Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Mount of Transfiguration

 As I consider the events on the Mount of Transfiguration in Luke 9, Mark 9, and Matt. 17, 
I find a remarkable witness of God, our Eternal Father's desire for us to have all that we need to help bring us back to Him. 

Seeing the Savior present on the Mount of Transfiguration I have pondered the strength that the events on that mount, and the ways that they must have  prepared Jesus Christ to take upon Himself our sins. Despite my amazement at that event I am also called to the witness that this account gives us in regards to God's pattern of prophets and correct authority to lead His church on the earth. 

First, the fact that Jesus Christ Himself prayed to God, the Father " all night " in order to choose His apostles only chapters prior in Luke 6: 12-17 is a great witness to how important it was that the correct individuals be called as apostles, and even more importantly- set apart - or given the authority from God. 

Second, we know that six days before Jesus would take Peter, James and John to the mount, Jesus had explained to Peter what his calling was to be after He left the earth ( the prophet ), as Christ stated, 

Matt.16:18-19
  • New Testament
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven : and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven: and what whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.  

Third, We see another example of prophets being under authority, or set apart in a similar account that is given in the Old Testament, Exodus 24:9-11 as Moses was called up to Mount Sinai along with his three counselors and the Seventy- which were also set apart for the calling to serve. 

As I Know that the prophets, the seventy, and leaders of the church are required to be in authority from God, I am  given comfort to know that God has not left us alone on this earth to be " tossed about by every wind of doctrine " ( Ephesians 4: 14 ). We do have current guidance and revelations being given even in our day. ( Consider The Proclamation to the World that was written almost 20 years ago )

Lastly, I urge you to consider these things with me : What are those " keys" that Jesus Christ was referring to when He told Peter that he would receive them? Why would Jesus Christ take the time to " pray all night " to choose His apostles if His church could be led by anyone who decided they wanted to start a church? 

Keys symbolize power because they are given to those
who are judged trustworthy. . . . In the Old Testament keys belong
to the steward of the house, the trusted servant, the one that the
master has chosen for the household affairs
Thus, in the biblical
context, keys are dual images of trust and responsibility. 
 For the
one who gives the keys, they are symbols of trust and belief in the
character of the steward. For the one who receives the keys, they
are symbols of responsibility
While Jesus taught the Jewish leaders
that keys control access to revelation (see Luke 11:52), his statement
implied that, because the Jewish leaders did not fulfill their
responsibility in accessing and teaching the truth, they had lost the
keys which they had once 
held. The biblical references to keys
(Is. 22:22; Matt. 16:13–20; Luke 11:52; Rev. 1:18; 3:7) imply that
there are several keys associated with the kingdom of 
God.
As two of the foremost prophets in the Old Testament with
roles that embodied trust and responsibility, both Moses and
Elijah held keys for the governing of the kingdom
. “
                                  -   RykenWilhoit, and Longman discuss the meaning of keys in biblical texts.

I am thankful to know that not only does God answer my prayers individually to myself, but that His church is organized after the same pattern, and process that He Himself set up in our witness of the New Testament - in the pattern of prophets with authority.

I say this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

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