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In The Twinkling of An Eye

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A weird event is mentioned in the book of Matthew. It is known as the Transfiguration of Jesus. What most do not see is that there is a reference to Sukkot revealed in the event. And many do not realize that what happened to Jesus on that mountain was only a preview of the Resurrection of Jesus and all who would trust in His Name. In other words, the bodily transformation Jesus manifested is what awaits all who are His sons and daughters. Matthew 17:1-9 states: And six days after this, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.2 And His appearance underwent a change in their presence; and His face shone clear and bright like the sun, and His clothing became as white as light.3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, who kept talking with Him.4 Then Peter began to speak and said to Jesus, Lord, it is good and delightful that we are here; if You approve, I will put up three booths here—one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah.5 While he was still speaking, behold, a shining cloud [composed of light] overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, This is My Son, My Beloved, with Whom I am [and have always been] delighted. Listen to Him!6 When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were seized with alarm and struck with fear.7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, Get up, and do not be afraid.8 And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.9 And as they were going down the mountain, Jesus cautioned and commanded them, Do not mention to anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead. AMPC

Did you catch the Sukkot reference? Then Peter began to speak and said to Jesus, Lord, it is good and delightful that we are here; if You approve, I will put up three booths here—one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah. Matthew 17:4

Peter was thinking of Sukkot or Tabernacles. But hidden in plain sight is a reference to our destiny. Romans 8:30 alludes to this event: And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being]. AMPC

This word glorified refers to a bedrock doctrine of Christianity. What is glorification? Got Questions provides an answer: The short answer is that “glorification” is God’s final removal of sin from the life of the saints (i.e., everyone who is saved) in the eternal state (Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 4:17). At Christ’s coming, the glory of God (Romans 5:2)—His honor, praise, majesty, and holiness—will be realized in us; instead of being mortals burdened with sin nature, we will be changed into holy immortals with direct and unhindered access to God’s presence, and we will enjoy holy communion with Him throughout eternity.…Final glorification must await the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13; 1 Timothy 6:14)….How and when will we be finally glorified? At the last trumpet, when Jesus comes, the saints will undergo a fundamental, instant transformation (“we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” – 1 Corinthians 15:51); then the “perishable” will put on the “imperishable” (1 Corinthians 15:53). According to Philippians 3:20–21, our citizenship is in heaven, and when our Savior returns He will transform our lowly bodies “to be like His glorious body.” Although it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, we know that, when He returns in great glory, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). We will be perfectly conformed to the image of our Lord Jesus and be like Him in that our humanity will be free from sin and its consequences. Our blessed hope should spur us on to holiness, the Spirit enabling us. “Everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).

Sukkot is the time we look up to see if we are about to be glorified with Jesus. Regarding this topic of our physical bodies resurrection from the dead C.H. Spurgeon, the prince of preachers, once remarked: The body, then, is the Lord’s. Christ died not only to save my soul, but to save my body. It is said he “came to seek and to save that which was lost.” When Adam sinned he lost his body, and he lost his soul too; he was a lost man, lost altogether. And when Christ came to save his people, he came to save their bodies and their souls. …Is this body for the Lord, and shall death devour it? Is this body for the Lord, and shall winds scatter its particles far away where they never shall discover their fellows? No! the body is for the Lord, and the Lord shall have it. “And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise us by his own power.” Now look at the next verse: “Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ.” Not merely is the soul a part of Christ—united to Christ, but the body is also. These hands, these feet, these eyes, are members of Christ, if I be a child of God. I am one with him, not merely as to my mind, but one with him as to this outward frame. The very body is taken into union. The golden chain which binds Christ to his people goes round the body and soul too. Did not the apostle say “they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the Church?”—Ephesians v. 31, 32. “They are one flesh;” and Christ’s people are not only one with him in spirit, but they are “one flesh” too. The flesh of man is united with the flesh of the God-man; and our bodies are members of Jesus Christ. 

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A bell buoy rings only during storms. The beating of the waves and wind bring out the music that is within it, so too do trials reveal what is inside a person. –  J. C. Ferdinand Pittman

How true this was for the trials and beatings of Jesus that preceded His crucifixion. It’s easy to minimize the exhortation of Hebrews 13:13-14 Let us then go forth [from all that would prevent us] to Him outside the camp [at Calvary], bearing the contempt and abuse and shame with Him. For here we have no permanent city, but we are looking for the one which is to come. That is until we begin to realize to “meet Jesus outside the camp” requires that we persevere through our own trials. As we prepare to celebrate Resurrection Day let us not forget: it is a day of celebration, but also a reminder to return to our First Love. He Who loved us with a furious passion, impossible to comprehend from human perspective, had no limitations or boundaries set other than what His body, and Spirit could endure.

From 12 – 6 AM, Jesus endured 6 trials: 3 Jewish, 3 Roman. The Jewish trials were meant to determine if Jesus was guilty of blasphemy, and the Roman Trials to determine if Jesus was guilty of treason. And it’s interesting to note that during this time Passover lambs were being examined to see if they had spot or blemish. Yet, our Passover Lamb, Jesus, passed the test when He was examined and was found to be without spot, or blemish.

Not only was Jesus examined but He was mocked, beaten, and ridiculed in ways that are difficult to imagine. Three Greek words were used to describe the beatings He underwent: Buffet, Smote, and Strike. Each word has a different meaning in the original Greek. To buffet someone means that you rap them with your fists. To smote someone implied that the way you struck them was similar to being flayed, scourged, or thrashed; often used when referring to the skinning of an animal. Scripture does not specify in what manner this was administered but it could have been accomplished through the use of the fists, rods, or both. The final word, to strike, involves slapping, or beating repeatedly with hands or fists. Again Scripture does not give us the details but we can imagine that this involved striking Jesus in the face, mouth, nose, eyes and body. Add to this the suffering Jesus was already experiencing through sweating drops of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane. A condition known as hematidrosis, or hemohidrosis. This documented medical condition is caused by the tiny capillaries in the sweat glands rupturing, mixing their blood, with perspiration. In this condition the skin becomes extremely tender, fragile, and painful to touch. Just the slightest touch would cause bruising. This ordeal in the Garden alone would have left Jesus feeling dehydrated, along with shock, and physical exhaustion. This is why the writer of Hebrews reminds us: Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. You have not yet struggled and fought agonizingly against sin, nor have you yet resisted and withstood to the point of pouring out your [own] blood. (Heb. 12:3-4)

As we draw near to the celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection let us not forget to walk with Him through the trials that purchased our salvation, and the purpose of them. C.H. Spurgeon in a sermon entitled Feathers for Arrows reminds us: In the ancient times, a box on the ear given by a master to a slave meant liberty, little would the freedman care how hard was the blow. By a stroke from the sword the warrior was knighted by his monarch, small matter was it to the new-made knight if the royal hand was heavy. When the Lord intends to lift his servants into a higher stage of spiritual life, he frequently sends them a severe trial; he makes his Jacobs to be prevailing princes, but he confers the honour after a night of wrestling, and accompanies it with a shrunken sinew. Be it so, who among us would wish to be deprived of the trials if they are the necessary attendants of spiritual advancement?

Throughout Scripture we are exhorted to ascend the Hill of the Lord. But never forget that Hill led our Savior to Calvary, or Golgotha. Let us join Him in order that we too may have a glorious resurrection – hearing Him say to us, Well done My good and faithful servant! And never forget that the beating of the waves, and wind bring out the music that is within, as do the trials that reveal what is inside each of us.