His Exodus
Scripture Reading: Luke 9:27-36
About a week after telling the disciples that some of them would not “taste death” until they saw the kingdom of God, Peter, James, and John were taken by Jesus up on the mountain to pray with Him there. It was there, I believe, that this prophecy of Jesus was fulfilled. Luke doesn’t say that directly, but the connection between Jesus’ promise and this event shouldn’t be overlooked.
While on the mountain, these men saw Jesus transfigured before them. The veil was momentarily removed, and the true glory of Christ shone through. Then, Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus. Now, if you had a few moments with the glorified Jesus and could talk about any subject you choose, what would you discuss? Moses and Elijah talked with Him about His coming departure.
The Greek word for departure is “Exodus.” It is fitting that Moses would speak in that way. It is also fitting because Jesus' death was more than just simply leaving this world for the next. It was an Exodus. He was, through His death, leading His people out of bondage, through the sea of death, and toward freedom and eternal life in the Promised Land of God.
Luke further describes this conversation as being about what “he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.” Jesus’ death was not the tragic ending of a misunderstood teacher. Jesus’ death was the accomplishment of His work of redemption. Jesus accomplished for us what we can not accomplish for ourselves. He paid the debt we can not pay. The debt we have incurred for our sin has been stamped “PAID IN FULL” in bold red letters. Christ has parted the waters of death and we can walk across to eternal life on dry ground.
