Dear Friends in Christ,
There is an old adage, “The darkest hour is just before the dawn.” First appearing in the 1700s, versions of this thought continue to offer hope even in the blackest of days.
Transfiguration Sunday turns that adage 180 degrees. Today is the brightest dawn of glory just before the darkest hours of our Savior’s suffering and death on Golgotha. Transfiguration is about glory; Jesus’ glory, the gospel’s glory, and our glory as God’s children through faith in Jesus Christ.All that glory gives us hope in the dark days prior to our leaving this life to enter heaven.
Key figures in our lessons are Moses andElijah. They appeared with Jesus on the mountain. With those representatives of the Old Covenant of the law, Jesus radiated his glory as the Mediator of the New Covenant of the forgiveness of sins. The gospel istbe greater and more lasting covenant Paul wrote about to the Corinthians.
During King Ahab’srule in the northern kingdom. God used a whirlwind to escort Elijah bodily into the glory of heaven. Today, We Await Our Own Escort into Glory. We are prepared, having lived to serve the Lord. We are victorious, being escorted into heavenly glory.
Israel was rotting from within. Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, had led Israel into Baal worship. This idolatry included human sacrifices to that false god, and legal adultery. Prostitutes designated as “priestesses” led Israel into fornication as worship of the goddess of love, Ashteroth.
God had called Elijah to rebuke these sins and point Israel back to the LORD. The prophet’s work had been a saving influence on the people even though Ahab had accused Elijah of causing trouble in Israel. Now,Elijah’s ministry was ending, and the prophet was nearing the end of his life on earth.
Elijah received information from God that none of us will ever know, the exact time of our passing from earth to heaven. What we need to know is that this is no continuing city and we need to be ready at all times to meet Christ. I think of the reporter, Bob Simon, who died suddenly and unexpectedly in a car crash on the Westside Hwy last week in NYC. How fragile life is.
Elijah was prepared. having lived to serve the Lord. He served right to the end. He made a tour to Bethel, and Jericho, and the Jordan to meet with other prophets. The LORD had informed the company of prophets about his plans for Elijah. His successor, Elisha also knew what was coming soon. He insisted on accompanying Elijah to show support. Elisha was very much like Ruth. As our loved ones near the end of their earthly lives, they need our comforting presence.
Elishaunderstood the approaching departure of his mentor meant he would take over the work. Elisha looked forward to this so he wanted to stay close to Elijah. Elisha did not want to lose this inheritance.Just as it was good for Peter, James and John to see the glory of God on the mount of transfiguration, it was good for these prophets to see this handing down of the LORD’s call, and Elijah’s final deliverance into glory.
Elijah used his cloak to divide the waters of the Jordan as Moses had used his staff to part the Red Sea. This cloak represented God’s power. Elisha received this cloak as part of his inheritance. He used it to do the same miracle on the way back after Elijah went up into heaven.
When they got to the other side, Elijah served the LORD by asking Elisha what he needed to continue. Elisha wisely asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. This was boldness and zeal. It was the transformation and strength to do the work of ministry. The Holy Spirit had granted these to Elijah. Elisha received them now as the firstborn son who received a double portion of the family inheritance.
We await our own escort into glory. We are prepared, having lived to serve the LORD. The Spirit has granted us zeal and boldness to speak out against the child sacrifice of abortion, as well as against adultery and fornication offered to the goddess of pleasure. We are the salt of the earth and light for the world. The life-changing gospel is the only defense against sure destruction.
We are victorious, being escorted into heavenly glory. The LORD sent a whirlwind for Elijah. In the whirlwind was a chariot and horses of fire that separated the prophets. We do not try to explain the tools God used. Some have claimed this is the first UFO sighting. Others suggest a sandstorm blinded Elisha, and Bedouins abducted Elijah. Such foolishness on the part of those who are perishing.
Elisha simply saw what a man normally is not permitted to see-the glorious way the hosts of the Almighty gather the saints into eternal glory. This triumphant escort of a believer to heaven comforts us who remain behind as we await our own escort into glory.
Why did Elijah not have to die? The only answer is God’s grace. He was a sinner just as we all are Maybe we will have that privilege if we are alive on the day our Savior returns to escort all of his church living and raised to life together on the Last Day.
Elisha’s cry, “My father, my father” proclaimed his great respect for Elijah. It was painful to see Elijah go, but his departure was the victorious end to a faith that proclaimed the coming Messiah and his glory in the new covenant. We all long for such a blessed end, don’t we? We look forward to the angels of God escorting our souls into the eternal kingdom of glory.
What are the “chariots and horsemen of Israel” Elisha referred to? It is Elijah. We know this because Elisha was called this also at his departure.
The power against Ahab and Israel’s immorality and idolatry was not the kinds of chariots and horses the king had. Israel’s only strength was the man of God in her midst sharing God’s Word.
We are the chariots and horses of the Lord’s strength against God’s enemies. Our society is comparable to Israel under Ahab. We await our own escort into glory. We are victorious, being escorted into heavenly glory when our work is done.
Paul speaks about the glory of the gospel that glorifies us, “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” Jesus’ transfiguration declares his victory even before the final battle, our victory at the end of our battles. Amen. <SDG>