ChristiansUnite Forums

As Jesus was the firstfruits of those to be raised from the dead I have always wondered how He is talking with Moses and Elijah who appear in glory here in Luke ?

Luke 9:28-32
28 And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elijah:
31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
32 But 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.

Any insight would be appreciated,
Blessings to all my brothers and sisters in Christ here
Christ's servant
-CC-

28..self explanitory
29..would (as I understand it) have shown Christ in his glorified state, as we all will enter our glorified bodies when in the kingdom of heaven in the preasence of the Almighty God
30&31.. Moses and Elijah appeared in glorious splendor, which would indicate they were already in the Kingdom of Heaven, and spoke with Christ of exodus He was to accompliish in Jerusalem (excerp paraphrased from NIV study bible notes)
32..Study notes indicate this may have taken place at night explaining why they were sleepy, and to see his glory refers to the glory of God in EX33:18 when Moses who had been afraid to look on Gods glory in the bush then asked to see His glory. vs 20 shows that God would not reveal his face to Moses since no man could look upon it. (again see NIV study bible notes)


Hope this helped

Blessings in Christ

Gary

Elijah and Moses were taken in a different manner. Elijah was taken straight to heaven by chariot and the Bible tells us that God buried Moses and no one knows exactly where. (Was he possibly taken to heaven also? ) This does not make them the first fruits as they did not die a normal death.




Deu 34:5  So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
Deu 34:6  And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
Deu 34:7  And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.



2Ki 2:11  And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
2Ki 2:12  And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

Thanks PR wasn't sure how to address the first fruits part.

You're most welcome brother. Many people say this is one of the contradictions in the Bible. As we know there are no contradictions in the Bible. It simply a matter of understanding what we are being told through God's wisdom and not that of our own.

Thanks so much for the replies. The verses from 2 Kings would place Elijah in "heaven" we can only assume, but I don't feel as sure about Moses?
By all rights if he suffered a "normal" death as stated and was "buried" by Jehovah, are we making an assumption that this means the soul of Moses went to heaven before Christ was resurrected?

As I see it there is no problem with Elijah as he did not die but was translated directly in a whirlwind. His appearing on the mountain is not an example of "resurrection".

Moses, however, did die as the Scriptures quoted above clearly show. So either he was resuscitated as Lazarus and many others were in both Old and New Testaments, or he could have appeared in spirit form as Samuel did to Saul.

Resurrection is a total change in the physical structure of the body, the characteristics of which are exemplified by the appearances of the risen Lord Jesus. Resuscitation is simply the bringing back to life of an earthy body.