Anesti Ministries

The glory of Christ.

The 3 disciples witnessed the glory of Jesus. No other human on earth has the same glory as Jesus because He alone is the Son of God. On the mountain, they also saw Moses and Elijah. God was showing the disciples that the Law and Prophets all point to the glory of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the one who fulfils the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17). God did not allow 3 tents to be made because Jesus is superior to the Law and Prophets. God’s reply to Peter teaches us the importance of listening to Jesus before doing anything. We should not make choices without first seeking the Lord.

The transfiguration of Jesus is a parallel of Moses at Mount Sinai. In Exodus 24:15-18, the glory of God covered Mount Sinai in the form of a cloud for 6 days. On the 7^th day, God called Moses from the midst of the cloud. At the transfiguration, God affirmed the identity and faithfulness of Jesus a second time. The first time God spoke the same words was during the baptism of Jesus in Matthew 3:17. In the Old Testament, the Israelites feared the presence of God. The Israelites were afraid that God would bring judgment upon them for breaking His Law. But the New Testament teaches us that we can now approach God without fear because of what Jesus has done. One touch from Jesus is able to expel all our fears.

After the disciples received the vision, they were given specific instructions regarding the right time to release it. When we receive words and revelations from the Holy Spirit, we must release it at God’s time.

Mountain moving faith.

Have you ever prayed for someone to be healed but nothing happened? While Jesus was on the mountain, a father brought his son to be healed by the disciples. However, when the disciples prayed, the boy did not get healed. This passage teaches us 4 things about faith.

1. Those who pray for healing must exercise their faith.
2. The size of your faith matters when you pray. Jesus rebuked His disciples 4 times for having little faith (Matthew 6:30, 8:26, 14:31, 16:8).
3. Faith is very powerful. Jesus compares faith to the mustard seed; one of the smallest seeds. In Matthew 13:31, Jesus also uses the mustard seed to describe the power of the Kingdom of God. Faith has the power to move mountains.
4. Faith changes the way we speak. God responds to faith. When we speak in faith, God moves mountains.

A new relationship with God.

The first time Jesus mentions His death is in Matthew 16:21. The second time Jesus mentions His death, He further adds that He will be betrayed by men. Jesus was not only betrayed by the Jews but all humanity. Many people were responsible for the death of Jesus. The religious leaders, the Roman officials, soldiers and common people. Every person who has sinned is responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus willingly went to the cross to die for everyone who would betray Him. Jesus showed His love for us by He laying down His own life to save us.

The disciples did not want Jesus to die. But the death of Jesus was necessary to bring about a change in our relationship with God. In Exodus 30:11-16, a half-shekel offering was collected to support the tabernacle. This evolved into the temple tax that was collected from the nation of Israel. When a person believes in Jesus, their relationship with God changes. All who are strangers and enemies of God become children of God through Christ (Matthew 12:48-50). When a person becomes a child of God, they are no longer under the Old Testament Law but under the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). Jesus teaches His disciples that the temple and the Law cannot bring a person into a loving relationship with God. The Laws of the Old Testament no longer apply to Jesus or His disciples because we are now God’s children.