There is just something about mountains that calls my name. I love being around mountains and hiking on them. One of my dreams is to one day summit a snow-capped mountain out in the western states. I’ve had the opportunity to be near several major mountains, including Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Blue Sky (formerly Mt. Evans). Each mountain is different and beautiful in its own way. There’s just something special about being around mountains like these or climbing up their slopes and looking up at the peak above you and down at the valleys below.
In the Bible, there are many “mountain-top” experiences. Noah’s ark rested on the mountains of Ararat (Genesis 8:4), Abraham sacrificed on Mt. Moriah (Genesis 20:2), Moses received the law on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:3), and Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18:20). But certainly one of the most unique “mountain-top” experiences has to be the transfiguration of Jesus. Mark records it for us in Mark 9:2-13. For Jesus’ inner circle of disciples—Peter, James and John—it was a crucial point in their understanding of Jesus’ role in God’s plan.
Jesus was on a mountain with these three men when his appearance was dramatically changed. His glory shone through in a moment of splendor, dazzling his disciples and terrifying them. Suddenly, the disciples saw that Jesus was accompanied by Elijah and Moses, two of the greatest figures from the history of the Jewish people. Peter, always one to speak up, suggested that they build three tabernacles, one for each of the men before them. Peter no doubt meant this as a high compliment to Jesus, to suggest that he ought to be honored alongside the greatest prophet and law-giver from history. But this is a teaching moment for the disciples. A cloud overshadowed them and a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him” (Mark 9:7). After these words, Moses and Elijah were nowhere to be seen. Clearly, God used this mountain-top experience to single out Jesus and show the disciples that Jesus is greater than Moses and Elijah. But right on the heels of this glorious scene, Jesus had a further message for his disciples: they were to tell no one of the vision until after Jesus had risen from the dead. Jesus’ disciples were confused by this. They understood that he was the glorious Son of God, but they did not know what he meant by rising from the dead.
The lesson is that Jesus is not only the highly exalted Son of God in glory on the mountain top, he is also the suffering Son of Man, who descends the mountain to return to Jerusalem where he will die for the sins of his people; but not only will he die, he will rise from the dead, conquering sin and death, and be exalted to the right hand of God for all eternity to make intercession for us.