[9:1] And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” [The Transfiguration] [2] And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, [3] and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. [4] And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. [5] And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” [6] For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. [7] And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” [8] And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only. [9] And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. [10] So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. [11] And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” [12] And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? [13] But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.” (Mark 9:1-13 ESV) Also see Matthew 17:1-8 and Luke 9:28-36 for their writings on the Transfiguration.
Jesus said that some of them listening to Him would not taste death until after they see the kingdom of God? Well, three of them got to see the kingdom very shortly thereafter, and yes, before they died. Peter, James and John were witnesses to the Transfiguration. They saw Jesus in His glory, along with two of His kingdom, Moses and Elijah. Then in verse 11, the disciples want to know why the scribes say that Elijah must come before God's people are taken up to heaven? This question comes from these Old Testament verses, [4] “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. [5] “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. [6] And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” (Malachi 4:4-6 ESV) Jesus tells them that Elijah HAS already come again, and Luke explains this here, [16] And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, [17] and he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” (Luke 1:16; Luke 1:17 ESV) Jesus and Luke are talking about John the Baptist, being in the spirit and power of Elijah come back to earth to prepare the way for Jesus as Messiah. After the verses noted above from Malachi in the Old Testament, there is a 400 year silence from God, and then the New Testament begins with Matthew. Awesome!!
After studying this, my mind wanders back to the appearance of three to Abraham, in an earlier Bible study that I did: http://boundaryhomestead.blogspot.com/2010/12/abraham-saw-three.html.
I'm sitting here, scratching my head in wonder...what do you think?
Jesus said that some of them listening to Him would not taste death until after they see the kingdom of God? Well, three of them got to see the kingdom very shortly thereafter, and yes, before they died. Peter, James and John were witnesses to the Transfiguration. They saw Jesus in His glory, along with two of His kingdom, Moses and Elijah. Then in verse 11, the disciples want to know why the scribes say that Elijah must come before God's people are taken up to heaven? This question comes from these Old Testament verses, [4] “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. [5] “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. [6] And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” (Malachi 4:4-6 ESV) Jesus tells them that Elijah HAS already come again, and Luke explains this here, [16] And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, [17] and he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” (Luke 1:16; Luke 1:17 ESV) Jesus and Luke are talking about John the Baptist, being in the spirit and power of Elijah come back to earth to prepare the way for Jesus as Messiah. After the verses noted above from Malachi in the Old Testament, there is a 400 year silence from God, and then the New Testament begins with Matthew. Awesome!!
After studying this, my mind wanders back to the appearance of three to Abraham, in an earlier Bible study that I did: http://boundaryhomestead.blogspot.com/2010/12/abraham-saw-three.html.
I'm sitting here, scratching my head in wonder...what do you think?
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