Insider Information

“And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.” Mark 9:2-3

Everybody gets excited about insider information, be it about stocks, or someone getting engaged, or having a baby! That's why there are TV shows, magazines, websites devoted to inside information. When Jesus was transfigured on top of a mountain, only Peter, James and John were with Him. Only these three got to share in Jesus' huge revelation. And now, with Matthew, Mark and Luke writing about this "inside information", we get to know about it as well.

The three disciples watched in awe as Jesus' appearance changed. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became whiter than white. If that wasn't enough, Elijah and Moses appeared. A cloud came over them all. Can you imagine what the disciples must have been experiencing by this time?

In the Old Testament God manifested Himself to the travelling Israelites with a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. He could not show Himself to them. He was too too inscrutable, too too awe-inspiring, magnificent...I doubt there are any words to capture what our God is. Our minds cannot wrap around the idea of God, much less describe Him. But God wanted us to know Him. And so, He said to the 3 disciples, in a voice that came out from the cloud, "THIS IS MY BELOVED SON. LISTEN TO HIM." Can God be any clearer than that?

In Matthew 17, we see that Jesus touches the terrified disciples, who had fallen face down on the ground, and said, "Don't be afraid." The insider information the disciples received and which we now can share with others, is that they saw a glimpse of the glory of Jesus, and they saw how men like Moses and Elijah would share in that glory. And that even if God is terrifying and unapproachable, we who will one day have to face Him before His throne, need not be afraid, IF we are with Jesus. IF we listen to Jesus.