July 19th, 2013
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

The Lord of Glory

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Mighty God, my strength and my hope, reveal anew to me the meaning of what I will read in Your Word.

Read MARK 9:2-13

[2] After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. [3] His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. [4] And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. [5] Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” [6] (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) [7] Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” [8] Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. [9] As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. [10] They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. [11] And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” [12] Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? [13] But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son” (John 1:14, The Message).

Think Further

The transfiguration of Jesus made a profound impression on the three disciples. The glorious presence of the transcendent Majesty provoked an acute sense of the fear of the Lord, so much so that Peter did not know what to say (6). However,  he would later eloquently describe the event: “We were eye-witnesses of his majesty” (2 Pet. 1:16-18). John’s testimony is similar: “We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and Only, who came from the Father” (John 1:14).

While Jesus was undoubtedly strengthened both by the divine voice and by the endorsement of Moses and Elijah, the experience may have been as much for the three disciples as for him. For them, the transfiguration was what baptism in the Jordan had been for Jesus. Both events attest to the unique relationship of Jesus to the Father. His dazzling appearance mirrors Daniel’s vision of the Ancient of Days, a revelation of God himself (Dan. 7:9)! It’s little wonder that John would later testify that Jesus has made the Father known: literally, he has “exegeted” (explained or interpreted) the Father (John 1:18). The disciples were given a glimpse of the glory with which Jesus would be crowned on his ascension to take his place at the right hand of God (c.f. v. 9).  

Since that ascension and the outpouring of the Spirit, the experience of James and John has become open to all believers! Amazingly, the glory that the Father has given to Jesus, Jesus has given to us (John 17:22). Paul tells us that we “contemplate the Lord’s glory” (2 Cor. 3:18). And there’s more! We “are being transformed [literally “transfigured”] into his image with ever-increasing glory.” Not only do we celebrate the hope of experiencing God’s glory in the age to come (Rom. 5:2), we can begin to experience it now! Truly awesome!

Apply

The secret of being transformed into the image of the Lord Jesus begins with contemplating his glory. Do that now.

Closing prayer

Awesome God, give me a glimpse of Your glory today. As I bow humbly before You, continue Your transforming work in me.

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