

came to save his people from their sin.

And I pray that you would just give us even more confidence

through this of what was actually going on with your son

here on this earth in Jesus name, I pray, Amen.

So we're going to look at the the account of Matthew, the

account of Mark and the account of Luke.

They all have little bit different words in how they

describe this light that came on Jesus Christ.

And, and I think it's important the difference is there because

Matthew shows Jesus Christ as a prophet in the way he he talks.

And we'll look at that first and then the other two look at him

as priest and king. And we'll look at, that's what

we're going to look at this morning in these lessons.

The prophet, priest and kingship of Jesus Christ previewed here

in the Mount of Transfiguration. All right, so first of all,

Matthew looks at Jesus Christ, a preview of his work as prophet

and go to verse 2 of Matthew 17. I said verse 2 was very

important. And it's these words, these

phrases that we're going to look at it says and was transfigured

before them. And his face did shine as the

sun and his raiment was white as the light.

And I think it's interesting, the very next verse says that

that that Moses appears and Moses also had this same thing

happened on the mountain, right? That his face shone as the light

to where they couldn't even they couldn't even look at look on

him. But I looked this up and I

wanted to read it real quick. It's it's a short where am I at

all tabs? There we go.

I looked it up and I saved it. All right, so this is this is I

want to read this real fast about the I might have deleted

it. I sure did.

OK, here we go. The high mountain that we call

the mount of transfiguration is never clearly identified in

scripture. That's not the one I wanted to

read. I know where it's at.

Hold on, it's out of my study Bible, but I didn't want to

bring both Bibles. Here we go.

So this is Scofield's words on on Christ's transfiguration.

He says the transfiguration scene contains in miniature all

the elements of the future Kingdom in manifestation, the

Lord Jesus, not in humiliation. So this is the first part of of

this scene. The Lord Jesus not in

humiliation, but in glory. Remember his whole, his whole

earthly ministry is, is is is is a ministry of, yes, setting up

the gospel and all of that, but a ministry of humility.

He is not able to show them who he truly is.

Even on the cross. They're mocking him saying if

you're truly God, if you're Christ, come down off that

cross. And he could have, but in

humility and in the, the need for redemption of mankind, he

stays on that cross and, and dies with the mocking of all

these people. But here on the Mount of

Transfiguration, his, his true glory is shown just for a little

bit. It's not, it's you see how long

the passage is? It's not very long, but the Lord

Jesus not in humiliation, but in glory here on the mount of

Transfiguration, Moses in glory, the representative of the

redeemed who have passed through death into the Kingdom already.

So that's what Moses is doing there.

And this is this is Scofield's notes.

And then thirdly, Elijah also in glory, but representative of the

redeemed who have entered the Kingdom by translation, not very

many of those, but a few. And then we have Peter, James

and John, not glorified yet, but representative for the moment of

Israel in the flesh, in the future Kingdom.

And then lastly, it's the multitude at the foot of the

mountain, representative of those who are going to be

brought into the Kingdom after it's established over Israel.

So very much a preview of what was coming.

That's what the mount of figuration was.

And it's kind of an interesting passage because it just drops in

there. It's a couple verses long and

then that's it. We don't really hear anything

else about it, but it was a preview to the disciples of what

was coming. And so back to our lesson,

Matthew chapter 17 and verse 2, we see Jesus being previewed as

Matthew 17 · chapter mention

a prophet. And, and Peter or Matthew uses

those words. His face shines as the sun and

his raiment was white as the light.

And so the, the, the word we're going to focus there on is

white. And the other ones don't have

this, but white. He's reminding us of the task of

a prophet and his, his job was to carry the, the light of the

truth through the ages. Really, they're prophesying of

what's going to come. We see that in Jeremiah and

Isaiah and in all the other prophets.

They are carrying this truth sometimes alone, sometimes the

only ones, they're the only ones doing it even have Elijah doing

that, the only one carrying this light, the least that he thought

standing alone, but carrying the light of the gospel that was to

come and and Hebrews chapter 1 tells us that that's exactly

Hebrews 1 · chapter mention

what Christ's job was. He says, I'll read it.

God, who has sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time

past unto the fathers by the prophets, but hath in these last

days spoken unto us by his Son. He is the final prophet that

that we see. And so Jesus Christ was the

prophet that was previewed here, Luke chapter 24, verse 19.

Luke 24:19

I'll read this one as well concerning Jesus of Nazareth,

which was a prophet mighty indeed and word before God and

all the all the people. That's Luke's, Luke's Speaking

of Jesus Christ as the prophet. So what did this prophet teach?

And I'm just going to make mention of this and we're going

to move through this pretty quickly because this is an

overview. We're not digging real deep into

the mount of Transfiguration. But what, what was Jesus

teaching? And we see this in Matthew

Matthew 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5 through 7. He taught in sermons.

We also see it with the Olivet Discourse in Matthew chapter 24

Matthew 24 · chapter mention

and 25 S Jesus did teach by way of sermons, but he also taught

by way of parables. And that's what the prophets

did. They taught they they told of

things to come and what was going on.

But Jesus was doing exactly that through all the parables, right.

Parables are earthly stories with heavenly meanings.

And that's why so often the the the disciples even were after he

would tell it. You know, it kind of makes me

think of, you know, sometimes us sitting in church.

Hey man, yes, yes, and then afterwards going, what were you

talking about? That's what the disciples were

doing. They're they're, they're

agreeing. I mean, they're sitting there

listening to the parables just as everybody else.

And then afterwards Bible even gives us a record of that.

They would go to him and say, what were you, what were you

trying to say there? What was the meaning of that?

And Jesus often would say, you have little faith or you have

little understanding. How do you not understand what

I'm trying to say? But they were earthly stories.

So they got that part with heavenly meanings and they

didn't always catch those, but that's how Jesus taught as a

prophet when he was here in His earthly ministry.

But then what did the people think of him as this prophet?

Well, John Chapter 7 and verse 40, this is after Jesus talks

John 7 · chapter mention

about the living water. It says of a truth, John Chapter

John 7:40

7, verse 40 of a truth. This is the prophet when the

widow's son was raised to life. Again, we see that in Luke

Luke 7 · chapter mention

Chapter 7, the people said a great prophet is risen up among

us in Matthew chapter 21, Palm Sunday, the multitude is

Matthew 21 · chapter mention

shouting Hosanna to to God in the highest and but they said

this is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

So the people knew he was a prophet and the amount of

transfiguration Jesus was showing his disciples.

A little quick preview. I'm I am a prophet and this is

what is coming. But then we see what Jesus

worked as a prophet. What was his goal as a prophet?

What was the goal of all of the prophets?

Think about Jeremiah and Isaiah, what was their purpose?

Does anybody actually I'm asking this question, what was the

purpose of Jeremiah, Isaiah, Hosea?

What was their purpose as a prophet?

Just to prophecy things coming, very big part of it to bring

them back to God. And so in saying that bringing

them back to God, obviously what was wrong, they were away from

God. So the goal of these prophets is

to show them their sin and then say show them there is a way

back to reconcile with God. Well, that's exactly what Jesus

says. But think of the woman at the

well. She talks to Jesus.

We know that story. He says if you drink of this

living water, you'll never thirst again.

And then he says go get your husband.

What was his point in saying that?

To mock her, to make her feel bad?

His point in saying that was to show her you're in sin and you

need this water that I'm that I'm talking about.

But you are in sin and you've had five husbands and the one

you're with now is not your husband.

And what's her response? John chapter 4, verse 19.

John 4:19

Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet because the goal of the

prophets, and I'll read this in Isaiah chapter 58 verse one, cry

Isaiah 58 · chapter mention

aloud, spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet and show my

people their transgressions and the House of Jacob their sins.

That is the goal of a prophet and Jesus Christ fulfills

exactly that role. Here in the New Testament, John

John 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4, we see that. Sir, I perceive that thou art a

prophet. Why?

Because you're pointing out my sin and trying to lead me back

to Jesus Christ. And so in the light of the

perfection of the Son of God here in the New Testament, the

sinful state of Israel was, was very obvious and they knew it.

It's one of the reasons they crucified Christ.

They did not like that he was pointing out their sin when they

thought they were so spiritual and they were so righteous.

And, and so they accused Christ of blasphemy and they, and they

crucify him, but it's because he was pointing out their sin and

their need for this Savior, which they didn't think they

needed. And they certainly didn't think

Jesus Christ was that one that was going to point them in that

direction. So we see Jesus Christ previewed

as a prophet in Matthew chapter 17.

Matthew 17 · chapter mention

I want you to go to Mark Chapter 9.

Mark 9 · chapter mention

This is another, another account of the transfiguration, Mark

Mark 9 · chapter mention

Chapter 9. And we're going to see Jesus

previewed as the priest, prophet, priest.

And then in Luke we'll look at him as king.

But mark Chapter 9 and verse, we'll start in verse one.

Mark 9 · chapter mention

And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that there be some

of them that stand here which shall not taste of death till

they have seen the Kingdom of God come with power.

And again verse 2, after six days that's important.

Jesus taketh with him. Peter and James and John.

And I like this account because we'll see some more details.

Peter, James and John and leaded them up into a high mountain

apart by themselves, and he was transfigured before them.

And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow, so as

no fuller on earth can white them.

And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses, and they were

talking with Jesus. And Peter answered and said to

Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here and let us make 3

tabernacles, one for Thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Verse 6 This is where Luke Mark calls him out for he wished not

what to say, for they were so afraid.

He's so scared I don't know what to say.

So he just starts talking. That's what I was referring to

before. But verse 7.

And there was a cloud that overshadowed them.

And a voice came out of the cloud saying, this is my beloved

son, hear him. And suddenly when they had

looked around about, they saw no man anymore save Jesus, only

with themselves. And again in verse 9, Jesus

charges them as they came down from the mountain.

He charged them that they should tell no man what things they had

seen till the Son of man were risen from the dead.

And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with

another what the rising from the dead should mean.

I think it's it's interesting there another little phrase.

They don't quite understand what is going on here.

But in Mark he previews Jesus Christ through this

transfiguration as the priest. And what I want to point out

here is in verse 3, remember I said verse 2, white as light is

what Matthew talks about. But in Mark he says in verse 3,

his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow, so as

no fuller on earth can white them.

So a little bit different description of what he's seeing,

same same picture, but a little different description.

He says his his garment became white as snow, so no fuller on

earth could white them. It's a word we don't really

hear, but through the context we can kind of we kind of

understand what it is. What was a fuller?

They had one job that was to clean garments and to make them

white. But I think it's interesting and

and we see this through history, really through not so much the

Bible, but mostly through history that the fullers all

worked outside of the city. And the main reason was we think

of soap as being this, you know, clean smelling.

It's funny. I just told my wife, she she's

really, really been focusing on all the chemicals and different

things that we, we, you know, put in our bodies, but also that

we have outside our bodies that we come in contact with.

And one of those is the soap and, and what, what's the other

stuff that smells real good? That what is it?

Yeah, the softener. You tell how much I do laundry,

but the softener is, you know, it's a lot of chemicals, but it

makes your clothes smell good. And I said, and I told her the

other day, I said, put a little bit of that in it.

If you have to wash my clothes by themselves, put that in my my

work clothes. Because when you sweat in them

all day long, you just can't get them clean.

And then after a few weeks you start smelling them.

So anyways, so she started doing that for me.

But we think of soap nowadays as all that's going to get them

smelling good. Not then the goal of soap was to

clean, not necessarily to smell good.

And the fuller's works smelled so bad from the alkaline and

things that they used that they pushed them out of the city and

said get out and do your workout outside the city.

Well, I think if you're if you're thinking in in respect to

Jesus Christ, Christ was crucified outside the city.

So I think it's interesting that Mark says that as white as snow,

so as no fuller on earth could have whited these garments that

way. That's what he's saying in

Malachi chapter 3, verse two, he mentioned that he speaking

Malachi 3 · chapter mention

prophetically of Christ, he is like a refiner's fire and like

fuller's soap. So he's even referred to as or

or or likened to a fuller's soap in Malachi.

And I think it's interesting that Mark brings that up again.

And it's very, very few times that we actually see that word

in the Bible, let alone in the New Testament.

But fuller so anyway, so that was the that was the work of of

these fullers and that was the similarity that we see with

Christ and a fuller. But I think it's interesting in

verse 3 right there at the end. So as no fuller on earth can

wipe them. What he's saying is fullers do

good work. They make these garments white,

but these were whiter than anything anybody on earth could

have could have done. And I think it's important to

note then that Jesus Christ, as the priest previewed here on the

Mount of Transfiguration was going to be better than anything

they had at the time, any priest.

They had a physical priest here on earth.

Isaiah chapter one, verse 18 says this.

Come now and let us reason together.

Say it. The Lord, though your sins be a

scarlet, they shall be white as snow.

Exact phrase that Mark uses there.

Though they be read like Crimson, they shall be as well.

You got to think these men, these disciples, when they are

talking about reading the law and and reading God's word,

anytime that's mentioned this, they have the Old Testament.

They did, they were the ones writing the New Testament.

They don't have this. So when you see those phrases

referred back to and then things like that, they knew God's word.

They knew the word that they had, they knew the law.

And so you'll see that often in their writings and, and we

think, oh, wow, that's the same phrase.

It's because they knew the word of God and they're using those

phrases from what they know in their walk with with God.

But anyways, Isaiah says that they shall be white as snow,

though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as wool.

And so but the superiority of Jesus Christ is is seen there so

as no fuller on earth could wipe them.

He was going to be priests. That was the preview here, but

he was going to be better priest than the final priest or the

final sacrifice. And he says that in Hebrews

Hebrews 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1, every priest standeth daily ministering and offering

oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins

forever sat down in the right hand of God.

And then for by one offering he hath perfected forever them that

are sanctified. So this, these priests that

we're, we're sacrificing for sins and, and doing what they

were supposed to do, but very, very, very much not able to take

away the sins of these people. That's why they had to keep

doing it over and over and over and over.

And that's what Hebrews is saying.

You, you sacrificed often. But now this final, this priest

that that we saw that we see in the Mount of Transfiguration,

this priest is going to offer one time forever for all the

sins and then sit down at the right hand of God for by one

offering he hath perfected forever them that are

sanctified. And I think that's why it's so

important that you know, when when we are out talking with

people. We were out at VCU yesterday

handing out Flyers and we knock on doors and we talk to people.

We get to see where they where they at are at in their minds of

how they're going to get to heaven or where they're at in

their walk with Christ. And very often it is works.

That's what the sacrificial system was.

It was works. And the whole point of it was to

show them you can't. It is not sufficient for what

you need for your sins in Jesus Christ as as he's compared here

to the priest goes outside the city walls just like the

fuller's on Gogotha and cleanses for once and for all man sin but

but cleaner than any priest or any fuller could ever get their

their clothes and I think they would have understood that.

But if not, that's what this preview was.

And then thirdly, go to Luke Chapter 9, Luke Chapter 9 in

Luke 9 · chapter mention Luke 9 · chapter mention

math in Mark and Luke the the transfiguration is even earlier

in their account of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but Matthew is

in 17. Mark and Luke are both in

Chapter 9, but go to Luke, Luke Chapter 9 and verse 28 and you

Luke 9 · chapter mention

can see how similar these accounts are.

Remember in Mark our account starts in verse 2, but in verse

one of Mark Chapter 9 that it's the same verse in 27.

Mark 9 · chapter mention

But I tell you the truth, there be some standing here which

shall not taste of death till they see the Kingdom of God.

Very, very, very similar accounts of what's happening

with the gospel in these three men, but just from a different,

different perspective. But in verse 28 of Chapter 9 of

Luke, it says it came to pass about an 8 days after these

sayings he took Peter and John and James and went up into a

mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of

his countenance was altered and his raiment was white and

blistering. And behold, there talked with

him two men, which were Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory

and spake of the deceased, which he should accomplish at

Jerusalem. This is interesting.

This is a little bit different. Look at this story.

So he tells us that that the model transfiguration happened.

But verse 32 Peter and they that were with him, which we know was

James and John were heavy with sleep.

And when they were awake, they saw his glory and the two men

that stood with him. So they're asleep again on this

mountain. I don't know what it is about

them sleeping. They're sleeping in Yosemite now

they're asleep on this mountain and when they wake up, they wake

up to Jesus, Moses and Elijah talking about his death and

resurrection. That's pretty interesting.

We don't see that in Matthew and Mark, but that's what we see

here in in verse 30. And behold, there talked with

him two men, which which were Moses and Elias, who appeared in

glory and spoke of his decease, which he should accomplish at

Jerusalem. Jerusalem.

And then Peter, James and John wake up to that.

And verse 33 it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter

said unto Jesus, Master, it's good for us to be here.

Let us make 3 tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses, and one

for Elias, not knowing what he said.

So again doesn't know what to say.

So he just, he's just talking. While he thus spake, there came

a cloud and overshadowed them, and they feared as they entered

into the cloud. And there came a voice out of

the cloud saying, This is my beloved son, hear him.

And when the voice was passed, Jesus was found alone, and they

kept it close and told man, no man in those days of those

things which they had seen. So same same account, but a

little bit different look. And what I want to see here is

in verse 29. As he prayed, the fashion of his

countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and

glistering. This is also interesting.

We don't see this phrase really anywhere else in the Bible

either. White and glistering.

I'm going to get to that in just a second.

I wanted to talk about this eight days, and I just got a few

minutes, but this 8 days compared to the six, the other

two we're talking about. And does anybody know what the

number six is in the Bible? I think we and the number of

men, right? We see that in Revelation.

We see that all over the place. That's the number of men.

Does anybody know what the number 8 means or is symbolic

of? No, that's seven.

Yeah. What is 8 redemption?

It is the number of new beginnings.

And I think this is really interesting, the number of new

beginnings. And so you know, it's not, I

want to, I want to address this too.

Was it 6 days or was it 8 days? Well, I think Matthew and Mark

are just saying, OK, this day and then there was six days in

between and then the amount of transfiguration, I think Luke

takes the day before and the day of the mount transfiguration and

adds those two to the 6th. There's definitely six days from

whatever they're going from to the mount of Transfiguration.

And I think that Luke just adds the the the book ends and makes

it 8 days. But I also think it's important

because it's a number of new beginnings. 8 is think about

this and these are these are somebody else's numbers.

But I do think it's interesting the, the number 8 is the number

of beginnings on the calendar. The 8th day marks the beginning

of a new week, right? So you have 7 days.

The 8th day is a new week. In music.

The eighth note marks the beginning of a new octave,

right? In Jewish history, David was the

eighth son of his father, and his reign marked the beginning

of a new dynasty in Israel. The resurrection of Christ

occurred on Sunday, the 8th day, the beginning of a new week, and

marked a new beginning on the calendar of eternity in

eternity. In contrast to the number of 6,

which is the number of ants. So I think, you know, I've said

this before, I don't hang my hat too much on numerology, but I

think it is interesting that that Luke happens to say 8 days

and he is previewing Christ as king, which is a whole entirely

new beginning. And we're going to finish with

this though. But in in verse 29, as he

prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered and his

raiment was white and glistering in Greek.

This white and glistering is is translated from one single Greek

word. And I'm not going to try to

pronounce it, but it means to flash out as lightning.

It's the only place we see it in the Bible.

But it to flash out as lightning in Matthew chapter 24 and verse

Matthew 24 · chapter mention

27, it says, for as the lightning cometh out of the east

and shineth even under the West, so shall also the sun, the so

shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

So I think a very interesting phrase there that that Luke uses

different than Mark and Matthew, but white and glistering,

talking about like a flash of lightning like that's that's

what in his mind that this whiteness of the raiments of

Jesus Christ was like a flash of lightning.

But Matthew Matthew talks about that there in chapter 24.

But this helps us to understand the final piece of prophet,

priest and king that was beast was so important to the Jewish

people as prophet Christ reveals the sinfulness of mankind,

right. We we talked about that as

priest, he provides the means of cleansing the sin and the stain

and makes their hearts whiter than snow.

We see that Jesus Christ outside the the gates dies on the cross

and their sins are as scarlet, but they can be made as white as

snow. But then one day as king, Christ

will return to earth to rule and reign in a Kingdom which has no

sin. And it's we're, we're done just

because of time. But that's the part we have yet

to see. We've seen him as prophet, we've

seen him as priest. And we, we will get to in the

Bible, but we will get to see him as king reigning over the

entire earth. And we see that in in Revelation

Revelation 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2, Psalm chapter 2, we see that the kingdoms of the

Psalms 2 · chapter mention

earth will bow their knee to Jesus Christ.

And this mount of transfiguration is a preview of

those things that were coming, prophet and priest.

We already saw they were a preview of what was coming in

the life of Christ here on this earth.

But the king that Luke talks about, this flash of lightning,

we're going to see that in the in, in, in in the entire or, or

after Christ comes back to this earth to reign as king.

And I'm excited about that. And I hope you are as well.

But John chapter 1 and verse 14. And we'll close with this verse.

John 1 · chapter mention

And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his

glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of

grace and truth. And the disciples didn't quite

understand it. So he has the amount of

transfiguration to to show them and just shore up.

And then he tells them, don't tell anybody you saw this until

I until I die and resurrected and I go then you can start

talking about this, but I don't want anybody to know about it

until then. Interesting that he says that.

But anyways, that's a lesson for another time.

Let's pray and we will be finished with Sunday School.

Father, I thank you for this day you've given us.

Got to thank you for the time we have here to open your word.

Got to pray that this lesson would have been one that your

people could understand. And I pray that it would just

just give us a confidence as I prayed before God in in your son

and in the Messiah, in the Savior that we trust and that we

worship as the sacrifice for our sins.

And I got to just pray that you bless this next hour as pastor

preaches, fill them with your power and speak to our hearts.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen.