◄ What Does Matthew 17:5 Mean? ►

While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said: This is My beloved Son. I take delight in Him. Listen to Him!

Matthew 17:5(HCSB)

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Verse of the Day

Only days before Christ's spectacular transfiguration, where the majesty of His holiness and the brightness of His glory shone out from the Lord Jesus on that holy mount, we discover Him telling His followers that a day was fast approaching when He would come in His Father's glory to set up His promised kingdom. It was as He was teaching this important truth that Christ added that some who were standing amongst them would not die until they had seen the Son of Man coming in the glory of His kingdom.

It was only the inner circle of three of His chosen apostles who witnessed Christ's transforming change. The radiance of His glory was witnessed by Peter, James, and John, when His face glowed with the brilliance of His glory, and His garments became as white as pure light.

It was while the Lord Jesus was speaking with Moses and Elijah, who were conversing with Him about His fast approaching sacrificial death at Calvary and His own 'exodus' from this life into His resurrected glory, that: "Suddenly a bright cloud covered them." The three astonished observers then heard the voice of the Almighty God of Israel, Creator of heaven and earth: "This is My beloved Son. I take delight in Him. Listen to Him," was the heavenly command. Listen to Him and keep on listening to Him was God's clear direction to the three disciples on the holy mount, and it is His clear direction to us and to all who are looking for His any day return.

The promise of Christ's return still stands today and the solemn instruction to "Listen to Him," and to keep on listening to His voice and reading His Word remains as important as ever, for the days is at hand when Christ will indeed return to set up His Millennial rule on earth and reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.

But for us in this Church age, we are looking for the day when Jesus will come for us in the clouds: "The trumpet will sound and the dead in Christ will rise first and then we that are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to be with Lord forever."

Let us be diligent to listen to all He says and to apply it to our lives, and let us comfort one another with the truth of the glorious gospel of grace, knowing that Christ died for our sin and rose again so that whosoever believes on Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, I praise and thank You for the truth of Your Word, and that Christ set aside the glory of His majesty to be born into this world, to live a perfect life, and to die a sacrificial death, so that by faith in Him I might be saved. I stand in awe and wonder that Christ should strip Himself of His heavenly glory for love of me. Thank You, in Jesus' name, AMEN.