Luke 9:27-3627But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God. 28And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. 29And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. 30And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. 32But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. 33And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. 34While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. 35And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. 36And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen. (Luke 9:27‑36)
AFTER Jesus had spoken of going to the cross to suffer, and had encouraged His disciples to be ready to suffer for His sake in view of the results when He would come in His glory, He said to His disciples: "But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God." In another place He says, "until they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom."
What does He mean by this? The glorious kingdom of the Son of man has not yet been set up, and will not be till Jesus comes again. How then could some of the disciples see it, before they tasted death. Well, I will tell you. About a week after Jesus said this, He took three of His disciples, Peter, James, and John, and went up into a mountain to pray. And while He prayed He was transfigured before them. His countenance was altered, and His clothes became white and glistering; and Moses and Elias appeared to them in glory, and talked with Jesus; and a cloud of glory overshadowed them, and God the Father spoke to the disciples out of this cloud. All this was a very wonderful sight, and when the disciples saw the glory of Jesus, and the two men with Him, they did not know what to say. Now this was a picture of Jesus coming in His kingdom of glory. And this is what Jesus referred to, when He told them that some of them would not taste of death till they saw the kingdom of God.
In this picture we have Jesus in His glory, and we have Moses and Elias appearing in glory as representatives of the heavenly and glorified saints. Moses represents the saints who die, and who will be raised again from the dead; and Elias represents the saints who will be caught up to heaven without dying at all. Then Peter, James, and John, are representatives of the earthly saints over which Christ will reign during the thousand years. And the cloud of glory gives us a picture of the Father's house, the home of the glorified, where the Father's voice is heard, and into which Moses and Elias enter. If you will read 2 Peter 1:16-18,16For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. (2 Peter 1:16‑18) you will see that all this is called "the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." It is a picture of His glory and of His kingdom when He comes again to reign.
My dear reader, if you are a believer, do you not think that to have a place in this glorious kingdom will amply repay, and far more than repay, any little suffering you may endure for the name of Jesus here? Oh! the sufferings here are not to be compared with the glory which we shall then see, and in which we shall have our part with Jesus and all His saints.
Messages of God’s Love 10/20/1901