04/07/2025
This morning, I read about Jesus, as He allowed Peter, James, and John to see Him speak with Elijah and Moses on the mountain before the passion, and as He was transfigured right before their eyes. What a remarkable event, even His clothing glowed... yet He commanded them not to tell anyone of this until He had risen from the dead... why the silence?
“And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.”
Mark 9:3-4, 9 KJV
Throughout my career in Information Technology, I have had to teach those around me the intricacies of new software or technologies. In this process, there were some who I could immediately teach, and others who needed some remedial instruction before they would be ready to understand what I would eventually teach them. There is also a natural progression to knowledge, and if it is not followed, there is a danger that students will go off on a tangent when something challenging is presented to them, and they will miss the real lesson.
Jesus ran into this all the time. He could very easily have taken all of his disciples up on the mountain with Him, but He chose these three... His star pupils if you will. He took with Him Peter who would become the rock on which He would build His church, James who would later be known as the Bishop of Jerusalem and by the name James the Just, and John who would later be entrusted with the care of Mary, Jesus’ mother, and receive the Revelation.
In our spiritual lives we are gifted with glimpses into the deeper subjects of faith as God finds us ready to receive them. How many times have we reread a scripture, that we had read many times before, and received a new insight into its meaning? God did not suddenly rewrite those verses... they were there all the time... we just weren't ready yet. Pastor Oswald Chambers writes of this in wonderful fashion using these words:
"When you get to the right state on the inside, the word which Jesus has spoken is so plain that you are amazed you did not see it before. You could not understand it before, you were not in the place in disposition where it could be borne." - Oswald Chambers
The brief preview these three disciples received of Christ's transfiguration was not the lesson... the lesson was dying, rising, and defeating sin. Jesus could have been transfigured the moment He was born, but what would that have left us with? Nothing but a nice story of an amazing baby. No... the lesson was far beyond glowing and speaking with a couple of bible heroes. Interestingly, Peter, though deemed to be mature in his faith, and chosen to view this scene, almost missed the big picture. He was ready to rush off and build tabernacles to Moses, Elijah, and Jesus.
“And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.”
Mark 9:5 KJV
How often do we miss the wonders that God would like to give us but doesn’t because we are not mature enough in our faith? Or how many times have we taken a little revelation and built a huge tabernacle to it... missing all that would follow? Do we even realize such things have occurred?
If we remain vigilant and never rest or become content in our understanding of God during our spiritual journey, then we can remain confident that we will continue to grow in Him and receive the wonders that scripture and faith have to offer… forevermore. In this way we will continue to realize that around the next bend there will be another incredible miracle, or amazing insight, that will be greater than the last, and this will keep us from becoming bogged down in building monuments for every divine experience we have.
We are on an awesome journey, and it goes on unto our death... and beyond. To become complacent, or to be sidetracked by an attraction along the way, delays us from receiving those gifts that await us just ahead. The Word of God is our roadmap and Jesus our guide... and we are not to mislead or encumber the trek of others as we go. Is our trust firm in our Holy Father? Is our faith in Jesus an everlasting one? Can we speak boldly when it is time to do so, and remain silent when asked to "tell no one?"
Prayer:
Father, thank you for telling me when to speak of the revelations I have received from you, and when to be silent. Father, give me an ever-increasing maturity of faith, so that I can receive more of your wonder with every passing day. Bring me to the fullness of one day with you so that the next can continue and will be new every morning. Lead me Abba to marvel in you day by day, and moment by moment. Teach me Lord to be patient and wait for the understanding and inspiration that I will receive from the heart of your lessons. Don't let me jump to a premature conclusion as Peter nearly did, but instead, encourage me to wait for the glory to come. Jesus, lead me on, and teach me of the truth in the paths of righteousness, encourage me Lord to love you all the more. Let no lesson pass me by, and none cause me to be delayed from discovering the next. In the progression of my faith, knowledge of you, and God's will... bless me and hear my thanksgiving and praise in return. Let me shout your praise in my excitement but remain silent when you instruct me to "tell no one." I have come to understand that this is a lesson in obedience that you want me to grasp fully, and which will lead me further into who you are. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you whose love, goodness, and wisdom, are fathomless. Holy are you whose glory abounds and covers us when we have been in your presence. Cover me now Father and hear the silence of my voice… see me obediently awaiting the moment when you will release me to sing Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! My God is great, and in me is His abode; in me is His Holy Temple now and forevermore!!! Amen!
Amen!
“Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.”
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 ESV
“Be silent before the Lord God!
For the day of the Lord is near;
the Lord has prepared a sacrifice
and consecrated his guests.”
Zephaniah 1:7 ESV
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
Psalm 46:10 ESV
“1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-7 ESV
Rich Forbes