The Feast of the Transfiguration: A Hero's Reward

Bible students are often taught that Moses never entered the Promised Land. But that is not the whole story.

The Gospels tell us that at the Transfiguration, Moses—along with Elijah—appeared in splendor beside Jesus. Tradition holds that this event took place on Mt. Tabor. The Promised Land was described as stretching from the "River of Egypt" to the Euphrates, and from the desert to the Mediterranean Sea. Mt. Tabor sits within those boundaries.

Moses made it after all.

Each year, on August 6, the Church gives us the Feast of the Transfiguration, inviting us once again to visit with Moses and Elijah as they stand with the glorified Jesus, as He reveals Himself to the bewildered Peter, James, and John. Sparing a moment to focus on Moses’ biblical journey to this point may give us an extra boost in understanding the eternal joy God gives us in the Resurrection.

When we last see Moses in the Book of Deuteronomy, he is a sympathetic, almost pitiable, figure. The man who stood before Pharaoh and led Israel for forty years in the wilderness had given everything—body and spirit—in service to God’s chosen people. His end seemed almost unjust. At the waters of Meribah—which in Hebrew means “quarreling”—Moses, angered and frustrated by the people’s complaints, struck the rock twice with his staff instead of speaking to it as God had commanded. The judgment appeared harsh. Because of a moment of temporary disobedience, Moses would not be permitted to cross the River Jordan and lead the Israelites into the land of Canaan. God comes across as being unfair, perhaps even unreasonable.

But God had other plans for Moses. Big plans.

We first get a glimpse of what is in store when Moses dies. Scripture tells us that God Himself buried Moses in an unknown place. God does not waste time doing unimportant things. Then Jude 1:9 recounts how the Archangel Michael and the devil disputed over the body of Moses, the angel prevailing with the words, "The Lord rebuke you!" Moses, in physical form, was not yet finished playing his part in salvation history. The role was so important that the evil one himself took an interest. God sent the very prince of the Heavenly Hosts in response.

At the Transfiguration, God’s plan is laid before us. Moses not only entered the Promised Land; he was granted the honor of standing beside his Messiah, the resplendent Jesus. It was worth the wait.

It would be only human for Moses to have felt disappointment as he stood atop Mt. Nebo, looking out over the land he longed for but was told he could not enter. We have all experienced moments when life seems unfair and the world seems cruel. Each of us has dreams, hopes, and plans that have gone unfulfilled. Our work sometimes goes unappreciated. Justice is delayed—many times denied. We believe we deserve better for our efforts and for our faith. We often find ourselves standing beside Moses on Mt. Nebo.

But then there is Mt. Tabor, where Jesus makes everything right. He is showing His Apostles—and showing us today—that God always keeps His promises. God never abandons us. He never abandoned Moses. Even in despair, even in death, the glory of Mt. Tabor awaits.

The contrast between how Moses enters the Promised Land and what awaited Joshua and the children of Israel as they crossed the Jordan is also striking. War awaited Joshua, who had to fight his way through the fortified walls of Jericho. Moses was spared those battles. He entered triumphantly and in majesty. Jesus fought and won the battle for him. The Cross awaited at the bottom of the mountain. The very death Moses experienced was destined to be defeated.

At the Transfiguration, we begin to see Jesus giving the Apostles—and each of us—an understanding of what the glory of the Resurrection truly means. For one thing, there is a real physical component. Peter asks Jesus if he should build three tents: one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. Ghosts do not need tents for shelter. Peter recognizes that life in the flesh is present. He, like us, wants to linger and freeze a magnificent bodily experience that he can understand.

But Jesus is using physical form to show us something far greater. He is building upon what His Father told Moses: "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." God did not speak in the past tense. He did not say, "I was their God." The patriarchs had died centuries earlier and were no longer alive in earthly form, yet they were still alive in the present and still belonged to God.

Jesus is telling us the same thing. He is, in effect, saying, "I am the God of Moses and Elijah"—the Law and the Prophets. They are real. Their bodies are once again alive. Jesus shows Peter, James, and John—and us—that Moses and Elijah stand before Him in a form they can recognize, as human beings who would require warmth on a cold mountain night.

Such physicality may help explain why the devil was so interested in Moses’ body. God needed Moses to help reveal the divinity of His Son and to demonstrate how, through Him, our bodies and souls will one day be reunited in eternal life. The devil's interest lay in making God appear to be a liar. Remove Moses’ body, and perhaps the message of the Transfiguration is diminished. Perhaps believers begin to doubt. Perhaps our destiny is merely to become disembodied spirits wandering the heavens. Perhaps God has limitations.

Instead, God sent the commander of His heavenly armies to protect Moses as he lay in repose, awaiting his entrance into the Promised Land. God does not protect that which is dead and without value.

Elijah's presence alongside Jesus and Moses brings the message full circle.

I also feel a measure of sadness when I read of Elijah's final moments. One of the greatest men ever to walk the earth is suddenly taken from us in a heavenly chariot with horses, fire and a whirlwind. His departure evokes many of the same emotions we experience when we last see Moses. We are left feeling somewhat empty and alone, wondering whether God has abandoned us.  My question is the very one Elisha asks: "Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?"

Jesus answers that question at the Transfiguration.

He is still on the throne.

Elijah is beside Him.

Elijah, who was taken into Heaven by divine intervention, and Moses, who died on earth, are both alive and united through the sacrifice of the Savior.

When we commemorate the Transfiguration, may we remember God's promises and Moses’ two mountains—our mountains. There is our Mt. Nebo, where our hopes and dreams are often within sight yet remain beyond our reach. And there is our Mt. Tabor, where our lives find their fulfillment in the Son of God.

May we come to realize that, just as with Moses, God is with us on both mountains. Yet it is all too easy to live and linger only on our Mt. Nebo. Reaching the summit of our Mt. Tabor requires the faith of Peter, James, John, Moses, and Elijah.

It requires our faith in Jesus.