SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/19/2022 11:13 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-1 “The
Testimony of the Saints”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew
17:3-4
Message of the verses: “3 And behold,
Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 And Peter answered and
said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will
make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for
Elijah.’”
I have to say that these two verses rank among my
favorite verses in Matthew’s gospel, as I think that these two men are the ones
that John writes about in the book of Revelation which are referred to as “The
Two Wittiness.”
This
is also one of the scenes that I would have loved to have been there to see,
and I am sure that the disciples looked on in great amazement as they first saw
Moses and Elijah. Luke tells us that
Moses and Elijah were shrouded in the Lord’s glory (Luke 9:31). MacArthur adds “The testimony of those two
Old Testament saints was a second confirmation of Jesus’ deity.”
The
question arises as to why these two men were the ones who were apart of this
scene that we are looking at? There were
a lot of other saints that could have been there, such as Abraham, of Joseph,
or one of the other prophets like Daniel, or Ezekiel. I think that the answer to this question is
that first of all Moses and Elijah represented the Law and the Prophets. I mentioned that these men, in my opinion,
and many others, would be the two wittiness found in Rev. 11:3 “"And I
will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for
twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.’” Another thing that I think of when I think of
these two men is that neither of them finished their ministry as Moses was
denied leading the children of Israel into the Promised Land because of sin and
Elijah went to heaven in a chariot of fire before his ministry was
finished. By the way this pictures the
rapture.
Another
reason that John MacArthur gives is that “Perhaps the only other Old Testament
man who could have stood with Moses was Elijah.
Moses was the great law giver, and Elijah was the great defender of the law. This prophet was zeal personified, a godly
man of unmatched courage, boldness, and fearlessness. He had a heart for God, he walked with God,
and more than any other Old Testament saint, he was the instrument of God’s
miracle-working power. He was the
preeminent prophet of God, and to the Jews the most romantic Old Testament
personality.”
Luke
tells us that these two great saints were talking with Jesus “of His departure
which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:31). These two great saints were not just standing
there in the glory of the Lord, but talking to Him, a friend to a Friend about
His departure. What an awesome sight to
behold. MacArthur writes “Departure” is
from the Greek term from which we get exodus. Just as the Exodus out of Egypt under Moses
led God’s people out of the bondage of slavery the ‘exodus’ of Jesus out of the
grave would lead believers out of the bondage of sin. This would be accomplished, as Luke reports,
at Jerusalem.”
It
was significant that the discussion between these two saints and the Lord was
about His saving work through His death, because that was the central work of
His ministry, and yet the truth the disciples found most difficult to accept,
although we know that soon they will certainly accept this reason why Jesus
came to earth. Moses and Elijah not only
gave confirmation of Jesus’ divine glory but of His divine plan. Later on as they think back on this it was
probably through this that gave them great courage and conviction as they
proclaimed that Jesus was “delivered up by the predetermined plan and
foreknowledge of God” as seen in Acts 2:23, which is a part of Peter’s
Pentecost sermon. “Jesus is the
predicted Savior and King,’ they were affirming before the three apostles, “and
His divine plan is on schedule.”
MacArthur
writes “Jesus’ death and resurrection were an inescapable part of that plan,
without which redemption from sin would have been impossible. He was infinitely more than a good man whose
example shows other men the way to God.
He Himself was God, and it was by His atoning sacrifice as a substitute
for men that He Himself brings those who trust in Him to God. No man can come to God by following Jesus’
example, because no man could offer a sufficient sacrifice even for his own
sins, much less for the sins of the whole world. It was therefore imperative for the disciples
to understand that Jesus’ coming the first time to die and rise again was as
much a part of the divine plan as His coming again in glory.”
Lord willing we will continue looking at
this section in our next SD.
10/19/2022 11:44 AM
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