THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE KING
Text: Matthew 17
The word "transfigured" is a very interesting word. The Greek word is "metamorpho" and it means to transform, literally or figuratively to metamorphose, or to change. The word is a verb that means to change into another form. It also means to change the outside to match the inside. The prefix "meta" means to change and the "morphe" means form. In the case of the transfiguration of Jesus Christ it means to match the outside with the reality of the inside. To change the outward so that it matches the inward reality. Jesus' divine nature was "veiled" in human form and the transfiguration was a glimpse of that glory.
The Bible says:
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, [through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;]
Therefore, the transfiguration of Jesus Christ displayed the Shekinah glory of God incarnate in the Son. The voice of God attesting to the truth of Jesus' Sonship was the second time God's voice was heard. The first time was at Jesus' baptism into His public ministry by John the Baptist.
The Bible says:
Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Mar 1:11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Luk 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
Therefore, the transfiguration of Jesus Christ was a unique display of His divine character and a glimpse of the glory, which Jesus had before He came to earth in human form. This truth is emphasized for us in a passage in the Apostle Paul's letter to Philippi:
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 [Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.]
Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The Son of God came to earth in the form of a man to be the true servant of God and to give mankind the greatest gift ever given, eternal life. The transfiguration of Jesus Christ was a visible sign [in the presence of reliable witnesses] of the reality of the power of God and the glory, which is Christ Jesus.
The transfiguration of Christ Jesus was one of the greatest records in the New Testament of His earthly ministry. God laid His "Glory" aside and put on human flesh in order to redeem the entire human race. We get a Biblical glimpse of the "glorified body" of Christ that He will return in.
This transfiguration was a fulfillment of what Jesus had told the disciples just a week earlier:
Mat 16:28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
That kingdom, the kingdom of God is then Christ in All His Glory:
Luk 9:27 But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, [till they see the kingdom of God.]
Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Rev 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
*****Our Text:
Mat 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
Mat 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Mat 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
This chapter begins with the "Glory of the Lord" and ends with a gold bearing fish.
Jesus had separated Himself and the disciples from the multitudes in order to teach and to pray. These two things must go together!
Luk 9:28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and [went up into a mountain to pray].
The transfiguration took place while Jesus was praying and the Apostle Peter would never forget this day:
2Pe 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, [but were eyewitnesses of his majesty].
2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour 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.
2Pe 1:18 [And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount].
1.) His clothing was changed:
Mat 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and [his raiment was white as the light].
a.) His clothes were like lightening:
Luk 9:29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
glistering: to flash out like lightning, to shine, be radiant
b.) His clothes were whiter than anyone could make them:
Mar 9:3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
2.) His appearance was changed:
Luk 9:29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered,
Jesus looked strange to those that saw Him.
The Apostle John wrote:
Joh 1:14 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.
This was the "glory of God" in the Tabernacle:
Exo 40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Exo 40:35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Exo 40:36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:
Exo 40:37 But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.
Exo 40:38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
In the Temple:
1Ki 8:10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
1Ki 8:11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.
This was the "Glory" that had departed from the Temple because of the apostasy of Israel:
Eze 10:18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.
Eze 11:22 Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
Eze 11:23 And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
This Glorious Savior was at this time on Earth in His glory form and His name was Jesus.
He would later reveal Himself to Stephen:
Act 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
Act 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
To the Apostle Paul:
Act 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and [suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven]:
Act 9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Act 22:6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, [suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me].
Act 22:11 [And when I could not see for the glory of that light], being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
Act 26:13 At midday, O king, [I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me] and them which journeyed with me.
And to the Apostle John on Patmos:
Rev 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: [and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength].
Christ Jesus will reveal His "Glory" to the World again but the World will tremble:
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
The redeemed, those written in the Lamb's Book of Life, will walk in that light for ever and ever in that City of New Jerusalem:
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Jesus Christ was not transfigured by any external means! His light was and is the "Glory of God"!
Joh 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
The Glory of God had to be veiled so He could come to this Earth because what God said to Moses is still true:
Exo 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
Christ's "glory" was not surrendered at His birth but it was through the "virgin birth" that he was veiled by the flesh.
John the Apostle had these words:
Joh 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
Joh 1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
Joh 1:8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
Joh 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
God had always placed a vail between Him and His children to protect them from His "glory". The vail of the Tabernacle and of the Temple served also this purpose, not to separate God from His people but to protect them so He could be present with them. That vail was a show of God's "grace".
Jesus Christ is that new and living way to get close to God!
Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
We can also find that the original word used for "transfigured" is used only twice more in the New Testament:
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye [transformed] by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are [changed] into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
God's "Grace" transforms us now and in the "Rapture", WE WILL BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON.
John wrote again:
1Jn 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
*****Christ Jesus was now joined by Moses and Elijah. This was significant because Moses represented the Law and Elijah represented the Prophets.
All the Law and all the Prophets point to Christ and are fulfilled in Christ:
Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Not one Word of the Bible will go unfulfilled!
*****Our Text:
Mat 17:4 Then answered Peter, 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, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
Mat 17:5 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.
Mat 17:6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
Mat 17:7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
Mat 17:8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
Mat 17:9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.
There is no doubt that these two great men of the Bible had come from the presence of God for they also had glorified bodies and what did they talk to Jesus about:
Luk 9:30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:
Luk 9:31 [Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem].
The Greek word used for departure is "exodus". They spoke to Jesus of the cross, His death, His burial, His resurrection and His ascension back to Heaven.
In the Old Testament, God was the liberator of His people Israel and in the New Testament God had come to liberate all His people of the World.
All that is required is to believe, "Faith". For the believer death is an "exodus" from the bondage of this life into the glorious liberty of life in Heaven, eternally.
Oh, What a Savior!
Because Jesus died and paid the price, we have been redeemed, purchased and set free!
It's a good time to point out that Moses and Elijah were easily recognized. I believe we can see from this that every saint of God will recognize each other and be recognized by all others when we become glorified.
The Bible says:
1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; [but then shall I know even as also I am known].
We can even see another "type" here. Moses is a "type" of all saints that sleep in Jesus and whom the Lord will bring with Him when He comes.
1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
Elijah is a "type", because he did not see death, who will be caught up from Earth.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
When Peter suggested the three tabernacles, he had in mind the Feast of the Tabernacles. Tabernacles speaks of the day when the Son of God will tabernacle among men, wipe away every tear, and bring in the "golden age" which men have dreamed of since time began.
This feast speaks of Christ's Millennial Kingdom. This feast speaks of a new beginning without the ravages of the curse of sin. In that day, the earth will give her full bounty, all animals will be docile:
Amo 9:13 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.
Amo 9:14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
Amo 9:15 And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.
Isa 65:25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.
This feast celebrates the fact that armies will no longer march, every man will sit under his own fig tree and righteousness will become a reality in the earth:
Mic 4:4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.
But this day can only come under the conditions God had laid down to Moses:
Deu 30:1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,
Deu 30:2 [And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee] this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
Deu 30:3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, [and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee].
At this time of Jesus, He was being rejected by His own people:
Joh 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Peter had looked forward to the coming of the Messiah and this transfiguration
had confirmed his belief but it was not time. He had not listened to the Words of
Christ. The cross could not be bypassed:
Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
It was impossible for Israel to experience the fulfillment of the Feast of the Ingathering(Tabernacles) until the nation turned it's faith to the Messiah.
This transfiguration was a picture in "type" of the second coming of Jesus to redeem His people Israel:
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
But not until after the Rapture of the Church.
It was as Peter had all this in mind when a cloud enveloped all that were upon that mountain and it literally terrified them.
Mar 9:7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
Luk 9:35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
Paul wrote to us all:
Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
God the Father will not permit His beloved Son to be put on the same level as Moses and Elijah.
Jesus only is God's pattern. Jesus only is our means of salvation:
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
The world today also rejects the Lord Jesus Christ and there will not be another cross.
*****Our Text:
Mat 17:10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
Mat 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
Mat 17:12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
Mat 17:13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
All these things had somewhat bewildered these Apostles so they asked a question of Jesus:
"Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?"
The Bible says:
Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Their question was, since Jesus was the Messiah who had already come and they had witnessed the glorified body of Elijah, why then do the scribes teach that Elijah would still come?
Jesus told them that the prophesy "would be fulfilled". The prophesy states that this will not happen until before the "dreadful" day of the Lord.
Peter had a more clear understanding of this when he preached his first sermon to the beginning Church:
Act 2:19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
Act 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
John notes this day in the Book of Revelation:
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
This day will not happen until the fulness of the Gentiles has been complete.
Jesus goes on to say that in spirit, Elijah had already come and he was also rejected by his own people.
The disciples knew this then was John the Baptist.
Remember Elijah brought judgment on the children of Israel and when he comes back he will have another ministry:
"And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers"
This has not happened yet.
John the Baptist preached repentance and neither of them had seen much results.
Christ Jesus said that the Word of God will stand and the teachers of the Law were not in error with this scripture.
In the Book of Mark it is written of this same incident:
"how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought"
In other words, why did not the scribes not teach the truth about the Messiah. These things were also written in God's Word.
Since Jesus had been proven to be the Messiah and therefore their King, why would the kingdom not accept Him?
The Old Testament had seen not only the Messiah but also a Messiah that would suffer and die to provide salvation for sinners. This they had rejected and therefore could not accept their King.
The "death" of Christ had to precede the "reign" of Jesus Christ!
This was not clearly understood by the Old Testament prophets:
1Pe 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
1Pe 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
*****Our Text:
Mat 17:14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
Mat 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
Mat 17:16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
Mat 17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
Mat 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
Mat 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
Mat 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, 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.
Mat 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
This son was really a sick young man:
Matthew says he was an epileptic, (lunatic),suicidal and very ill.
Mark says he was also mute(deaf), falling to the ground, foaming at the mouth.
Luke a doctor said this was an only son and would scream went he went into convulsions.
We can see that this boy was at least demon possessed.
If we look at this spiritually we can see in "type" that we have the Lord returning from the mountain and He finds Satan exercising his destroying power. Remember there will multitudes waiting on the Lords return and Satan will be dominate on this Earth during the tribulation period.
The returning Lord will find misery, suffering, and a world filled with unbelief.
We know the disciples had been given to cast out demons but they were helpless because of unbelief.
We must realize that this is not a reflection of the Church. These disciples represent the Jewish remnant of that time after the Rapture of the Church and in the tribulation period.
Rom 9:27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
This remnant of Jewish believers will be in existance after the Church is complete and in the presence of the Lord. This the remnant that will preach the coming Kingdom to all. They are known as the 144,000.
Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
They will not be able to cast out the demon world, only the coming of the Lord can do that.
Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
What we should concentrate on as the Church in these scriptures is that we see a company of believers whom God has placed certain powers and yet are unable to use that power. God has given certain powers to the Church!
We are believers in the midst of an evil world. Our world is not going to get any less evil.
2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
The Christian believer has been given victory over this evil world:
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Then we should ask ourselves why we are just as powerless as these disciples at the foot of this mountain.
It is because of our unbelief! It is unbelief that gives Satan his power in this world!
Faith can and does remove mountains and all other obstacles.
We must start here:
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
If the Lord is forever in our hearts and in our sight, our faith will be noticeable. The Lord Jesus gives all his disciples the remedy for this failure:
Mat 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
1.) Prayer means communion with the Lord and total dependence upon Him.
2.) Fasting is losing sight of self; self denial. God must be first in our lives.
*****Our Text:
Mat 17:22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
Mat 17:23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
Again Christ instructs these men about His death and yet they still did not understand.
Mar 9:31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.
Mar 9:32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.
They were still confused about the Old Testament teachings. We have already seen that there were parts of the Old Testament that were not taught about the Messiah and many other things. This is another reason every God called preacher should preach the entire Bible. This is the only way to hold down confusion and every believer should themselves study the entire written word of God.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
Christ was telling these disciples that all hope of glory and the kingdom could only be realized by His death and His resurrection.
Heb 2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
This instruction produced two results because of a lack of "faith".
1.) They were still much confused but were afraid to ask Him about it.
2.) They were also filled with grief at the thoughts of His death.
*****Our Text:
Mat 17:24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
Mat 17:25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
Mat 17:26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
Mat 17:27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
In the beginning God had given Adam dominion over nature and this would have included the fish of the sea.
Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Psa 8:6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
Psa 8:7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
Psa 8:8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
Man lost this dominion because of sin!
Jesus exercised dominion over all His creation:
The animals.
Mat 21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
Mat 21:2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
Mat 21:3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
Mat 21:4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
Mat 21:5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
Mat 21:6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
Mat 21:7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
The birds:
Mat 26:34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Jesus had what Adam had lost:
Today believers do not have dominion over nature but we do have the power to be good stewards of the things God has provided for us. That includes all that nature provides. God cares for His own and makes sure that all of nature is working.
This is the only miracle in the Bible where a miracle was done to provide a need for Christ. Jesus did not use this power selfishly. He did not want people to be offended because He as a Jew and did not support the Temple and it's ministries.
Rom 13:6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
Rom 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Jesus did not hesitate to break the traditions of the Pharisees but He obeyed every Law of God.
Moses had written:
Exo 30:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exo 30:12 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.
Exo 30:13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.
Exo 30:14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.
The original tax was used to gather money to make the silver sockets for the Tabernacle. After this the money was used to support the ministry of the Tabernacle and then the Temple.
This money was a reminder to the Jews that they had been redeemed from Egypt.
We as believers know that we have been redeemed by the precious Blood of the Lamb of God.
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
This is not the only miracle in the Bible regarding fish:
Luk 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Luk 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Luk 5:6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
Jesus only needed one fish and one lost coin and another time he used Peter.
1.) Someone had to lose a coin of the exact amount, a half shekel or about 60 cents. This was the yearly tax for two people.
2.) This fish had to locate this coin in a specific body of water and wait till Peter had arrived and had to recognize Peter from any other fisherman.
3.) Peter had to go the exact place and cast his line for a fish to take the hook with a mouthful of coin.
Christ had performed other miracles in and around Peter:
1.) Jesus had healed Peter's mother-n-law.
2.) Jesus had helped Peter to catch fish.
3.) Jesus had helped Peter to walk on water.
4.) Jesus had healed the ear of Malchus that Peter had sliced off.
5.) Through Jesus Peter was delivered from prison.
Peter later wrote in the scriptures:
1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
If we trust in the saving work of Jesus Christ and believe the whole Word of God, He will meet all our needs.
Let's Pray!
Text: Matthew 17
The word "transfigured" is a very interesting word. The Greek word is "metamorpho" and it means to transform, literally or figuratively to metamorphose, or to change. The word is a verb that means to change into another form. It also means to change the outside to match the inside. The prefix "meta" means to change and the "morphe" means form. In the case of the transfiguration of Jesus Christ it means to match the outside with the reality of the inside. To change the outward so that it matches the inward reality. Jesus' divine nature was "veiled" in human form and the transfiguration was a glimpse of that glory.
The Bible says:
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, [through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;]
Therefore, the transfiguration of Jesus Christ displayed the Shekinah glory of God incarnate in the Son. The voice of God attesting to the truth of Jesus' Sonship was the second time God's voice was heard. The first time was at Jesus' baptism into His public ministry by John the Baptist.
The Bible says:
Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Mar 1:11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Luk 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
Therefore, the transfiguration of Jesus Christ was a unique display of His divine character and a glimpse of the glory, which Jesus had before He came to earth in human form. This truth is emphasized for us in a passage in the Apostle Paul's letter to Philippi:
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 [Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.]
Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The Son of God came to earth in the form of a man to be the true servant of God and to give mankind the greatest gift ever given, eternal life. The transfiguration of Jesus Christ was a visible sign [in the presence of reliable witnesses] of the reality of the power of God and the glory, which is Christ Jesus.
The transfiguration of Christ Jesus was one of the greatest records in the New Testament of His earthly ministry. God laid His "Glory" aside and put on human flesh in order to redeem the entire human race. We get a Biblical glimpse of the "glorified body" of Christ that He will return in.
This transfiguration was a fulfillment of what Jesus had told the disciples just a week earlier:
Mat 16:28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
That kingdom, the kingdom of God is then Christ in All His Glory:
Luk 9:27 But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, [till they see the kingdom of God.]
Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Rev 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
*****Our Text:
Mat 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
Mat 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Mat 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
This chapter begins with the "Glory of the Lord" and ends with a gold bearing fish.
Jesus had separated Himself and the disciples from the multitudes in order to teach and to pray. These two things must go together!
Luk 9:28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and [went up into a mountain to pray].
The transfiguration took place while Jesus was praying and the Apostle Peter would never forget this day:
2Pe 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, [but were eyewitnesses of his majesty].
2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour 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.
2Pe 1:18 [And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount].
1.) His clothing was changed:
Mat 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and [his raiment was white as the light].
a.) His clothes were like lightening:
Luk 9:29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
glistering: to flash out like lightning, to shine, be radiant
b.) His clothes were whiter than anyone could make them:
Mar 9:3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
2.) His appearance was changed:
Luk 9:29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered,
Jesus looked strange to those that saw Him.
The Apostle John wrote:
Joh 1:14 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.
This was the "glory of God" in the Tabernacle:
Exo 40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Exo 40:35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Exo 40:36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:
Exo 40:37 But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.
Exo 40:38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
In the Temple:
1Ki 8:10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
1Ki 8:11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.
This was the "Glory" that had departed from the Temple because of the apostasy of Israel:
Eze 10:18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.
Eze 11:22 Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
Eze 11:23 And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
This Glorious Savior was at this time on Earth in His glory form and His name was Jesus.
He would later reveal Himself to Stephen:
Act 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
Act 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
To the Apostle Paul:
Act 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and [suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven]:
Act 9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Act 22:6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, [suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me].
Act 22:11 [And when I could not see for the glory of that light], being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
Act 26:13 At midday, O king, [I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me] and them which journeyed with me.
And to the Apostle John on Patmos:
Rev 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: [and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength].
Christ Jesus will reveal His "Glory" to the World again but the World will tremble:
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
The redeemed, those written in the Lamb's Book of Life, will walk in that light for ever and ever in that City of New Jerusalem:
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Jesus Christ was not transfigured by any external means! His light was and is the "Glory of God"!
Joh 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
The Glory of God had to be veiled so He could come to this Earth because what God said to Moses is still true:
Exo 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
Christ's "glory" was not surrendered at His birth but it was through the "virgin birth" that he was veiled by the flesh.
John the Apostle had these words:
Joh 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
Joh 1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
Joh 1:8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
Joh 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
God had always placed a vail between Him and His children to protect them from His "glory". The vail of the Tabernacle and of the Temple served also this purpose, not to separate God from His people but to protect them so He could be present with them. That vail was a show of God's "grace".
Jesus Christ is that new and living way to get close to God!
Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
We can also find that the original word used for "transfigured" is used only twice more in the New Testament:
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye [transformed] by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are [changed] into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
God's "Grace" transforms us now and in the "Rapture", WE WILL BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON.
John wrote again:
1Jn 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
*****Christ Jesus was now joined by Moses and Elijah. This was significant because Moses represented the Law and Elijah represented the Prophets.
All the Law and all the Prophets point to Christ and are fulfilled in Christ:
Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Not one Word of the Bible will go unfulfilled!
*****Our Text:
Mat 17:4 Then answered Peter, 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, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
Mat 17:5 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.
Mat 17:6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
Mat 17:7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
Mat 17:8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
Mat 17:9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.
There is no doubt that these two great men of the Bible had come from the presence of God for they also had glorified bodies and what did they talk to Jesus about:
Luk 9:30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:
Luk 9:31 [Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem].
The Greek word used for departure is "exodus". They spoke to Jesus of the cross, His death, His burial, His resurrection and His ascension back to Heaven.
In the Old Testament, God was the liberator of His people Israel and in the New Testament God had come to liberate all His people of the World.
All that is required is to believe, "Faith". For the believer death is an "exodus" from the bondage of this life into the glorious liberty of life in Heaven, eternally.
Oh, What a Savior!
Because Jesus died and paid the price, we have been redeemed, purchased and set free!
It's a good time to point out that Moses and Elijah were easily recognized. I believe we can see from this that every saint of God will recognize each other and be recognized by all others when we become glorified.
The Bible says:
1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; [but then shall I know even as also I am known].
We can even see another "type" here. Moses is a "type" of all saints that sleep in Jesus and whom the Lord will bring with Him when He comes.
1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
Elijah is a "type", because he did not see death, who will be caught up from Earth.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
When Peter suggested the three tabernacles, he had in mind the Feast of the Tabernacles. Tabernacles speaks of the day when the Son of God will tabernacle among men, wipe away every tear, and bring in the "golden age" which men have dreamed of since time began.
This feast speaks of Christ's Millennial Kingdom. This feast speaks of a new beginning without the ravages of the curse of sin. In that day, the earth will give her full bounty, all animals will be docile:
Amo 9:13 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.
Amo 9:14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
Amo 9:15 And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.
Isa 65:25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.
This feast celebrates the fact that armies will no longer march, every man will sit under his own fig tree and righteousness will become a reality in the earth:
Mic 4:4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.
But this day can only come under the conditions God had laid down to Moses:
Deu 30:1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,
Deu 30:2 [And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee] this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
Deu 30:3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, [and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee].
At this time of Jesus, He was being rejected by His own people:
Joh 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Peter had looked forward to the coming of the Messiah and this transfiguration
had confirmed his belief but it was not time. He had not listened to the Words of
Christ. The cross could not be bypassed:
Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
It was impossible for Israel to experience the fulfillment of the Feast of the Ingathering(Tabernacles) until the nation turned it's faith to the Messiah.
This transfiguration was a picture in "type" of the second coming of Jesus to redeem His people Israel:
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
But not until after the Rapture of the Church.
It was as Peter had all this in mind when a cloud enveloped all that were upon that mountain and it literally terrified them.
Mar 9:7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
Luk 9:35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
Paul wrote to us all:
Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
God the Father will not permit His beloved Son to be put on the same level as Moses and Elijah.
Jesus only is God's pattern. Jesus only is our means of salvation:
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
The world today also rejects the Lord Jesus Christ and there will not be another cross.
*****Our Text:
Mat 17:10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
Mat 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
Mat 17:12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
Mat 17:13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
All these things had somewhat bewildered these Apostles so they asked a question of Jesus:
"Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?"
The Bible says:
Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Their question was, since Jesus was the Messiah who had already come and they had witnessed the glorified body of Elijah, why then do the scribes teach that Elijah would still come?
Jesus told them that the prophesy "would be fulfilled". The prophesy states that this will not happen until before the "dreadful" day of the Lord.
Peter had a more clear understanding of this when he preached his first sermon to the beginning Church:
Act 2:19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
Act 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
John notes this day in the Book of Revelation:
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
This day will not happen until the fulness of the Gentiles has been complete.
Jesus goes on to say that in spirit, Elijah had already come and he was also rejected by his own people.
The disciples knew this then was John the Baptist.
Remember Elijah brought judgment on the children of Israel and when he comes back he will have another ministry:
"And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers"
This has not happened yet.
John the Baptist preached repentance and neither of them had seen much results.
Christ Jesus said that the Word of God will stand and the teachers of the Law were not in error with this scripture.
In the Book of Mark it is written of this same incident:
"how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought"
In other words, why did not the scribes not teach the truth about the Messiah. These things were also written in God's Word.
Since Jesus had been proven to be the Messiah and therefore their King, why would the kingdom not accept Him?
The Old Testament had seen not only the Messiah but also a Messiah that would suffer and die to provide salvation for sinners. This they had rejected and therefore could not accept their King.
The "death" of Christ had to precede the "reign" of Jesus Christ!
This was not clearly understood by the Old Testament prophets:
1Pe 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
1Pe 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
*****Our Text:
Mat 17:14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
Mat 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
Mat 17:16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
Mat 17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
Mat 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
Mat 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
Mat 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, 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.
Mat 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
This son was really a sick young man:
Matthew says he was an epileptic, (lunatic),suicidal and very ill.
Mark says he was also mute(deaf), falling to the ground, foaming at the mouth.
Luke a doctor said this was an only son and would scream went he went into convulsions.
We can see that this boy was at least demon possessed.
If we look at this spiritually we can see in "type" that we have the Lord returning from the mountain and He finds Satan exercising his destroying power. Remember there will multitudes waiting on the Lords return and Satan will be dominate on this Earth during the tribulation period.
The returning Lord will find misery, suffering, and a world filled with unbelief.
We know the disciples had been given to cast out demons but they were helpless because of unbelief.
We must realize that this is not a reflection of the Church. These disciples represent the Jewish remnant of that time after the Rapture of the Church and in the tribulation period.
Rom 9:27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
This remnant of Jewish believers will be in existance after the Church is complete and in the presence of the Lord. This the remnant that will preach the coming Kingdom to all. They are known as the 144,000.
Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
They will not be able to cast out the demon world, only the coming of the Lord can do that.
Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
What we should concentrate on as the Church in these scriptures is that we see a company of believers whom God has placed certain powers and yet are unable to use that power. God has given certain powers to the Church!
We are believers in the midst of an evil world. Our world is not going to get any less evil.
2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
The Christian believer has been given victory over this evil world:
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Then we should ask ourselves why we are just as powerless as these disciples at the foot of this mountain.
It is because of our unbelief! It is unbelief that gives Satan his power in this world!
Faith can and does remove mountains and all other obstacles.
We must start here:
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
If the Lord is forever in our hearts and in our sight, our faith will be noticeable. The Lord Jesus gives all his disciples the remedy for this failure:
Mat 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
1.) Prayer means communion with the Lord and total dependence upon Him.
2.) Fasting is losing sight of self; self denial. God must be first in our lives.
*****Our Text:
Mat 17:22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
Mat 17:23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
Again Christ instructs these men about His death and yet they still did not understand.
Mar 9:31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.
Mar 9:32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.
They were still confused about the Old Testament teachings. We have already seen that there were parts of the Old Testament that were not taught about the Messiah and many other things. This is another reason every God called preacher should preach the entire Bible. This is the only way to hold down confusion and every believer should themselves study the entire written word of God.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
Christ was telling these disciples that all hope of glory and the kingdom could only be realized by His death and His resurrection.
Heb 2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
This instruction produced two results because of a lack of "faith".
1.) They were still much confused but were afraid to ask Him about it.
2.) They were also filled with grief at the thoughts of His death.
*****Our Text:
Mat 17:24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
Mat 17:25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
Mat 17:26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
Mat 17:27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
In the beginning God had given Adam dominion over nature and this would have included the fish of the sea.
Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Psa 8:6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
Psa 8:7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
Psa 8:8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
Man lost this dominion because of sin!
Jesus exercised dominion over all His creation:
The animals.
Mat 21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
Mat 21:2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
Mat 21:3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
Mat 21:4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
Mat 21:5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
Mat 21:6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
Mat 21:7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
The birds:
Mat 26:34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Jesus had what Adam had lost:
Today believers do not have dominion over nature but we do have the power to be good stewards of the things God has provided for us. That includes all that nature provides. God cares for His own and makes sure that all of nature is working.
This is the only miracle in the Bible where a miracle was done to provide a need for Christ. Jesus did not use this power selfishly. He did not want people to be offended because He as a Jew and did not support the Temple and it's ministries.
Rom 13:6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
Rom 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Jesus did not hesitate to break the traditions of the Pharisees but He obeyed every Law of God.
Moses had written:
Exo 30:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exo 30:12 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.
Exo 30:13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.
Exo 30:14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.
The original tax was used to gather money to make the silver sockets for the Tabernacle. After this the money was used to support the ministry of the Tabernacle and then the Temple.
This money was a reminder to the Jews that they had been redeemed from Egypt.
We as believers know that we have been redeemed by the precious Blood of the Lamb of God.
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
This is not the only miracle in the Bible regarding fish:
Luk 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Luk 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Luk 5:6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
Jesus only needed one fish and one lost coin and another time he used Peter.
1.) Someone had to lose a coin of the exact amount, a half shekel or about 60 cents. This was the yearly tax for two people.
2.) This fish had to locate this coin in a specific body of water and wait till Peter had arrived and had to recognize Peter from any other fisherman.
3.) Peter had to go the exact place and cast his line for a fish to take the hook with a mouthful of coin.
Christ had performed other miracles in and around Peter:
1.) Jesus had healed Peter's mother-n-law.
2.) Jesus had helped Peter to catch fish.
3.) Jesus had helped Peter to walk on water.
4.) Jesus had healed the ear of Malchus that Peter had sliced off.
5.) Through Jesus Peter was delivered from prison.
Peter later wrote in the scriptures:
1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
If we trust in the saving work of Jesus Christ and believe the whole Word of God, He will meet all our needs.
Let's Pray!
