Daily Devotional For Friday, December 12, 2025
Good morning Southside! Hope your week has been going well. We are making our way through the Gospel of Matthew. At times, we have to break it down into parts spread out over several days of the passage because there is so much to glean from it. Today, we come to Matthew 17:1-8. This is a very familiar passage that lets us know about the Transfiguration of Jesus on a mountain in front of 3 of His disciples: Peter, James and John. Here it is below:
“Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. (2) And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. (3) And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. (4) Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”’(5) While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, ‘This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!’ (6) When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. (7) And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, ‘Get up, and do not be afraid.’ (8) And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone” (NASB).
Today is part 2 and we are going to pick up with verse 4. Peter wants to set up 3 tabernacles – one for each of them, Moses, Elijah and Jesus. The actual Greek word used here is [σκηνή; skene]. It refers to “tents or shelters.” Peter is probably going all the way back to the time of Moses when the people wandered in the wilderness in tents or shelters. From that, came the Festival of Tabernacles, where the people during this festival moved out of their homes and lived in tents. This was based on Leviticus 23:42-42.
Maybe Peter believed that God’s kingdom had come in seeing the glorified and transfigured Jesus. This may be evident in Peter’s words, “Lord, it is good for us to be here.” Now having witnessed this, it was time to move into that kingdom. While we can understand Peter, he obviously had forgotten Jesus’ previous words about suffering, dying and being resurrected. Jesus had taught His disciples that suffering and pain would precede glory. While Peter’s intentions may have been noble, without realizing it, he had had made all 3 of them equal. Moses and Elijah were not equal to Jesus. Why? Jesus was God in human flesh, something Peter seems to have forgotten in his excitement and enthusiasm.
With both Elijah and Moses being there, a blinding light appeared. This was not your typical cloud. It was the cloud that had guided the Hebrews out of Egypt (see Exodus 13:21). It was the same cloud that had guided the Hebrews in their wilderness wanderings (see Ex. 16:10; Ex. 24:15-18; Ex. 34:5; and Ex. 40:34-38). This was the same cloud that had appeared to Moses (see Ex. 19:9). This is the same cloud that had appeared in the Temple that displayed the glory of the Lord (see 1 Kgs. 8:10).
God the Father spoke out from the cloud, singling out Jesus from everyone, even Moses and Elijah, to appear Jesus as God’s Son and Messiah. God had done this at Jesus’ baptism as well (see Matt. 3:17). Then God the Father commanded Peter, James and John to listen to His Son, the Messiah, and not their own ideas or wants. This would fulfill the prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:15. The Greek New Testament word used for “listen” is [ἀκούω; akouo]. It doesn’t just mean hear or listen, but obey.
When the disciples heard this, they prostrated before God the Father. Throughout Scripture, when the visible glory of God appears, it creates such fear that those experiencing it prostrate themselves in humility fearing for their lives (see Dan. 10:7-9 and Isa. 6:1-6). Jesus immediately came to His disciples to calm them by touching them and speaking to them. They had misunderstood. Just as soon as Jesus did this, both Moses and Elijah were gone as well as the cloud. They had got a small sample of what was to come. I like what pastor and author Chuck Swindoll writes about this:
“Too much casual familiarity with the things of God can cause us to lose our awe of Him. The fact that you’re reading this indicates that you probably have countless resources about God at your fingertips—resources about His nature, character, works, and ways. Chances are good that this isn’t the only resource in your library. The more we hear and read about the things of the Lord, the easier it becomes to lose a healthy fear of Him in the flood of familiarity.
The way we use our words doesn’t help. We say we “love” God … but we also say we “love” everything from Thai food to country music. And so much around us is referred to as “awesome”—from cars to cans of soda—that the only truly awesome One no longer seems that awesome. High and holy things have now become commonplace. And as a result, we’ve lost a clear sense of the greatness and glory of the Lord.
The saying goes, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” When it comes to believers and the things of God, contempt is a bit too strong. But the principle remains. Familiarity can certainly lead to ho hums at the hearing of the gospel, shoulder shrugs at profound theology, and even a been-there-done-that attitude toward living the Christian life” (Source: Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Bible Commentary, “Matthew 16-28,” Vol. 1B, p. 41).
The Kingdom of God had come and was continuing to come in phases or stages. It had come at Jesus’ birth. He had come at Jesus’ baptism. He had come in the calling of Jesus’ disciples. He had come here at Jesus’ transfiguration. It would come in the future through Jesus’ Resurrection (see Matt. 28; Mark 16; Luke 24 and John 20) and Ascension (see Acts 1:9-11). It would come at the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (see Acts 2).. It would come in the future through the righteousness and power of the church (see Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 4:20). And this will continue on in heaven (see Revelation 20:1 – 22:5). Peter wants this moment to last forever.
Assignment: Think back to some of your most powerful, moving and life-changing spiritual experiences. Like Peter, you may have wanted them to last but as with Peter, Jesus made it clear that we all have come off the mountain and return to life. Why do you think the Lord forces us to do this and how has this helped you with your relationship to Christ, your walk with Christ and your spiritual growth?
Scripture To Meditate On: Revelation 21:23, “And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, thank You for all my moving spiritual experiences. Help me to see them for what they were and are – moving to the next step with You. Help me not to just relish in them, but use them to grow deeper with You and to help others do the same. Thank You that Your kingdom has come and will one day be fully restored as in the days of the Garden of Eden. You are King of kings and Lord of lords and praise You. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly