Matthew 17
17 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9 Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”
10 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
11 Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. 12 But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.
Picture this situation at the time. Peter, James and John had the privilege of seeing [in a vision] Jesus being transfigured and conversing with two prominent OT figures, Moses and Elijah. After this amazing event the disciples pose a question about Elijah whom the scribes stated, "must come first". Jesus responds giving them understanding that John the Baptist was indeed the Elijah who was prophesied to "prepare the way of the Lord" Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1.
The Law and the Prophets
The bible states
“The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. Luke 16:16
We see that this is a significant point in time where Jesus appears and is preparing to fulfill all prophecy about himself, from the time of the promise given to Abraham until John, and fulfilling the law.
Not the removal of the law itself but the requirements necessary to set us free from the consequences of the law, which is sin and death.
1 Corinthians 15
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Getting back to Matthew 17
Why Moses and Elijah? why not Samuel or Abraham or some other OT figure?
The meeting between these three powerful figures, mark the end of the law and the prophets up until John
[Moses - a biblical typology of the Law and Elijah, the prophets]
...and the beginning of the new order under a new covenant. Where Jesus becomes the Great High Priest forever, sending forth the Holy Spirit to dwell in all those who believe in him, by faith. The Holy Spirit, being the seal of our redemption 2 Cor 1:22, Eph 1:13, the guarantee of our promised inheritance 2 Cor 5:5, Eph 1:14.
Moses and Elijah were witnesses to this official change of order..
Romans 3
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Revelation 11 speaks of two witnesses who are commissioned to prophecy for 1,260 days. One of these witnesses may definitely be the return of Elijah in spirit, just as John was. The other witness?, possibly Moses who was indeed a prophet as spoken by Stephen in his address before being stoned in Acts 7:37-38.
After their testimony, they get killed by the beast that comes out of the abyss and three and a half days later, they come back to life, then are called up into heaven. This is the around the time of the second woe and the sixth trumpet.
I believe that this is also a significant period of time when these two prophets are witnesses to the ushering in, of another order....JMHO
Matthew 17:11
Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.
He also goes on to say...
"But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.”
The book of Malachi gives us a glimpse of "The Day of the Lord" Based on the context, this particular event has not happened yet. Verse 5 clearly states that Elijah will return before this event.
Malachi 4
The Great Day of God
4 “For behold, the day is coming,
Burning like an oven,
And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.
And the day which is coming shall burn them up,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“That will leave them neither root nor branch.
2 But to you who fear My name
The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out
And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
3 You shall trample the wicked,
For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet
On the day that I do this,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
4 “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant,
Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel,
With the statutes and judgments.
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
6 And he will turn
The hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse
Source: Changing of the Guards - The Order of things to come
17 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9 Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”
10 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
11 Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. 12 But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.
Picture this situation at the time. Peter, James and John had the privilege of seeing [in a vision] Jesus being transfigured and conversing with two prominent OT figures, Moses and Elijah. After this amazing event the disciples pose a question about Elijah whom the scribes stated, "must come first". Jesus responds giving them understanding that John the Baptist was indeed the Elijah who was prophesied to "prepare the way of the Lord" Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1.
The Law and the Prophets
The bible states
“The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. Luke 16:16
We see that this is a significant point in time where Jesus appears and is preparing to fulfill all prophecy about himself, from the time of the promise given to Abraham until John, and fulfilling the law.
Not the removal of the law itself but the requirements necessary to set us free from the consequences of the law, which is sin and death.
1 Corinthians 15
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Getting back to Matthew 17
Why Moses and Elijah? why not Samuel or Abraham or some other OT figure?
The meeting between these three powerful figures, mark the end of the law and the prophets up until John
[Moses - a biblical typology of the Law and Elijah, the prophets]
...and the beginning of the new order under a new covenant. Where Jesus becomes the Great High Priest forever, sending forth the Holy Spirit to dwell in all those who believe in him, by faith. The Holy Spirit, being the seal of our redemption 2 Cor 1:22, Eph 1:13, the guarantee of our promised inheritance 2 Cor 5:5, Eph 1:14.
Moses and Elijah were witnesses to this official change of order..
Romans 3
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Revelation 11 speaks of two witnesses who are commissioned to prophecy for 1,260 days. One of these witnesses may definitely be the return of Elijah in spirit, just as John was. The other witness?, possibly Moses who was indeed a prophet as spoken by Stephen in his address before being stoned in Acts 7:37-38.
After their testimony, they get killed by the beast that comes out of the abyss and three and a half days later, they come back to life, then are called up into heaven. This is the around the time of the second woe and the sixth trumpet.
I believe that this is also a significant period of time when these two prophets are witnesses to the ushering in, of another order....JMHO
Matthew 17:11
Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.
He also goes on to say...
"But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.”
The book of Malachi gives us a glimpse of "The Day of the Lord" Based on the context, this particular event has not happened yet. Verse 5 clearly states that Elijah will return before this event.
Malachi 4
The Great Day of God
4 “For behold, the day is coming,
Burning like an oven,
And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.
And the day which is coming shall burn them up,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“That will leave them neither root nor branch.
2 But to you who fear My name
The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out
And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
3 You shall trample the wicked,
For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet
On the day that I do this,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
4 “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant,
Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel,
With the statutes and judgments.
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
6 And he will turn
The hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse
Source: Changing of the Guards - The Order of things to come
