THE TRANSFIGURATION by C. W. Stone

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 12, 1876

THE TRANSFIGURATION

By C. W. Stone

Is the Soul Immortal?—No. 9.

THE TRANSFIGURATION.

The scene upon the mount of transfiguration is supposed by some to teach the immortality of the soul. I heard, not long since, a Methodist minister preach a sermon upon this subject; and he said: “Evidently the great lesson that our Saviour wished to convey to his disciples was the fact of the immortality of the soul. This he did in a very forcible manner, causing the disciples to see Moses and Elias, and to hear them talk. The materialist claims that Elijah was translated bodily to heaven, but we read that his mantle, his robe of flesh, fell back; thus we see how he could appear on the mount as a disembodied spirit. But we read of Moses that he died and was buried; therefore, his appearing on the mount is proof conclusive of the immortality of the soul.”

We came to the conclusion that this poor man had not read the account of Elijah’s translation for some time, and had forgotten the nature of the mantle that fell from Elijah as he went up. The record says that Elisha “took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;” and that he “smote the waters” with this mantle as Elijah had done before him. 2 Kings 2: 8-15. We think no one will dispute the fact that Elijah was taken to heaven bodily; and we wait for evidence that he did not appear bodily on the mount.

Before we investigate the case of Moses we will inquire into the object of the transfiguration scene. About a week before, our Saviour said to his disciples: “There be some standing here that shall not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God;” or, “till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom,” as Matt. 16:28 has it. According to the popular view, at the resurrection (which takes place at the coming of Christ), the body is again made the house of the spirit. Therefore, according to their own view, there will be no such thing as a disembodied spirit in the kingdom of God after Christ comes. In the mount Jesus showed to three of his disciples a representation of his kingdom. If Moses and Elijah appeared as disembodied spirits, the representation was false; for, as they admit, the subjects of that kingdom will have bodies. If Elijah appeared bodily, and Moses appeared otherwise, the picture was still untrue, for all the subjects of that kingdom will have bodies. To represent the kingdom of God truly, its representative subjects must, then, appear bodily; and, furthermore, there must be two classes of them—one class to represent those subjects of the kingdom that are to be raised from the dead at the coming of Christ, and the other class to represent those who shall be alive when Christ comes, and be translated to heaven without seeing death. Paul expressly states that there will be two just such classes. 1 Thess. 4:16, 17. In order that our Saviour’s promise might be truly fulfilled it was necessary that Moses and Elias should both appear with glorified, immortal bodies.

Now, have we any evidence that they did not? In all our search, studying the inspired record of man’s creation, carefully considering the Creator’s words dooming the fallen race to return to the dust, accepting the inspired testimony of David and Solomon that man in death, like the beast, knows not anything, we have utterly

failed to find that there is any such thing pertaining to man as an immortal soul, or a spirit that can live independent of the body. We think we have fully proved that there is no such thing. We must, therefore, look for some other way for Moses and Elias to appear on the mount; and, in doing this, we shall find that explanation which none can fail to see is the most natural and, better yet, entirely scriptural.

First, then, Elijah was taken to heaven bodily, and bodily he appeared on the mount as a representative of those who, being alive when Christ comes, shall be “changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.” 1 Cor. 15:51. Secondly, Moses died, and the Lord buried him. Deut. 34:5. How could he appear on the mount alive? Only by a resurrection from the dead. Well, does the Bible anywhere state that Moses was raised from the dead? Not exactly; but it does record a circumstance which would not be likely to occur in connection with any other event than his resurrection; and this circumstance, coupled with the fact that Moses was really seen alive upon the mount, and necessarily in bodily form, is sufficient to prove that Moses was raised from the dead.

The circumstance is recorded in Jude 9. There we learn that Michael had a contest with the devil about the body of Moses. They had a dispute about it. The facts, without doubt, are these: Michael was dispatched to the grave of Moses to raise him from the dead. The devil appeared on the scene; and, claiming him as his lawful prisoner, objected to his resurrection. Michael said, “The Lord rebuke thee;” and without doubt he was victorious in the contest, and raised Moses from the dead. Then Moses could easily appear bodily with Elias on the mount.

The certainty that the resurrection of the body of Moses was the subject of the contention becomes strengthened by a consideration of the parties. Moses was dead and a prisoner in the grave. The dead are all prisoners. Job says: “There the prisoners rest together.” The devil is the prison-keeper. “That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” Heb. 2:14. The devil is called the “prince of the power of the air,” Eph. 2:2, “the prince of this world,” John 12:31; 14:30. He is a prince of this world because he took it by conquest, or rather by stratagem, from its first king, Adam, whom God placed at the head of the affairs of this earth, giving him “dominion over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Gen. 1:28. The lie that Satan told Eve insured the death of all her descendants; and as fast as they fall they are locked up as his prisoners in the earth, his vast prison-house.

Now, who is Michael? We answer, he is Jesus Christ. Michael is the archangel, chief angel. Jude 9. Michael is our prince, and that is Christ. Dan. 10:21. It is the voice of the archangel that wakes the dead. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” 1 Thess. 4:16. This voice of the archangel is the voice of Christ; for of course the Lord will use his own voice. So he says, “The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth.” John 5:28. Michael, then, is Christ. Now it is by virtue of the death and resurrection of Christ that any and all of our race are raised from the dead. 1 Cor. 15:22.

The widow’s son, 1 Kings 17, the son of the Shunammite, 2 Kings 4, the son of the widow of Nain, Luke 7, the ruler’s daughter, Luke 8:40, and Lazarus, John 11,—these were all raised from the dead by virtue of the sacrifice of the Son of God, which, although it had not then been accomplished, was established in the purpose of God. How appropriate that Jesus, the archangel, the first or chief prince, Dan. 10:13 and margin, the captain of the Lord’s host, Josh. 5:13-15 and margin, the Spiritual Rock that went with Moses and the children of Israel as they journeyed from Egypt, 1 Cor. 10:1-4,—how fitting that he, the Life-giver, should be found at the grave of Moses to raise him from the dead? How natural, too, that Satan should appear there to defend his claim! How easy to account for the contention! How clear that Christ raised up Moses, and that that resurrected body appeared on the mount. The object of the transfiguration scene was to represent the kingdom of God. How perfectly it was done!

Jesus has since entered the grave, vanquished the foe on his own ground, and wrenched from his grasp the keys to his prison-house. He says: “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, amen; and have the keys of hell [hades, the grave] and of death.” Let not the righteous fear to go down to the grave for a little moment, Isa. 26:20, 21, for soon the “earth shall no more cover her slain;” soon will Jesus unlock the prison bars, and they that “sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” 1 Thess. 4:14. They shall be caught up with the living to meet the Lord in the air, and so be forever with the Lord. 1 Thess. 4:17.

C. W. STONE.