Matthew
17:1-8
KJV And after six days
Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up
into an high mountain apart, (2) And was
transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his
raiment was white as the light. (3) And, behold,
there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
(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. (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. (6) And when the disciples heard it, they fell
on their face, and were sore afraid. (7) And Jesus
came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
(8) And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man,
save Jesus only.
Malachi
4:1-6 KJV For, behold, the day
cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all
that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn
them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root
nor branch. (2) But unto you that fear my name
shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye
shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
(3) And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be
ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this,
saith the LORD of hosts. (4) Remember ye the law of
Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel,
with the statutes and judgments. (5) Behold, I will
send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful
day of the LORD: (6) And he shall turn the heart of
the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their
fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Malachi 4 has the three major pictures of Matthew 17's mount of
Transfiguration.
Jesus is like the SUN, with Moses and Elijah.
And While Jesus shone like the sun on the MOUNTAIN, Elijah and Moses
both were men of the MOUNTAINS and did their greatest works for GOD ON
MOUNTAINS.
When the prophet spoke of healing from the WINGS of the sun, he
referred to the BEAMS OF LIGHT.
- This is a common old
testament metaphor for beams of light.
Psa
139:9 KJV
If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of
the sea;
The morning light comes so swiftly.
It's been dark all night long.
- And though the speed of
light is always the same, as modern science can explain, in the days
when modern science was unknown, all that the believers understood was
that light seemed to FLY SWIFTEST when the MORNING CAME!
- The darkness would be
blasted away by the light in SECONDS after being there all night long.
- WINGS OF THE MORNING
speak of the beams of the sun coming in so swiftly, as though one might
take those SWIFT wings and fly to the furthest reaches of the sea so
quickly, and find God would still be there.
- Nothing moves faster
than light, except GOD!
So the LIGHT SHINING FROM JESUS' face speaks of HEALING!
2Co
4:6
KJV For God, who commanded the light to shine out of
darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
He shines in our hearts to give knowledge of God's glory AND
IT HEALS US!
It restores us.
- He said this after
speaking of his glory like light.
We were created in His image and GOD HEALS US BACK INTO THAT IMAGE.
2Co
3:18
KJV 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.
Peter saw the ROCK in the revelation from the Father.
Then Jesus had to show Peter who he was IN CHRIST.
- Jesus had not even died
to have anyone baptized into His death yet, but He said HE WILL build
the church on the rock.
- Peter WILL BE in Christ.
- Peter WILL share the
glory of GOD.
2Co
3:7-13
KJV But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in
stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not
stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance;
which glory was to be done away: (8) How shall not
the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
(9) For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much
more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
(10) For even that which was made glorious had no glory in
this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
(11) For if that which is done away was glorious, much more
that which remaineth is glorious. (12) Seeing then
that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
(13) And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that
the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that
which is abolished:
Jesus whole ministry is a ministry of light.
And we have got to heed His ministry and His words.
- When His light shone in
that day, everyone suddenly was divided into two groups.
- Whose who accepted it
and those who rejected it.
Mal
4:
(4) Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I
commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and
judgments. (5) Behold, I will send you Elijah the
prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the
LORD: (6) And he shall turn the heart of the
fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their
fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Moses received LAW ON MOUNT HOREB.
Verse 4 even mentions HOREB, the MOUNTAIN.
- And Elijah was on a
mountain.
- And he was turning the
hearts of the children back to the fathers... the Israelites back to
the faith of Abraham, and Isac, and Jacob, the FATHERS of Israel.
1Ki
18:17-20
KJV And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said
unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? (18)
And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's
house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou
hast followed Baalim. (19) Now therefore send, and
gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal
four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred,
which eat at Jezebel's table. (20) So Ahab sent
unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together
unto mount Carmel.
AND FIRE CAME.
1Ki
18:30-31
KJV And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me.
And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the
LORD that was broken down. (31) And Elijah took
twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of
Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy
name:
REPAIRING an altar whose stones stood for the twelve tribes, is
REPAIRING THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE.
And notice how we read about this.
- "Took twelve stones,
according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom
the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:"
- We read they were sons
of Jacob.
- In other words,
Elijah's twelve stones represented the 12 sons of a man named Jacob,
whom GOD TOOK AND CHANGED INTO ISRAEL.
- CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE.
- "YOU NEED TO CHANGE
NOW. JACOB'S GOD CHANGED JACOB TO ISRAEL, and now YOU are all
Israel's sons and have reverted to JACOB AGAIN. You MUST
CHANGE BACK to ISRAEL."
- It's like JACOB WAS
CHANGED AND THEN WENT BACK TO WHAT HE WAS BEFORE, AND HAS TO CHANGE
BACK AGAIN.
Mal
4:(5) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the
coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
(6) And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the
children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come
and smite the earth with a curse.
TURN TURN TURN
Matt
17: (10) And his disciples asked him, saying, Why
then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
(11) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall
first come, and restore all things. (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. (13) Then the disciples
understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
Mar
1:4
KJV John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the
baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
Mat
3:1-2 KJV In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in
the wilderness of Judaea, (2) And saying, Repent
ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
REPENT MEANS TURN!!!!
Then the fire came down on the altar of Elijah ...
As Elijah TURNED ISRAEL
1Ki
18:37-39
KJV Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that
thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back
again. (38) Then the fire of the LORD fell, and
consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the
dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
(39) And when all the people saw it, they fell on their
faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
TURN - REPENT.
The Kingdom is a MOUNTAIN OF TRANSFIGURATION.
THIS KINGDOM MESSAGE changes you to IMAGES OF JESUS CHRIST, and we
shall tread down the wicked!
Destroy the works of the devil.
Go to MOUNT GOLGOTHA - PLACE OF SKULL.
Matthew
27:33
KJV And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha,
that is to say, a place of a skull,
Romans
12:1-2 KJV I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies
of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
(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.
We are CHANGED IN OUR MINDS - PLACE OF THE SKULL.
- Lose our old selfish
PSYCHE - way of thinking in self first.
- DENY our PSYCHE.
- Way of thinking.
- LIVING SACRIFICE.
- Lose self all days of
your LIFE - be a sacrifice.
The reference to the LIVING GOD stresses eternity of God -- LIFE that
is more powerful than death and always lives.
The gates of HELL that cannot prevail are literally gates of the GRAVE
-- DEATH.
- And death and the grave
could be no more opposite to the LIVING GOD.
Jesus was challenged by the devil using the high priest in Matthew 26.
- And what Jesus said and
the way Caiaphas appealed to Him top speak, caused HELL THE SHAKE.
Matthew
26:63-66
KJV But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered
and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us
whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. (64)
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you,
Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of
power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (65)
Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken
blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have
heard his blasphemy. (66) What think ye? They
answered and said, He is guilty of death.
The confession of the ROCK is JESUS IS SON OF THE LIVING GOD.
- THIS MEANS ETERNAL LIFE
is what Jesus is all about.
- Hell hates that.
- The gates of hell are
the gates of DEATH AND THE GRAVE.
- DEATH is challenged by
this revelation.
- And not only is Jesus
associated with eternal life, but WHEN HE PUTS THE CHURCH ON THE ROCK,
THE CHURCH partakes of this ETERNAL LIFE and DIVINE NATURE.
This statement caused Caiaphas to shake and call for HIS DEATH!
- When DEATH hears of
LIVING GOD, it says KILL that one and prove him wrong!
- But the GATES OF DEATH
SHALL NOT PREVAIL!
- Son of the LIVING GOD
has to RESURRECT!
- And this is given to US
AS WELL if WE TAKE UP OUR CROSSES.
OUR
CRUCIFIXION WITH CHRIST.
Peter's confessions was a very profound statement.
- Hell does not mind if
you believe Jesus was a good teacher.
- It does not mind if you
believe Jesus was a Son in the sense that there were others before Him
just as much sons.
- But when you state and
totally believe that JESUS IS THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD, you just
challenged all of DEATH.
- All that is opposed to
God becomes your enemy.
Peter himself said that the Lord is building up a structure on a ROCK,
and this structure is made of many living stones.
1Pet
2:5-7 Ye
also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by
Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold,
I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that
believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which
believe [he is] precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone
which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
"Jesus is the Son of the living God."
This is the confession of the ROCK.
JOHN said this confession is what gives eternal life.
1Joh
4:15
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in
him, and he in God.
1Joh
5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that
believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
1Joh
5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given
us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in
him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God,
and eternal life.
THE HOUSE ON THE ROCK STANDS IN THE FACE OF DEATH!
THE HOUSE ON SAND FALLS.
Recall that Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus.
The MOUNTAIN is THE KINGDOM.
- And we are to seek
first His KINGDOM and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
- THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS
shines on us and makes US RIGHTEOUS!
Malachi begins speaking of the PROUD who do not DENY SELF
FALL and are burnt, the RIGHTEOESS go forth and grow as calves of the
stall.
AND ELIJAH AND MOSES are mentioned.
- Everything here
connects us with the MOUNTAIN OF TRANSFORMATION.
- SUN, MOSES AND ELIJAH.
- SOME STANDING AND GOING
ON TO GROW LIKE CALVES, WHILE OTHERS FALL AND DIE.
WE THINK too worldly.
We THINK too much of self.
So much of how the devil defeats people is due to their lack of
understanding.
- Hosea 4:6 KJV
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: ...
But get knowledge....
Jesus fought the battle as captain of our salvation on the cross.
Though He died like a lamb of sacrifice, IT WAS THE VICTORY OF A LION.
- That little lamb
CONQUERED DEATH - the devil's power!
The bible speaks about the ARMOUR OF GOD.
Ephesians
6:11-13
KJV Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to
stand against the wiles of the devil. (12) For we
wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places. (13)
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Notice the emphasis upon STANDING.
- Peter said we must add
seven things to our faith so we will never fall.
- They will administer an
entrance into the kingdom that is abundant.
- Unlike the houses on
sand who are people who say Lord Lord but cannot enter the KINGDOM.
- They establish us in
the present truth.
And there is an important part of the armour that specifically is
emphasized int his issue of the house on the rock.
HELMET OF SALVATION.
We have to KNOW some things about salvation in order to withstand the
ATTACKS OF THE DEVIL.
Notice it says: WILES OF THE DEVIL.
G3180
- WILES
μεθοδεία
methodeia
Thayer
Definition:
1)
cunning arts, deceit, craft, trickery
Part
of Speech: noun feminine
A
Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from a
compound of G3326 and G3593 [compare “method”]
Citing
in TDNT: 5:102, 666
"able to stand against"... the TRICKERY and DECEIT and CUNNING ARTS of
the devil.
If you need a HELMET to stand against deception and trickery of the
devil, then YOUR MIND NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED.
- You shall know TRUTH
and truth lets you recognize what is fake.
- Being able to stand is
what the house on the rock does.
- So part of being able
to STAND involves KNOWING WHO WE ARE.
This is part of why Jesus saw Peter's revelation of WHO HE WAS, and
then said JESUS has something to say to PETER now.
- He started with THOU
ART PETER.
- THE ROCK IS JESUS.
- And to get on that
rock, Peter has to IDENTIFY HIMSELF with Jesus.
- This identification
causes the HOUSE TO BE BUILT ON THE ROCK.
- And stability of the
FOUNDATION to be transferred to the HOUSE built on it.
So the helmet of salvation is WHEN YOU KNOW ABOUT SALVATION.
- Your head is protected.
- YOU KNOW HOW YOU ARE IN
CHRIST.
- That protects your mind.
That is why Jesus said you must LOSE YOUR LIFE TO FIND IT.
Matthew
16:24-25
KJV Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow
me. (25) For whosoever will save his life shall
lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
LIFE is PSUCHE or PSYCHE.
WAY OF THINKING.
Romans
12:2
KJV 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.
TRANSFORMS US.
Now, Moses did not see God's glory and God's face was hidden from Him.
Exodus
33:20
KJV And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall
no man see me, and live.
So when Moses saw God's glory HE SHONE AS WELL.
Exodus
34:29
KJV And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount
Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came
down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face
shone while he talked with him.
So the people begged him to hide it.
Exodus
34:33
KJV And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail
on his face.
Moses repeated GOD'S GLORY TO HIM.
God hid his face from Moses and Moses hid His face from Israel.
So the progression of God giving glory to Moses and Moses in turn
giving it to Israel stopped due to the VEIL.
2
Corinthians 3:11-14
KJV (11) For if that which is done away was
glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
(12) Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great
plainness of speech: (13) And not as Moses, which
put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not
stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
(14) But their minds were blinded: for until this day
remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old
testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
But Jesus' face was not veiled on the mountain!
And...
2
Corinthians 3:18
KJV 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.
2
Corinthians 4:6 KJV For God, who commanded the light to shine
out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
THIS LIGHT IS ACTUALLY KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S GLORY IN JESUS' Face, and WE
CAN SEE THAT!!
IT IS NOT VEILED!
It changes us into the same image!
Watch this:
There are 6 pieces of armour listed in Ephesians 6.
Helmet, Breastplate, sword, shield, girdle and shoes.
And you can see the LORD wearing these things spiritually when HE DIED
ON THE CROSS AND fought OUR BATTLE.
The cross is superimposed on the tabernacle lay-out, and you will see
that the positions of the 6 pieces of tabernacle furniture
correspond to the position of the locations of armour on a
man's body who is on a cross.
When we see the glory of God in the FACE OF JESUS, WE ARE CHANGED INTO
THAT SAME IMAGE.
All during the old testament, the holiest where the FACE was was veiled.
- Where glory was.
- Moses face was veiled.
- God would not let Moses
see God's face.
BUT WHEN JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS...
- The veil was rent where
the ark was.
- And we HAVE COME TO THE
HOLIEST OF HOLIES.
- The ark is where the
GLORY of God dwelt in the tabernacle.
- So removing the veil
shows the glory, just as Paul stated the veil is removed from our
hearts so we can see the glory4 of God in the face of Jesus Christ. and
be changed into the same image!
- The HEAD is where the
ark is as the helmet corresponds to the ark.
- Our HEADS are where our
thinking occurs, and our minds are renewed as we LEARN the TRUTHS OF
THE GLORY OF the work of the cross.
- But our MINDS have to
ACCEPT THIS TRUTH and live the life of a "self denying", "carrying our
crosses" lifestyle.
- Let God transform your
mind with the CROSS MESSAGE.
- The cross causes it.
- Let your mind be
transformed.
- Let God change you by
His glory into an image of Jesus Christ.
Satan cannot touch your thinking..
- You are not deceived.
- Jesus is BRINGING MANY
SONS TO GLORY by showing His glory IN US!
- We shine with glory and
VICTORY as soldiers of Christ!