When Jesus gave the second commandment, he said it was like unto the first, he said: “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matt. 22:40). He made them very important—so important that all other laws and commandments rest upon them. Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high mountain. He was transfigured – his face shone like the sun and his clothes became dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus. A bright cloud enveloped them and a voice said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him.” Moses and Elijah are two key figures from the OT. Moses led God’s people, the Israelites, out of slavery in Egypt. He then met with God on Mount Sinai and gave them God’s laws. Moses’ face was radiant after such close contact with God. Elijah was a prophet, one of God’s #messengers. He also went to Mount Sinai, where God revealed himself in a gentle whisper. Their roles can be summarised as follows: (MOSES=THE LAW… ELIJAH=THE PROPHETS) God’s presence is often shown by cloud or fire. Mountaintops were often the location for appearances from God. This cloud or fire was ‘shekinah’ in Hebrew. Matt16:13-20, Peter has shown -understanding- of #Jesus’ #identity, that he is the #Christ(Messiah). This experience is to help deepen this *understanding. Only Jesus’ three closest followers are chosen to witness it. Jesus wants them to understand that his role of Messiah will involve suffering and death, but will not be the final outcome of his mission. Jesus will return in this physical form after completing his earthly spirit lead task. Matthew’s readers would easily pick up on the OT references. It takes place six days after Peter’s declaration of faith, linking Moses who spent six days in preparation before approaching God in a cloud on Mt. Sinai. Mountain + cloud symbolizes presence of God. Moses and Elijah appear and stand beside Jesus- #symbolizing Jesus is their successor and has #fulfilled both. He is now bringing a new covenant from #God for #all people.X
Elijah (Elias or Elia, Hebrew Eliyyahu), Hebrew prophet who ranks with Moses in #saving the religion of #Yahweh from being *corrupted by the nature -worship- of #Baal (idols). Elijah’s name means “Yahweh IS my God” The story of his #prophetic career in the northern kingdom of Israel during the reigns of Kings Ahab and Ahaziah (1Kings17–19, 2Kings1–2). Elijah claimed that there was no -#reality- except the #God of #Israel, stressing monotheism to the people with possibly unprecedented emphasis. The Israelite king Omri had *allied himself with the Phoenician *cities of the *coast, and his son Ahab was married to Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Tyre and Sidon. Jezebel, with her Tyrian courtiers and a -large contingent- of -pagan- priests and prophets, #propagated her native religion in a “sanctuary” built for -Baal- in the royal city of Samaria. This meant that the Israelites -accepted- Baal as well “as” Yahweh, putting -Yahweh- on a “par” with a -nature-god- whose “supreme manifestations” were the “elements and biological fertility, celebrated often in sexual immorality.” Jezebel’s *policies- intensified the *gradual #contamination of the religion of #Yahweh by the Canaanite “religion of *Baal,” a -process made easier by the weakening- of the Israelites’ “faith in Yahweh.” Elijah was from Tishbe in Gilead. The narrative in (1Kings) relates how he suddenly appears during Ahab’s reign to proclaim a #drought in “punishment of the cult of Baal” that Jezebel was -promoting- in Israel at “Yahweh’s expense.” Later Elijah meets 450 prophets of Baal in a contest of strength on Mount Carmel to determine which deity is the true God of Israel. “Sacrifices” are placed on an altar to Baal and one to Yahweh. The pagan prophets’ “ecstatic appeals” to Baal to kindle the wood on his altar are #unsuccessful, but -Elijah’s prayers to Yahweh- are #answered by a fire on his altar. This outcome is taken as decisive by the Israelites, who slay the priests and prophets of Baal under #Elijah’s #direction. The drought thereupon ends with the “falling of rain” symbolizing #repentance and #redemption.X
“Classical Jewish texts depict a Messiah who will come to REDEEM the Jewish people, gather the exiled to the land of Israel, and rule over a PROSPEROUS nation, and relate other more detailed (and diverse) traditions about the Messiah’s arrival as well as the conditions of the messianic era. [The prophet] Elijah [who is supposed to usher in the messianic age- oneforisrael] Many rabbis believed that the Messiah would arrive suddenly on the “eve of Passover, the first redemption, which serves as a model of the final redemption” [Mekilta de-Rabbi Ishmael, Pischa 14]. (Redemption is the first ressurection of Yeshua- (2,000 years ago- which israel rejected (or more fairly just “missed”-most actual jews during that time had no idea the resurrection ever happened- it was the religious leadership or gatekeepers during that small window of time- so for 2,000 years jews had no idea- which was what god had called israel to do- he put a veil over israel until the fullness of the gentiles (bride of christ) came in to conclude his ultimate redemption)- yeshua brought in the gentiles and is circling back to Israel- so the first and last resurrection is the ultimate redemption for Israel aligned exactly with passover 2022). Corruption and Degradation Will Precede Redemption. One statement from the time of the rabbis describes the era leading up to the Messiah in the darkest terms of societal corruption 😬
Rabbi Tovia Singer says: “Anyone who thinks that God came down to us, manifested as anything, whether as cottage cheese or as Jesus, such person is going to the eternal fire of hell and will not enjoy Heaven.”
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