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2 Peter 1:18
18 And [kai] this [taute] voice [phone] which came [phero] from [ek] heaven [ouranos] we [hemeis] heard [akouo], when we were [on] with [sun] him [autos] in [en] the holy [hagios] mount [oros]. KJV-Interlinear
18 and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. NASB
Peter, James and John, were the three apostles who went with Jesus onto the mountain, and witnessed His transfiguration.
Mark 9:2-4
2 And six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up to a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them;
3 and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them.
4 And Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. NASB
John 1:14
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. NASB
Moses was present, representing the Law. Elijah was present, representing the prophets. And both men faded leaving only Christ, who is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets (promises given by God). The reality over the shadow.
Peter witnessed these things first hand. He saw these men in their real lives. Peter did not dream these things. He did not receive them in a vision. He did not smoke or drink something that allowed him to invent these things, making them real through his imagination, as all other religions can only do.
Moses had lived some 1500 years prior to this event. Elijah had lived some 900 yeas prior to this event. Both men had been living in Paradise (one of the four compartments in the underworld, the underworld called Hades), all of those many past centuries.
And now when called by Jesus to the mountain, Peter was witness to these men, who had long since been dead, but were very much alive in his presence – and recognizable. They were not introduced, but Peter automatically knew who they were and recognized them, even though he had no clue, prior to this, as to their looks or identity.
Neither you nor I have ever seen Jesus. We have not seen Peter. We have not seen Moses. All we have is this written account (the Bible) of their lives.
This place was designated ‘Holy Ground.’ When Christ spoke to Moses from the burning bush, Moses was on Holy Ground. When God gave the Law to Moses on Mount Horeb, that was designated ‘Holy Ground.’ Mount Zion was ‘Holy Ground.’, because God had chosen it to be a habitation for himself. The Mount of Transfiguration was holy, because there the glory of God the Son was manifested.
Wherever God is present, that place is Holy Ground. That includes your soul, if you possess doctrine within it. Apart from Gods actual presence, there is no such place on this earth, that can be designated as holy. And that certainly includes everywhere in the Middle East, every church, every cathedral, etc., etc., etc.
This passage demonstrates the deep and lasting impression that the events at the Mount of Transfiguration made, on those who were present and were actual witnesses to it. However, as Jesus spoke of Thomas, when he doubted the resurrection, saying that if you have to see something in order to be convinced, your faith is indeed weak. However if your faith is strong, especially when you have not been a direct witness to these kinds of events, then how much more is the faith of that person who has never been a witness.
Those folks back then, had the tremendous honor to see, hear, and even speak with Christ.
But you, as a growing believer in Christ, have the tremendous honor, an even greater honor, to advance in your spiritual life based on faith alone. That is an honor that you will receive recognition for, when you get to heaven. And this is an honor that far, far, far exceeds any honor or gimmick available on this earth. Don’t lose it.
