Fulfillment

Luke 9:28-36   About eight days after Jesus said this, 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.  Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.  As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here.  Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)
   While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.  A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”  When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone.  The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen (NIV).

   What was really going on with this “transfiguration?”  Fulfillment is what was taking place!
   First, the final book of the Old Testament Scriptures is Malachi, and that prophet concluded with the statement: “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.  He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse” (Malachi 4:5-6 NIV).
   Elijah came!  In this passage Elijah came and talked with Jesus.  Plus I am convicted Elijah was the one who talked with John the Baptist (see John 1:32-33 and Luke 1:17).  The prophecy of Malachi was fulfilled!
   And the mission of Jesus which resulted in eternal fulfillment was prophesied here!  Jesus would fulfill the Law and Prophets.  Jesus stated, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17 NIV).  Only Jesus, who never sinned (see 2 Corinthians 5:21), was completely obedient under the Mosaic Law.
   And Jesus completely fulfilled the Mosaic Law and Prophets by being the substitutionary atonement on the cross.  How?  The Mosaic Law demanded sacrifice for sins.  Jesus was the Lamb of God.  The Prophets spoke of the need a Savior.  Jesus was the Savior.  This is what Jesus, Elijah, and Moses were talking about; they were talking about Jesus’ coming death on the cross.
   Jesus Christ died on a cross for the forgiveness of sins of anyone.  He was the perfect sacrifice, accomplishing what animal sacrifice under the Mosaic Law was unable to accomplish - the permanent atonement for sins.  Because Jesus was God the Son, because He had perfectly obeyed the Law, and because He died in the place of all people as their substitute, He was the Lamb of God.  If you believe in Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord, you will have eternal life in heaven.
Hunter Irvine