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e　pleads　that　they　may　witness　a　manifestation　of　His　divinity　that　will　comfort　them　in　the　hour　of　His　supreme　agony　with　the　knowledge　that　He　is　of　a　surety　the　Son　of　God　and　that　His　shameful　death　is　a　part　of　the　plan　of　redemption。

His　prayer　is　heard。　While　He　is　bowed　in　lowliness　upon　the　stony　ground；　suddenly　the　heavens　open；　the　golden　gates　of　the　city　of　God　are　thrown　wide；　and　holy　radiance　descends　upon　the　mount；　enshrouding　the　Saviour's　form。　Divinity　from　within　flashes　through　humanity；　and　meets　the　glory　coming　from　above。　Arising　from　His　prostrate　position；　Christ　stands　in　godlike　majesty。　The　soul　agony　is　gone。　His　countenance　now　shines　〃as　the　sun；〃　and　His　garments　are　〃white　as　the　light。〃

The　disciples；　awaking；　behold　the　flood　of　glory　that　illuminates　the　mount。　In　fear　and　amazement　they　gaze　upon　the　radiant　form　of　their　Master。　As　they　become　able　to　endure　the　wondrous　light；　they　see　that　Jesus　is　not　alone。　Beside　Him　are　two　heavenly　beings；　in　close　converse　with　Him。　They　are　Moses；　who　upon　Sinai　had　talked　with　God；　and　Elijah；　to　whom　the　high　privilege　was　givengranted　to　but　one　other　of　the　sons　of　Adamnever　to　come　under　the　power　of　death。

Upon　Mount　Pisgah　fifteen　centuries　before；　Moses　had　stood　gazing　upon　the　Land　of　Promise。　But　because　of　his　sin　at　Meribah；　it　was　not　for　him　to　enter　there。　Not　for　him　was　the　joy　of　leading　the　host　of　Israel　into　the　inheritance　of　their　fathers。　His　agonized　entreaty；　〃I　pray　Thee；　let　me　go　over；　and　see　the　good　land　that　is　beyond　Jordan；　that　goodly　mountain；　and　Lebanon〃　（Deut。　3：25）；　was　refused。　The　hope　that　for　forty　years　had　lighted　up　the　darkness　of　the　desert　wanderings　must　be　denied。　A　wilderness　grave　was　the　goal　of　those　years　of　toil　and　heart…burdening　care。　But　He　who　is　〃able　to　do　exceeding　abundantly　above　all　that　we　ask　or　think〃　（Eph。　3：20）；　had　in　this　measure　answered　His　servant's　prayer。　Moses　passed　under　the　dominion　of　death；　but　he　was　not　to　remain　in　the　tomb。　Christ　Himself　called　him　forth　to　life。　Satan　the　tempter　had　claimed　the　body　of　Moses　because　of　his　sin；　but　Christ　the　Saviour　brought　him　forth　from　the　grave。　Jude　9。

Moses　upon　the　mount　of　transfiguration　was　a　witness　to　Christ's　victory　over　sin　and　death。　He　represented　those　who　shall　come　forth

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from　the　grave　at　the　resurrection　of　the　just。　Elijah；　who　had　been　translated　to　heaven　without　seeing　death；　represented　those　who　will　be　living　upon　the　earth　at　Christ's　second　coming；　and　who　will　be　〃changed；　in　a　moment；　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　at　the　last　trump；〃　when　〃this　mortal　must　put　on　immortality；〃　and　〃this　corruptible　must　put　on　incorruption。〃　1　Cor。　15：51…53。　Jesus　was　clothed　with　the　light　of　heaven；　as　He　will　appear　when　He　shall　come　〃the　second　time　without　sin　unto　salvation。〃　For　He　will　come　〃in　the　glory　of　His　Father　with　the　holy　angels。〃　Heb。　9：28；　Mark　8：38。　The　Saviour's　promise　to　the　disciples　was　now　fulfilled。　Upon　the　mount　the　future　kingdom　of　glory　was　represented　in　miniature；Christ　the　King；　Moses　a　representative　of　the　risen　saints；　and　Elijah　of　the　translated　ones。

The　disciples　do　not　yet　comprehend　the　scene；　but　they　rejoice　that　the　patient　Teacher；　the　meek　and　lowly　One；　who　has　wandered　to　and　fro　a　helpless　stranger；　is　honored　by　the　favored　ones　of　heaven。　They　believe　that　Elijah　has　come　to　announce　the　Messiah's　reign；　and　that　the　kingdom　of　Christ　is　about　to　be　set　up　on　the　earth。　The　memory　of　their　fear　and　disappointment　they　would　banish　forever。　Here；　where　the　glory　of　God　is　revealed；　they　long　to　tarry。　Peter　exclaims；　〃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。〃　The　disciples　are　confident　that　Moses　and　Elijah　have　been　sent　to　protect　their　Master；　and　to　establish　His　authority　as　king。

But　before　the　crown　must　come　the　cross。　Not　the　inauguration　of　Christ　as　king；　but　the　decease　to　be　accomplished　at　Jerusalem；　is　the　subject　of　their　conference　with　Jesus。　Bearing　the　weakness　of　humanity；　and　burdened　with　its　sorrow　and　sin；　Jesus　walked　alone　in　the　midst　of　men。　As　the　darkness　of　the　coming　trial　pressed　upon　Him；　He　was　in　loneliness　of　spirit；　in　a　world　that　knew　Him　not。　Even　His　loved　disciples；　absorbed　in　their　own　doubt　and　sorrow　and　ambitious　hopes；　had　not　comprehended　the　mystery　of　His　mission。　He　had　dwelt　amid　the　love　and　fellowship　of　heaven；　but　in　the　world　that　He　had　created；　He　was　in　solitude。　Now　heaven　had　sent　its　messengers　to　Jesus；　not　angels；　but　men　who　had　endured　suffering　and　sorrow；　and　who　could　sympathize　with　the　Saviour　in　the　trial　of　His　earthly　life。　Moses　and　Elijah　had　been　colaborers　with　Christ。　They　had　shared　His　longing　for　the　salvation　of　men。　Moses　had　pleaded　for　Israel：　〃Yet　now；　if　Thou　wilt　forgive　their　sin；　and　if　not；　blot　me；　I　pray　Thee；　out　of　Thy　book　which　Thou　hast　written。〃　Ex。　32：32。　Elijah

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had　known　loneliness　of　spirit；　as　for　three　years　and　a　half　of　famine　he　had　borne　the　burden　of　the　nation's　hatred　and　its　woe。　Alone　he　had　stood　for　God　upon　Mount　Carmel。　Alone　he　had　fled　to　the　desert　in　anguish　and　despair。　These　men；　chosen　above　every　angel　around　the　throne；　had　come　to　commune　with　Jesus　concerning　the　scenes　of　His　suffering；　and　to　comfort　Him　with　the　assurance　of　the　sympathy　of　heaven。　The　hope　of　the　world；　the　salvation　of　every　human　being；　was　the　burden　of　their　interview。

Through　being　overcome　with　sleep；　the　disciples　heard　little　of　what　passed　between　Christ　and　the　heavenly　messengers。　Failing　to　watch　and　pray；　they　had　not　received　that　which　God　desired　to　give　them；a　knowledge　of　the　sufferings　of　Christ；　and　the　glory　that　should　follow。　They　lost　the　blessing　that　might　have　been　theirs　through　sharing　His　self…sacrifice。　Slow　of　heart　to　believe　were　these　disciples；　little　appreciative　of　the　treasure　with　which　Heaven　sought　to　enrich　them。

Yet　they　received　great　light。　They　were　assured　that　all　heaven　knew　of　the　sin　of　the　Jewish　nation　in　rejecting　Christ。　They　were　given　a　clearer　insight　into　the　work　of　the　Redeemer。　They　saw　with　their　eyes　and　heard　with　their　ears　things　that　were　beyond　the　comprehension　of　man。　They　were　〃eyewitnesses　of　His　majesty〃　（2　Peter　1：16）；　and　they　realized　that　Jesus　was　indeed　the　Messiah；　to　whom　patriarchs　and　prophets　had　witnessed；　and　that　He　was　recognized　as　such　by　the　heavenly　universe。

While　they　were　still　gazing　on　the　scene　upon　the　mount；　〃a　bright　cloud　overshadowed　them：　and　behold　a　voice　out　of　the　cloud；　which　said；　This　is　My　beloved　Son；　in　whom　I　am　well　pleased；　hear　ye　Him。〃　As　they　beheld　the　cloud　of　glory；　brighter　than　that　which　went　before　the　tribes　of　Israel　in　the　wilderness；　as　they　heard　the　voice　of　God　speak　in　awful　majesty　that　caused　the　mountain　to　tremble；　the　disciples　fell　smitten　to　the　earth。　They　remained　prostrate；　their　faces　hidden；　till　Jesus　came　near；　and　touched　them；　dispelling　their　fears　with　His　well…known　voice；　〃Arise；　and　be　not　afraid。〃　Venturing　to　lift　up　their　eyes；　they　saw　that　the　heavenly　glory　had　passed　away；　the　forms　of　Moses　and　Elijah　had　disappeared。　They　were　upon　the　mount；　alone　with　Jesus。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　47

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ministry


The　entire　night　had　been　passed　in　the　mountain；　and　as　the　sun　arose；　Jesus　and　His　disciples　descended　to　the　plain。　Absorbed　in　thought；　the　disciples　were　awed　and　silent。　Even　Peter　had　not　a　word　to　say。　Gladly　would　they　have　lingered　in　that　holy　place　which　had　been　touched　with　the　light　of　heaven；　and　where　the　Son　of　God　had　manifested　His　glory；　but　there　was　work　to　be　done　for　the　people；　who　were　already　searching　far　and　near　for　Jesus。

At　the　foot　of　the　mountain　a　large　company　had　gathered；　led　hither　by　the　disciples　who　had　remained　behind；　but　who　knew　whither　Jesus　had　resorted。　As　the　Saviour　drew　near；　He　charged　His　three　companions　to　keep　silence　concerning　what　they　had　witnessed；　saying；　〃Tell　the　vision　to　no　man；　until　the　Son　of　man　be　risen　again　from　the　dead。〃　The　revelation　made　to　the　disciples　was　to　be　pondered　in　their　own　hearts；　not　to　be　published　abroad。　To　relate　it　to　the　multitudes　would　excite　only　ridicule　or　idle　wonder。　And　even　the　nine　apostles　would　not　understand　the　scene　until　after　Christ　had　risen　from　the　dead。　How　slow　of　comprehension　even　the　three　favored　disciples　were；　is　seen　in　the　fact　that　notwithstanding　all　that　Christ　had　said　of　what　was　before　Him；　they　queried　among　themselves　what　the　rising　from　the　dead

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should　mean。　Yet　they　asked　no　explanation　from　Jesus。　His　words　in　regard　to　the　future　had　filled　them　with　sorrow；　they　sought　no　further　revelation　concerning　that　which　they　were　fain　to　believe　might　never　come　to　pass。

As　the　people　on　the　plain　caught　sight　of　Jesus；　they　ran　to　meet　Him；　greeting　Him　with　expressions　of　reverence　and　joy。　Yet　His　quick　eye　discer