Anchor My Faith

The Father Spoke

Scripture: Matthew 17:5-6

In the previous lesson Peter makes a statement which revealed his lack of understanding about the necessity of Jesus suffering, dying and rising again in Jerusalem. All he can comprehend is some sort of earthly kingdom, not a glorious one in heaven made up of spiritually born believers. As Peter speaks from his lack of understanding, things become even more weird.

^{Mt 17:5} “[While Peter] was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”’

As Peter was making his foolish statement, a bright cloud forms and overshadowed them. Luke adds to the narrative, in Luke 9:34, that the disciples were afraid as they entered into the cloud. I am sure the disciples were wondering, with a growing element of fear, how this bright cloud was going to affect them. This bright cloud reminds us of God’s presence and glory that appeared at various times in the Old Testament. For example, in Exodus 13:21 – 22 ESV: ²¹ “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. ²² The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.” In Exodus 34:5 ESV: “The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with [Moses] there and proclaimed the name of the Lord.” In 1 Kings 8:10 – 11 ESV: ¹⁰ “And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, ¹¹ so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.”

The disciples didn’t have to wait long before they would find out that the cloud contained God’s presence and he spoke from the cloud. This reminds us of the time when Jesus was baptized in Matthew 3:17 ESV: “and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”’ Here the voice tells the disciples that Jesus is the beloved Son and that they are to listen to him. The voice points out that Jesus is the incarnate Son of God, superior to Moses and Elijah, so they must listen to him to understand the messianic purpose.

^{Mt 17:6} “When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.”

In Mark 9:6 the disciples were terrified and didn’t know what to say. Here they are again terrified and fall on their faces before God’s presence. Being afraid was a common occurrence in the Old Testament when people witnessed the awesome reality of God’s presence. We see this in Exodus 19:16 ESV: “On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled.” and again in Deuteronomy 5:5 ESV: “while I (Moses) stood between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord. For you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain.”

Conclusion

When God shows up and the reality of his presence is witnessed, one can’t help but be awed and afraid because we are so insignificant and unholy in comparison. When was the last time you witnessed the reality of God’s presence and fell on your face before him? What have we allowed in our lives that has hindered us in receiving this witness?