“We ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with Him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (v18-19).
Pete tells us why being an eyewitness to the Transfiguration was such a big deal. It wasn’t to brag to friends at parties. It wasn’t to score a huge movie or book deal. He says that it allowed the inner circle to be absolutely and totally sure of the God’s voice. When Peter, James and John talk about hearing from God, we can take it to the bank that they know what they’re talking about.
The apostle reassures his readers that they weren’t just eyewitnesses but “earwitnesses” at the mountaintop meet up. “We ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with Him on the holy mountain” (v18). They saw Jesus’ appearance dazzle and glow as He gave the boys a sneak peek of what was to come. But they also heard the booming Voice of God delivering His supernatural “attaboy” the universe as a proud Papa. “This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased” (1:17). They know what they saw. They know what they heard. “We were with Him” (v18)! And the boys heard the Father’s voice echo straight from the heavenly throne room. The Dad’s announcement was “borne from heaven” (v18). The language here describes how God the Father’s voice carries. It’s the verb phero, which means to carry forward. While He sometimes uses a still, small voice. Just ask Elijah (1Ki 19:12). But there are times when Jesus’ Dad uses His outside voice. How loud is it? He cranks it up to 11. And it reverberates from heaven. His voice REALLY carries!
Pete goes on to write that because of all they saw and heard at the Transfiguration, “we have something more sure, the prophetic word” (v19). This “prophetic word” is the whole of Scripture. The apostle makes that clear down in verse 20. We call some books the major and minor prophets. But we need to remember that God prophetically inspired every book of the Bible. Because he’s hearing from God, every biblical author is a prophet. We can be sure that Scripture is anything but a “non prophet” organization. The former fisherman’s letting us know that what they witnessed on the mountain confirmed everything they’ve heard in God’s Word and God’s Word confirmed everything they saw at the summit. The Transfiguration is the supernatural stamp of approval on what God has delivered on the pages of Scripture. Pete uses the Greek adjective bebaios. It means reliable, well-founded, confirmed and verified. God’s Word is legit. Rely on it. Count on it. It’s verified. It’s bona fide.
Don’t forget the whole reason Pete is writing. He’s booting out the snake oil salesmen that have infiltrated numerous churches (2:1). He says forget what those hucksters are selling. It’s all lies. Smoke and mirrors. Instead know that everything they’ve read in the Old Testament and all they’ve heard and received from the apostles is legit. It’s reliable. It’s confirmed. It’s verified. And the same goes for us. It’s a shame when a church is filled with people who don’t bring their Bibles. Don’t just take the preacher at face value. Do what the boys in Berea did. They not only devoured what the Apostle Paul taught them, but were “examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Don’t just blindly take what somebody else says about God’s Word. Check it for yourself. It’s reliable. It’s confirmed. It’s verified. It’s legit.
Pete encourages us to trust in Scripture until Jesus makes His spectacular encore. “You will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns” (v19). In other words, once Jesus headed home to heaven, we’re living “in a dark place.” We’re living in a fallen world. Don’t forget that our Savior encourages to shine His light like “a city set on a hill” (Mt 5:14-16). Let’s be light shiners until He returns. And the apostle wants us to know without a shadow of a doubt that Christ is coming again. Once the reality of His return is part of our lens of life, then “the morning star rises in your hearts” (v19).
We can take it to the bank because of everything they experienced on that mountain. Jesus is God. Scripture is true. Christ is coming back. It’s reliable. It’s confirmed. It’s legit. All because God’s voice REALLY carries!
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