Lesson 12

Second Peter

Warning against dangers facing the Church

 

Important aspects of the Transfiguration continued:

1. Introduction

- key word -  metamorfo,w  basic  meaning     is to change into another form therefore     to transfigure.

2. The Importance of the Transfiguration

 

3. Background to the Transfiguration or what led up to it and made it necessary.

a. The immediate need for the generation of Christ’s day and therefore for Peter’s generation.

1. they were approaching a major turning point of great significance,  the cross, a new dispensation, the church age and therefore a change of their ministry focus

2. the offer of the kingdom to Israel, a valid offer, was rejected by them

3. In fact just prior to this passage in Matt 16:18 Jesus prophesied of the founding of the church which was still future at that point, I will build, future tense.

4. In Matt 16:20 He gave the disciples a strict command to tell no one that he was the Christ, the Messiah. 

5. As they were coming down from the mountain,  after the Transfiguration Jesus commanded them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead."  Matt 17:9; Mark 9:9; Luke 9:36

 

6. This marked a major turning point in His ministry and it was at this time that He began to prepare them for the upcoming events by giving them details of the cross and the events leading up to it.

7. As usual Peter shows his lack of understanding and was rebuked by Christ. Matt 16:22-23

8. The postponement of the kingdom, Messiah’s literal rule and reign which was the Jewish hope was critical to them.

9.  In fact so much so that it was still on their mind, and the last thing they asked of Christ before His ascension in Acts 1:6-7, “Is it at this time you restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

 

10. The Lord’s answer to them was that your not going to see it in your generation but you have another important ministry, the establishment of the church.  Acts 1:8

11. Since they were preoccupied with the kingdom presentation, it was essential now that it was postponed, that is rejected by Israel’s negative volition, to verify to them the truthfulness of this prophecy and give them full assurance, confidence of its final realization, that it would indeed take place!

- this is exactly what the transfiguration accomplished.

12. This very vivid demonstration, the preview of the 2nd advent through the transfiguration has served to preserve, reinforce to the Jews that indeed God had not broken His promise to Israel, only postponed it.

- our passage in 2nd Peter tells us that he caught on and understanding

13. So the immediate and short term importance of transfiguration is to verify that indeed the promises to Israel were not abandoned, broken by God.

 

b. Long term importance, all subsequent generations of the church age.

1. Just as this generation who were with Jesus Christ needed a vivid reminder, that what God promises He will do! 

2. Future generations also need a reminder, but the reminder will take on a different form.

 

3. This is what Peter is up to here in the context of 2nd Peter. Yes Jesus will return at the rapture and then at the second advent, you will receive your inheritance.

4. The stated means of confidence and assurance is through the Word not through visions or some empirical demonstration.  2 Pet 1:19

 

 

4. Specific features of the transfiguration, the details.

a. It contains all the essential features of the future Millennial kingdom that is the setting forth of the coming of the Son of man in glory to establish His earthly rule and reign as promised.

b. Jesus Christ appears not in humiliation, that is in His humanity but in glory, reflecting His essence.

- Matt 17:2;   Mark 9:3;  Luke 9:29

c. Moses is present in a glorified state, which represents the redeemed believer who have passed via death into the kingdom.  Matt 13:43

d. Elijah also in a present in a glorified state represents the redeemed who enter the kingdom via translation, those believers of the church age who are alive at the time of the rapture 1 Thes 4:13-18;  1 Cor 15:50-53

 

e. Together Moses and Elijah represent those who will serve in the kingdom.

- OT saints are the friends of the Bridegroom while the church age saints are the bride. They all have a function in the kingdom rule of Christ.

f. The un-glorified witnesses, Peter, James and John represent Israel in the Kingdom, those believing Jews in the Tribulation who walk into the Kingdom at the second advent.  Ezk 37:21-23; Two phased return Ezk 36:24-25 

 

g. The multitude at the foot of the mountain (Mk 9:14) represent the nations who enter the kingdom after it is established Isa 11:10-12.

- these are ones who are left after the baptism of fire, the judgment of the nations at the end of the Tribulation.

 

1:19 The Security and certainty of the Prophetic Word

            The emphasis of the importance of Doctrine over experience.

So we have the prophetic word made more sure,

 

 

the prophetic word   to.n profhtiko.n lo,gon(  refers to the message of a prophet, it is not just referring to TTC, the future as in 1 Pet 1:10

 

- also included in the message of a prophet is comfort, exhortation to believers example: Acts 15:32; 1 Cor 14:3

 

(made) more sure  comparative adjective  that we noted in 1:10 which means sure, firm, secure, reliable

 

- Must ask more reliable, more sure than what??

 

Therefore what Peter is saying is that a knowledge of Prophetic word is more sure/reliable than any experience even if that experience is legitimate and extremely great, as his was in making clear the deity of Christ, His uniqueness and previewed His 2nd advent.

 

The next phrase is a challenge:  to which you do well to pay attention

 

The rest of the verse is a parenthesis:

as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

 

But for our study what is important are the metaphorical uses:

- Luke 12:35  here the shining lamp is a synonym for the believer being in a state of spiritual readiness that is alert and sober

- Rev 21:23 speaking of the new New city Jerusalem, John says it will not need the sun or the moon to illuminate it since Jesus Christ the lamb will be its illumination.

 

 

- So what’s in view here is the ministry of the Holy Spirit illuminating the Word so that we have discernment as we deal with the many and varied circumstances of life.

 

as to a lamp shining in a dark place,

 

We as believers being plus Doctrine and the Holy Spirit are to be shining in a dark place;

We are unable to function in this dark place effectively without the illumination of the Word of God by the Holy Spirit.  Rem:  Psa. 119:105

 

The parenthesis continues:  until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

 

 

Jesus Christ's return at the Rapture will signal the beginning of a new day, the day of the Lord. Which will culminate in the 2nd Advent and the establishment of the Kingdom promised to Israel.

 

- Numb 24:17;  Rev 22:16

- To the Church age saints Christ is the morning star at the Rapture.

- To the OT saints and the Tribulation saints He will be the Sun at the 2nd Advent.

 

The truth that Christ is coming again must first arise in their hearts, like the morning star, giving inner assurance that that day is coming.

 

 

Peter's point here was that until the Lord returns his readers should give attention to the Old Testament and to the apostles' teaching, especially since false teachers were already perverting them. 

 

 

1:19 Indeed we keep on having the more reliable (sure/firm) prophetic word to which you do well by paying attention to (as a lamp shining in a dark place [the kosmos] until which time a day dawns and the bringer of light may arise in your hearts.)