In order to understand how Elijah was involved with Christ’s Transfiguration, we need to understand something about what are called early and latter rains. We find the following in Deuteronomy:

So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul—then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. (Dt 11:13-15)

In Israel the early rains came in the autumn (October-November) and the latter rains came in the spring (March-April). Plowing occurred after the early rains softened the soil. Planting was then done for a spring harvest of barley and wheat. Plowing occurred after the latter rains for planting of fall harvest of flax and millet.

What Elijah prophesied was not just no rain, but a drought, three and a half years of drought:

Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word. (1Ki 17:1)

While the Bible doesn’t say what time of year Elijah prophesied the drought to start, for maximum effect, it would likely be some time before the latter rains and before the maturation of the fall harvest. This would likely occur before Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets at the beginning of Tishri, the seventh month) to show that God was not remembering his covenant with Israel due to their sin of worshipping Baal.

Elijah was told to go to the Cherith Ravine (1Ki 17:5). This was near where Elijah grew up in Gilead. There was a stream here normally until mid-Summer when it would dry up; perhaps it dried up earlier this time due to the drought. Therefore, his time here was likely no more than half a year.

Elijah was then told to go to Zarephath (1Ki 17:9). This is slightly north of Israel in what is today Lebanon. Ironically, this is the area from where Jezebel grew up. Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab and a very wicked woman who led all of Israel into the worship of Baal through her 450 prophets.

Elijah is later told to go to Mt. Carmel and have a showdown with Jezebel’s prophets of Baal here as many of the people gathered and looked on at the spectacle (1Ki 18:19). The prophets of Baal pleaded with Baal to light their sacrifice with fire and, after a time, even cut themselves to show their devotion to him by giving him their blood, but nothing happened (1Ki 18:25-29). After the prophets of Baal gave up requesting and pleading with Baal to light their sacrifice, Elijah prepares his sacrifice by building an altar as God had commanded one to be built, dug a trench around the altar, and then poured several barrels of water over the sacrifice to wet the wood which overflowed into the surrounding trench. At Elijah’s request, God sends fire from heaven which consumed not only the sacrifice, but the stones of the altar, and the water that was poured over it in the trenches surrounding the altar (1Ki 18:30-39).

The people fell to their faces and worshiped God. Elijah then had the prophets of Baal slain. Elijah prayed earnestly for rain three times. Rain came, but it wasn’t normal rain but a torrential downpour (1Ki 18:44-45).

When Ahab told Jezebel what Elijah had done, she sent a letter to Elijah stating that she was going to do the same to him as he did to her prophets of Baal. For some reason, this frightened Elijah, and he feared for his life (1Ki 19:3a). He became so frightened he fled from Samaria to Beersheba and then a day's journey into the wilderness where he collapsed. After being fed by an angel twice, he had enough strength to reach a cave at Mt. Sinai after forty days of travel (1Ki 19:3b-9).

If the drought started sometime before Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets) before maturation of Fall Harvest, then 3 ½ years later would put the time around Shavuot (May/June) when he had his encounter with the 450 prophets of Baal.

While at the cave at Mt. Sinai, God spoke to him:

The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” (1Ki 19:11a)

This is likely the time Elijah was transported to the Transfiguration to see Christ.

Once he was back at Sinai, God helped Elijah see his lack of understanding.

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1Ki 19:11b-13).

This seems to be not one event but two: he was first called to the mouth of the cave to experience the presence of the Lord, but then later was farther back in the cave and went to the mouth of the cave again. If he was transported to Christ’s Transfiguration, this would explain why he was within the cave and called to its front twice.

God then gave Elijah instructions (1Ki 19:15). He was to travel to Abel-Meholah. Getting there would have taken another 40 days. This may be reason there is no mention of his face glowing as the glow would have faded over this time.

Abel-Meholah was near where Elisha grew up. Elijah found Elisha plowing in his father’s field. Plowing was not possible until now, even though late, because of the drought and the torrential downpour they had just experienced. Upon hearing his calling from Elijah, Elisha sacrificed his oxen and used the wood from the plow as kindling (1Ki 19:21). This implied he was willing to leave his profession permanently to follow God and Elijah. Elijah also anointed Jehu as the next king of Northern Israel as God had commanded him to do.

For Elijah, meeting with Christ would have been an encouragement to him that his mission was far greater than he had ever believed. This may have been the beginning of the story that Elijah would be a forerunner of their coming Messiah. Only Malachi mentions this in Scripture (Ml 4:5). Yet Elijah became larger and more infamous than all the other prophets even though Scripture does not place him as such before Malachi says anything about him. This is curious because other prophets were of great renown and had a lot more information written about them, like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Yet, it seems Elijah surpassed them all in renown. This may also have prepared Elijah for him becoming a symbol of hope that at some point in their future, they could be with their Messiah without having to die as they enter the Messiah’s promised future kingdom where all would be back like the garden of Eden with peace between humans and within the animal realm, and where Israel would become a nation that all other nations would look up to.

While not proof, this likelihood of Elijah transported from Sinai to Mt. Hermon for Christ’s Transfiguration does help to explain many things the Israelites would need to piece together as they lived and looked forward to their coming Messiah.

Next, let’s compare the timeline between Moses, Elijah, and Jesus for a better understanding of how they all parallel each other. Stay with me and we’ll do that next time.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

We’re looking for evidence of Moses being taken from Mt. Sinai to be at Christ’s Transfiguration on Mt. Hermon. So, let’s look at the timing and circumstances around his encounter with God on Mt. Sinai.

First, let’s look at the timing. The first Shavuot occurred at Mt. Sinai. Israel left Egypt the day after Passover (Ex 12:21, 31) which became known as the first day of Unleavened Bread (Ex13:4-6). The next day became known as the Feast of First Fruit once they entered the Promised Land (Lv 23:9). They arrived at Sinai on Day 46 which was the first day of the Third Month (Sivan; Ex 19:1). They consecrated themselves for two days (Ex 19:10-11). On Day 48, God appeared with fire and smoke on the mountain (Ex 19:16). Day 49, Moses wrote down all that God had said (Ex 24:4). Then, on Day 50, Israel was consecrated as a nation before God (Ex 24:8). Shavuot occurs 50 days after First Fruit (Lv 23:16).

Moses then goes up Mt. Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights. Exodus 24:13-18 tells us that Moses went up the mountainside with Joshua:

When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. (v 15)

It tells us what God’s presence looked like to those down below:

To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. (v17)

After 7 days, Moses went further up the mountain:

Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. (v 18)

Because Moses was on the mountain for so long, the Israelites assumed Moses likely died in the fire on the mountain. To appease the people, Aaron makes a golden calf for the people to worship (Ex 32:4-6).

When Moses came down from the mountain, he broke the stone with the Ten Commandments God had written with his own hand before them (Ex 32:19). This showed his disapproval as well as God disapproval. Moses then destroyed the idol and made the people drink the water with the ashes of the golden calf in it (Ex 32:20). Approximately, three thousand people died that day because of their sin (Ex 32:28). While Moses did intercede for the people, God still sent a plague(Ex 32:35).

Next, Moses takes stone tablets he prepared back up the mountain as God instructed, and he asked to see God (Ex 33:18). Once he was back on the mountain, God granted his request:

Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. (Ex 34:5)

This is likely the time Moses was transported to the Transfiguration where he meets Christ—Yahweh or Jehovah.

Once Moses was back at Sinai, God the Father shields him and passes before him. This also confirms that God the Father and God the Son are part of the Godhead as both are referred to as LORD (Yahweh or Jehovah).

And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished (Ex 34:6-7a)

This would be a testimony to Moses that Christ who he just met was also God and emphasize what Jesus told him about his coming death to forgive their sin. One of things Jesus spoke to him about was “his departure” (Lk 9:31), i.e., his crucifixion which would soon occur. The word for departure is the same word as exodus. Christ was likely comparing the exodus Moses had with the children of Israel out of Egypt to the exodus he was providing for his people out of their sin and providing for the exodus of the righteous from Sheol. Perhaps this is what prompts Moses to ask God if he would forgive their sin, go with them, and not forsake his people (Ex 34:9). God reiterates his provisional covenant to Moses – prosperity and protection with obedience (Ex 34:10-11).

Moses’ face did not shine until he came down from the mountain with the second version of the Ten Commandments.

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. (Ex 34:29)

His face did not shine from being with God previously—only this time. Could the reason be that he was with Christ on Mt. Hermon experiencing Christ’s transfiguration? Moses likely didn’t know he was transported through time but only knew he had encountered the Lord.

After this time, when he went inside the Tent of Meeting, he met with the Shekinah glory of God, which would have been Yahweh, or Christ, as Moses seemed to need to continually wear the veil over his face (Ex 34:34-35).

For Moses, meeting with Christ would be an encouragement to him regarding his ordained mission. It proved far greater than he had ever believed. This likely allowed him to have more compassion and patience with the Israelites. This is not to say that he still did not become frustrated with their actions at times.

This could be a reason Moses was able to predict the coming of Jesus:

The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me (Moses) from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. (Dt 18:15)

This likely helped Moses better understand the purpose of the Law given to him. The Tabernacle and its sacrifices were not only requirements but were prophetic in nature. Moses would also better understand he would become a symbol of hope. He represented all those righteous Israelites who die will one day be with their coming Messiah in heaven. Perhaps Jesus told him this. This may also be how Moses could have written about his death and the dispute over his body with Satan before the event actually occurred.

In addition, this could be the genesis of many Jewish leaders understanding the prophetic nature of their feast days and sacrifices. While not necessarily stated in Scripture, many of the Jewish commentaries, like the Mishna, points to a lot of this understanding. Perhaps the genesis for all these understandings came from Moses’ conversations with Christ at his transfiguration. This is different from us today. We see Jesus and what he did and can retrofit his actions and deeds into Old Testament scriptures. The Jews, however, prospectively saw their Messiah fulfilling all these things in their Torah and prophetical scriptures.

While not proof, this likelihood of Moses transported from Sinai to Mt. Hermon for Christ’s Transfiguration does help to explain many things the Israelites would need to piece together as they lived and looked forward to their coming Messiah.

What about Elijah? We’ll discuss him next time. I hope you join me.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

Last time, we talked about two reasons that Mt. Hermon in northern Israel was likely the mountain on which Christ’s Transfiguration took place: proximity to what Christ was doing with his disciples at the time and the spiritual significance of this particular mountain. Let’s further explore these reasons.

At the foot of Mt. Hermon lay the city of Caesarea Philippi. This was where the head waters of the Jordan river began, creating a lush and very beautiful area. Yet, behind the beauty stood a lot of evil. In the bedrock at the base of this mountain stood a cave that became so deep, the rumor was that it led all the way to Hades, so it had the reputation of being the gateway to the underworld. This area became the place of Baal worship (a god worshipped for the bringing of rain and fertility, and who had been the bane of existence of the nation of Israel almost from its inception); it later became the place for the worship of Pan (a demi-god being half human, half goat) who was worshipped through practices of bestiality to gain his favor and ensure the fertility of their herds. It was also a place where divinations were made by looking at the entrails of animals. The Greeks named the city Panias in Pan’s honor. The Romans added their influence as well. When Herod Philip was given this area to rule, he built up this area and named it after himself and dedicated it to Caesar, hence the name Caesarea Philippi. Philip also instituted the worship of Caesar here as well by building a temple here in his honor.

This was the place where Jesus asked his disciples who people said he was and who they believed he was. Peter stated, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16). Jesus then states, “And I tell you that you are Peter (Jesus used the Greek word petros meaning stone, a small rock), and on this rock (Jesus used the Greek word petra meaning something much larger than a stone, often referring to bedrock or a cliff, likely referring to the proclamation Peter had just stated) I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” While they were standing at what was touted as the gateway to Hades, Christ is saying that what Satan has erected will not be able to stand against what he, Jesus, was going to build. Also, death itself is known as the gate of Hades, so not even death itself will be able to stand against what Christ would build, i.e., his Church.

I think Christ used Mt. Hermon for his Transfiguration because of the mountain’s history and what was currently going on in this geographic region, making a statement that despite all that Satan had erected here, he was no match for his glory and his plan.

Mt. Hermon was believed to be the place the angels came down and married human women as recorded in Genesis 6. So, Mt. Hermon had a long history of how Satan held influence over the affairs of men and their belief system.

Christ is proclaiming that this belief system will soon be shattered by what he would do. His Transfiguration is the proof of his power to be able to do just that.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

There is somewhat of a debate about where Christ’s Transfiguration occurred. Some say Mt. Tabor and others say Mt. Hermon. As the Biblical Scriptures do not specify the specific mountain Jesus and his disciples climbed, can we really know? Well, let’s look at each of these mountains more closely.

Mt. Tabor is within the Jezreel Valey southwest of the Sea of Galilee. It is a mountain that Jesus and his disciples would be familiar with as it is a prominent feature in this area. While its height, approximately 2,000 feet, is not necessarily impressive, it looks more impressive because of the flat plain area within which it is located. It does have an important prominence in Israel’s history. When Joshua was dividing the land of Canaan for the twelve tribe of Israel, Mt. Tabor was a prominent landmark boundary utilized for demonstrating the boundary lines for Zebulun (Js 19:12), Issachar (Js 19:22), and Naphtali (Js 19:34). This was the place where the prophetess Deborah summoned Barak to gather his army (Jd 4:1-24) to go against their enemy, the Canaanite army; it was the place Gideon avenged the death of his brothers by the Midianite kings (Jd 8:18-21), and it was one of the high places where idol worship was performed (Ho 5:1). It was declared the place of Christ Transfiguration in 326 AD by Queen Helena, the mother of Emperor Constatine. During the first century, beacons were often lit here to communicate timing of holy days to northern Israel. It may also have been used militarily and had a wall built around it during this time as well, as referenced by the Jewish historian Josephus.

Mt. Hermon on the other hand is in the northwestern part of Israel and is as high as 9.000 feet in places with snow-capped peaks. It is also prominent in Israel’s history as it was the northern boundary of the land conquered by Joshua (Dt 3:8; Js 11:17) and marked the northern boundary of the half tribe of Manasseh and for Israel in general (1Ch 5:23). At the base of this mountain was the city Caesarea Philippi where Jesus had taken his disciples (Mt 16:13) just before he had his Transfiguration. Since this mountain is closer to this area than Mt. Tabor, it may be more likely the mountain scripture is referring to for Christ’s Transfiguration. It was also a place more secluded than Mt. Tabor where Jesus could be alone with his disciples (Mk 9:2).

Mt. Hermon also had a spiritual history that also makes it a more likely candidate for Christ’s Transfiguration to occur here. Next time we’ll go over what was spiritually significant about this area and how Christ used it to make a specific declaration about himself and what he was going to accomplish. Sound intriguing? Then stay tuned for next time when we’ll go over these spiritual aspects which, unfortunately, have a very dark side to them.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

We often refer to Jesus as being 100% God and 100% man. There are many Scriptures we can point to where he tells us this as he called himself Son of Man as well as Son of God. It is likely easier for us, and especially Jesus’ disciples, to see and understand his humanity, but what about his divinity? Well, he settled this once and for all at his Transfiguration.

Yet, this event leaves us with quite a few questions: Why did he wait until near the end of his ministry to demonstrate his glory to Peter, James, and John? And why did he ask them to keep it a secret from the others? And why did he have both Moses and Elijah participate in this event? These are things I want us to explore together.

This event is recorded in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, & Luke). All three have almost identical descriptions. Here is how Luke described the event:

About 8 days after Jesus said this [referring to a conversation Jesus had with his disciples in Caesarea Philippi], he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. (Lk 9:28-31; similar in Mt 17:1-3, & Mk 9:2-4)

While John does not describe the event, he alludes to seeing Christ’s glory which likely refers to him seeing Jesus in his transfigured state. He states:

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only [Son], who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Jn 1:14)

Therefore, each gospel writer felt it important to include this event in their record of events of Jesus’ ministry.

This brings us to the first question to resolve: When did this event occur?

From Scripture we know that it occurred between Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). In the second year of his ministry, John 6 tells us that Passover was near when he taught and fed the 5,000 on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. He was still in the Galilee region when it was time for the Feast of Tabernacles, which we see in John 7. He did not go with his family to Jerusalem for the feast but went at a later date.

So, there is a five-month window for the Transfiguration to occur. The Synoptic Gospels record that the Transfiguration occurred sometime after the feeding of the 5,000. Can we tell within this 5-month window when it most likely occurred?

Between Passover (which occurred during the 1st month of the Jewish calendar), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot, which occurred during the seventh month of the Jewish calendar) is the feast of Shavuot (Pentecost or Feast of Weeks) which occurred in the 3rd month (Sivan). According to Jewish Scriptures (the Torah), each of these feasts required their celebration to be held in Jerusalem by the men of the nation. Yet, during the 1st century, it was not necessarily expected that all Jewish men would be able to keep all three feasts in Jerusalem. Therefore, we don’t know for sure if Jesus went to Jerusalem for this feast or not. Yet, if he was a devout Jew, he likely did. And if he did, then we can figure out some of the timing between this feast and the event of his Transfiguration.

If Jesus did go to Jerusalem for Shavuot (Pentecost), his journey back to the Galilee region would take approximately one week if he traveled without hurrying.

It would then take about 40 days for him to complete his Galilean ministry and take his disciples to Caesarea Philippi, north of the Galilee region. Why do I say 40 days? Well, he not only did things in Galilee, but also in Bethsaida on the northern shore of Galilee, and then north of Galilee in Tyre and Sidon; he then traveled to Caesarea Philippi.

Scripture tells us it took about a week for Jesus to travel to and up Mt. Hermon with his disciples (Lk 9:28). It is believed that Mt. Hermon was the place that the Transfiguration occurred. Some teach the event occurred on Mt. Tabor, but that mountain is southwest of the Sea of Galilee and not near Caesarea Philippi and does not have the same spiritual significance as does Mt. Hermon.

What was special about Mt. Hermon? We’ll discuss that next time. I hope you join me.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens