Peeping into Heaven through Jesus Christ

Heaven “And He was transfigured before them; His face did shine like the sun, and His raiment was as white as light” (Matthew 17:2). The word ‘transfigure’ is in Greek ‘metemorphotyhe’ meaning to change the form.

A major mission of the incarnate Christ was to make a man have knowledge about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). The kingdom of God is not only heaven. It includes the place God has for the saints who will overcome the beast.

Jesus Christ, Himself gave us an assurance that He will go to His Father to prepare that place for us. In My Father’s house, there are many mansions (John 14:2).

But how would you expect those you have promised not to know the content of the promise? How do we have a foretaste of heaven? If heaven is the Christian’s home; if we are pilgrims and strangers here, what is the nature of our destination?

In the Bible, Jesus Christ is not the first to be transfigured. We read in Exodus 34:29-35 how Moses was transfigured when he met God. Accordingly, “Moses did not know that the skin of His face shone because he has been talking with God” (verse 29). In the New Testament, it is recorded of Stephen that: “gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like that face of an angel” (Act 6:15).

In our case today, Jesus “was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and His garment became white as light” (Matthew 17:2). The transfiguration of Christ in the presence of Peter, James and John – the inner circle – was a foretaste and a preview of the coming kingdom.

And Peter, having seen the splendour and glory of heaven, was no longer ready to come down from the ‘high mountain’ Jesus Christ has taken them to. This heavenly presence was confirmed by the voice [of God], “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5).

The change that took place in the person of Jesus Christ in the high mountain was peculiar from that of Moses and Stephen. Christ had witnesses in His three disciples.

This would go on to confirm and secure their confidence when He gave the promise of going to His Father to prepare a mansion for the saved and redeemed.

His continuation of the ministry of Moses (the Law) and Elijah (the Prophets) was also established. Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible rightly enunciated eight fold significance of this divine event. It represented the: (i) abolition of the law (2 Cor 3:6-15; Col 2:14-17); (ii) the fulfilment of prophecies of the suffering Messiah (Acts 13:29-41); (iii) It establishes the fact of Christ as Messiah, the sole authority from God and the Mediator between God and man (Heb 1:1-2, 1 Tim 2:5); It also confirms: (iv) the reality and consciousness of departed spirits (Rev 6:9-11, Heb 12:23); (v) the immortality of the soul (1 Pet 3:4, Ps 16:10); (vi) the second advent, rewards and punishments (Mt 16: 27, 24:29-25:46); (vii) bodily resurrection (1 Cor 15, Rev 20:4-15) and (viii) the reality of the future eternal kingdom (Rev 5:10, 11:15, 20:1-10).

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This event therefore marks the power of Christ’s divinity. In the transfiguration, the human form of Christ, known to his disciples, was transformed into one of a divine being. Here, His true form was unveiled and revealed (Phil2:6f). Hence the biblical commentator R.E. Nixon noted: “His face shone like the sun; He was the source of light, while Moses’ face shone with the reflection of the divine light (Ex 34:29-35). His garments became white perhaps as the Messianic high priest’s garments. Moses and Elijah represented the law and the prophets. Neither of them had a known grave (Dt 34:6; 2 King 2:11). Each of them had conversed with God on a high mountain” (Ex 31:18; 1 King 19:18). Nevertheless, the writer of Hebrew clearly state that “In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom He created the world. He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of His nature, upholding the universe by His word of power” (Heb 1:1-3). If we need a model, a prototype or sample of heaven and all that it represents, the transfiguration is it.

Having known the significance of the transfiguration; and Christ Jesus’ representation of His father in human affairs, it behoves every Christian to uphold Him. In this vein, Paul wrote about “two splendours.” The splendour Moses carried was lesser, carved on stones, had fading brightness and the people could not behold. It was veiled. Yet in Christ we have a greater splendour.

“What once had splendour has come to have no splendour at all, because of the splendour that surpasses it. For what faded away came with splendour, what is permanent must have much more splendour … when a man turns to the Lord the veil is removed.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into His likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (read 2 Cor 3:4-18). In Christ Jesus you are welcome to this divine change as we celebrate Mothering Sunday! Congratulations to all our Mothers!!

Be blessed and shalom!!

Rev’d Dr Karo Ogbinaka lectures at the Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos and member of the Editorial Board of The Trumpet.