It Is So Good That We Are Here!

The Transfiguration and The Apocalypse of Peter
Jackson Snyder February 28, 2003

New Translation! Mark 9:2. After six days Jesus takes Peter and James and John along and leads them upward onto a high mountain by themselves only and he transformed in front of them. 3. His clothing came to be white, sparkling intensely, such that no cleaner on earth is able to so whiten. 4. Elias with Moses appeared to them and they were talking with Jesus. 5. Answering, Peter says to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us to make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elias. 6. for he knew not what he was answering, for they spoke [became] out of fear. 7. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud: This is my son, the beloved. Hear of him. 8. [Then] suddenly, as they looked about, they no longer saw anyone, only Jesus with them.

Moses

Moses lived around 1500 BC, or 3500 years ago. He was an adopted prince of Egypt and could have been Pharaoh had Yahweh decreed that for him. Rather, after he discovered his Hebrew roots, he killed someone and fled to the desert, never to return, so he thought. He sojourned in the wasteland of the Sinai peninsula for years. Climbing Mount Horeb, Moses met the angel of Yahweh, who spoke to him from a burning bush (Exodus 3). Yahweh there gave him a mission – to return to Egypt without an army and liberate the Israelites who were being held in slavery there. Moses was to tell Pharaoh that I AM had sent him with the message, “Let my people go” (Exodus 5:1).

You know the rest of the story. Through a series of pronouncements, plagues and prodigies, the descendents of Israel escaped the hosts of Egypt when the Reed Sea parted before them, allowing them crossing to the desert. This multitude then meandered in the “wilderness of Sin” (Exodus 16:1) for forty years seeking their ancient homeland, the “land of promise.”

In the course of this time, Moses again scaled Mount Horeb where Yahweh etched the Words on stone tablets that we call “The Ten Commandments” (deka-logoi, Exodus 20). When Moses returned down the mountain with these words, he was seen encompassed by the white light of the Shechinah of Yahweh, and transfigured therein. The people marveled that his appearance had been so changed by the presence of the Almighty, for he was surrounded white light glory.

Now Moses is still hailed as Yahweh’s lawgiver. In the ensuing centuries, his law would transform the world.

Elijah

Elijah lived during the reign of Ahab and Jezebel, about 850 BC, or 2850 years ago, 650 years after Moses. He was a prophet of Yahweh; in fact, his name means “Almighty Yahweh.” Elijah was called to confront secular authorities and organized religion, challenging the professional priesthood to prove the power of their gods (ba’al and asherah). Up on Mount Carmel, he called for their priests to set up a sacrifice and call on the gods to set the whole mess on fire (1 Kings 18:23,24). When they failed, Elijah called down the Shechinah glory of Yahweh, which utterly consumed the sacrifice, spelling the end of government-sponsored religion for the time being. This fire was of the same variety Moses encountered in the burning bush –the burning white light of Yahweh’s presence.

After this incredible demonstration of power, Elijah fled south from Mount Carmel (at the “hook” of Galilee), into the wilderness of the Sinai desert, to the same place that Moses led the children of Israel. Elijah wanders for forty days, reliving the history of his ancestors, sorely afflicted by the devil. He finds Mount Horeb, the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments, and he climbs to the top and finds a cave. There, at the pinnacle, Elijah prays. The angels of his fate send a hurricane, an earthquake and a fire. But Yahweh doesn’t speak to Elijah through all this commotion. No, Elijah hears Yahweh by a “still, small voice” (1 Kings 19:12). Though no Bible book bears his name, Elijah is known to this day as the greatest prophet that ever lived.

Moses and Elijah

Moses and Elijah both wandered the wilderness of Sin, both sought Mount Horeb (also called Sinai), both pioneered vital aspects of true worship: Moses was the father of the Law; Elijah was the father of Prophecy. Both bucked the system. Both were aided by the Shechinah glory of Yahweh. Both worked great miracles in his name and in accordance with his directives.

Although the Bible says Moses died on Mount Nebo, another ancient tradition says that Moses didn’t, but was taken to Heaven by the archangel Michael (Jude 9). It’s written that Elijah was also taken up in a chariot of fire, thus never died (2 King 2:11). Yahweh declared through a latter prophet that Elijah would return just before “the great and terrible day” (Malachi 4:5). Jesus said that Elijah had already returned, and that the day of the new Moses had come. This day was the day.

Six Days

Jesus spent this day just outside Caesarea Philippi, at Banias. He asked his boys, “Who do you say I AM.” This question is for anyone; the answer has a lot to do with whether the answerer will be saved or not when the day of wrath dawns on earth. It was Simon Peter who rightly confessed, “You are the Savior, the son of the Almighty.” How would you answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” I wonder how you would!

If you look at your Bible map titled “Palestine in the Time of Christ,” you’ll find Caesarea Philippi in the upper right (i.e. northeast) corner of the page. In today’s text, six days pass without comment. Then all of a sudden we find Jesus and his fellows climbing a mountain to meet with Moses and Elijah. What mountain do you think Jesus is scaling? Why, of course it’s Mount Horeb – where Moses received the Law and Elijah heard the still small voice. But Mount Horeb is 250 miles south of Caesarea Philippi, clean off the bottom of your Bible map, way down in the desert! Jesus’ group must have rushed to get there between Sabbaths; maybe they were carried in a whirlwind! 250 in less than a week was quite a trek in those days.

The Transformation

Still, it was on this famous mountain that Jesus transformed from flesh to spirit in the presence ofhis men. His clothes start to glisten. Soon, white light emanates from him at such intensity that his countenance becomes brighter than the sun -- only white. Imagine now the surprise and astonishment of those who witness his metamorphoses. This man changes into one like an angel right before them; but now there are three such light beings. Jesus, the son of the Almighty, Moses the Lawgiver and Elijah the prophet, conferring and brightly shining. All mighty in white light, sparkling, surreal – unintentionally frightening but intentionally displaying their common heavenly origin. These three are no longer mere men; now they see their god face-to-face. Now they know that their labors, toil and poverty on the earth in the flesh haven’t been in vain. As the three heavenly men confer, the three bodies of flesh, Simon Peter, James and John, try to look on, but the light’s too bright and they’re blinded, confused and scared.

You see, Moses and Elijah were the measurement of what righteousness was all about for these simple men of faith. Moses and Elijah had fulfilled missions that lead the way for the salvation of these lesser men. Moses and Elijah were the point men that cut the ribbon of heavenly highway through the desert to make way for Messiah! Had their missions been failures, had they not recognized that one greater than themselves depended upon their faithfulness, then the Salvation of humanity might never have appeared.

As a result of the faithfulness of Moses and Elijah, this Jesus, the Word of the Almighty, he who was there in the beginning, now comes forth as the new interpreter of Yahweh’s law and the new Spirit of Prophecy, the Anointed One promised to both Israel and the world. Yet despite their own fame, Moses and Elijah might only have been a jot and a tittle in the annals of human history had the Messiah not deigned to come. Now these holy men materialize from the heavenly dimension to see the end and goal of their lifelong missions – that the Desire of Nations had come just as Yahweh their Elohim had promised! And Jesus would now change the course of history and steal sure victory from the adversaries of humanity.

Yet while Moses and Elijah might have cheated death, the Beloved Son would not. He would die so that all who would believe and obey him might live on in him for eternity. Moses and Elijah came to show the proof in the promise.

Simon Sez

As Simon, James and John, three simple men, people like you and me, try to make sense of this ineffable vision, a majestic voice explodes from the sky – “This is my son, the beloved. Hear of him!” One of these little guys, Simon Peter, the same man who shared his house with the man Jesus, tells us about this experience many years later in these words:

2 Peter 1: 16-18 (SEV+) When we told you about the power and coming of Jesus the Messiah, our Master, we were not following clever myths. No, we saw his greatness! When the Voice came from majestic glory, Jesus received honor from Father Yahweh. Yes, we heard this Voice from the sky! We were with Jesus on the holy mountain.

This Bible witness is an independent admission to the truth of the transformation of Jesus on the mountain. And we believe Simon Peter’s words. His message has a direct effect on what we trust we will become when we are likewise transformed in the day of our resurrection. I’d like to know more about this transformation, wouldn’t you? Then we’ll hear more, because there’s much more to be told.

Apocalypse of Peter

In Akhmîm in Upper Egypt in the year 1887 a tremendous discover was made that sheds even more light Jesus’ and our future transformation as believers. A tomb of an unnamed Christian monk, sealed up for many centuries, was opened that year. When light poured in, two more testaments written by Simon Peter were discovered on fragments of papyrus, including a detailed account of what Simon Peter saw and felt that fateful day on Horeb. Let me read a little of one of these testaments that Yahweh saved for the his end-time people; Simon Peter writes (my paraphrase):

(The Apocalypse Of Peter, The Akhmîm Fragment) 4. Our Master told us: Let us go up the mountain and pray. 5 And going, we asked him to show us our righteous siblings who had departed this world, that we might see what manner of people they had become, take courage, and encourage those who would hear us.

6 As we prayed, suddenly two men appeared, standing before our Master, upon whom we were not able to look. 7 For from their faces issued a sun ray, and their clothes were shining as the eye had never seen: for no mouth is able to describe nor heart conceive of the glory of their clothing and the beauty of their faces. 8 When we saw them we were astonished, for their bodies were whiter than snow and redder than roses. 9 And the redness of them was mingled with the whiteness. I am not able to declare their beauty. 10 Even their hair was curling and flowery and fell beautifully about their faces and shoulders like woven flower garlands or like a rainbow in the air: such was their exquisiteness.

12 I drew near to the Master and said: Who are these? 13 He told me: These are your righteous brothers and sisters who you wanted to see. 14 And I said: Where are they? What kind of world do they live in to possess such glory?

15 And the Master showed me a very great space outside this world exceedingly bright with white light, and the air there full of sunbeams, and the earth flowering with fadeless blossoms, with spices and plants, beautifully blooming and incorruptible, bearing blessed fruit. 16 So great was the blossoming that even we could smell the aroma.

17 And the people there were clothed as shining angels; their clothing was like their land. 18 And angels ran round about them there. 19 And the glory of all was equal, for with one voice they praised Yahweh Elohim. 20 Then the Master told us: Yes, this is the place of your priesthood, the righteous of all humanity. {The End.}

Isn’t this a wonder vision of transformation? Of heavenly hope? Of enduring faith? Wouldn’t you like to hear more and more about such a holy place, such a dimension of righteousness, where you too may inhabit one day very soon? Wouldn’t you like to smell the flowers there in the promised land of Moses and Elijah, take home some of the glory for yourself, keep it in a box and look at it once in a while to help increase your faith? Wouldn’t you glory in the affection of your Master Jesus, who might say to you, “Well done, you! All this is free and it is yours!”

You Would Do Well To ...

It’s no wonder that Simon Peter became so bold in his witness, even to the giving of his life, having seen heaven and the righteous of Jesus walking up and down in it -- even smelling the place from afar. And oh, what a great hope we have for our own transfiguration in the time of our visitation. It’s a hope based not only on reading or hearing about such a place, but a hope based in experiencing the reality of the holy and heavenly things that have intersected our lives and brought us to the brink of righteousness.

But Simon Peter doesn’t stop by simply describing what he saw, or glorying in his destiny, or boasting in his vision; no, he admonishes us in these words; saying in

2 Peter 1:19. We have the prophetic message that is made sure (by our heavenly vision). You would do well to pay attention to it. It is like a lamp shining in a dark place until dawn, until the Morning Star rises in your hearts.

Yes, you would do well to pay attention to the Commandments that Yahweh gave Moses as you try to live a life pleasing to Jesus. You would do well to attend to the prophecies of Elijah and the others concerning the times we live in and our only hope for survival. You would do more than well by following in the footsteps of Jesus on the narrow way that leads to life – and what a life!

Give up your false vision of materialism and vainglory. Earth is not and never could be your home. Surrender to the words of life and thus live the lives of these men of Yahweh. Then, when your time comes, it won’t be one of simply smelling heavenly fragrances or seeing heavenly lights, but you’ll be there, with a mission of your own, important to the great promise world of eternal tomorrows. You will say with the saint, “Yes, it is so good that we are here.”