This morning, I read in Matthew 16:28 where Jesus said, “Verily, I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
I sat there wondering about it. Was He talking about the Second Coming or something else? It didn’t make sense that He would have been saying that some of the people who were present would not die before His Second Coming. And at His Second Coming, those who died would be resurrected and those who are alive will be translated. No believer would die after His Second Coming. He must be talking about something else.
When we were in the kitchenette, I asked Geoff, my co-worker to have lunch with me. I admit that this was just a great excuse to spend time outside of the office with a guy I’m attracted to and would love to be in a relationship with. I’m not sure how he feels about me, though. As we sat on one of the benches on the compound, under the trees, I asked him about the scripture verse and told him what I thought.
“You’re right. Jesus wasn’t talking about His Second Coming. Right after He says this, Peter, James are taken to mount where Peter, James and John witness His transfiguration. We know that this appearance of Moses and Elijah relates to the Second Coming because of what Peter said in his second letter. He found the scripture on his cell and read it aloud. “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we make known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. For He received from God the Father honour 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. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the holy mount.”
He glanced up from his cell to look at me. What amazing eyes he had. “So, Jesus was talking about His transfiguration and Peter described it as the coming of the Lord but, how do Moses and Elijah factor in here? “
“Well, in his epistle, Paul talked of two things happening when Jesus comes. The saved believers who died will be resurrected and the saved believers who are still alive will be caught up/translated. Moses represents the believers who died and will be resurrected while Elijah represents the believers who are still alive. Moses died but was resurrected and Elijah was translated. He never didn’t see death.”
I frowned. “I know Moses died and was buried by God Himself but when was he resurrected?”
“Moses’ resurrection is described in Jude 9 where Michael the archangel is contending with Satan over the body of Moses. Some people question if this verse establishes the resurrection of Moses but how else would you explain his appearing with Elijah, whom we knew didn’t die on the mount with Jesus? Would Jesus be communicating with the dead? The Bible teaches that the dead have no consciousness or memory, can’t think, worship or anything. And it doesn’t make sense that Peter would want to make a tabernacle for a dead man, would it?”
I shook my head. “No, it wouldn’t. Wow. Thanks for explaining the verse to me, I knew if anyone could, it would be you.”
“Is that the only reason why you asked me to have lunch with you?”
“Well…”
He smiled. “Let’s have lunch together everyday.”
“Sure!”
“And if you aren’t busy this Saturday, I’d like to take you out for dinner.”
That dinner was the beginning of the rest of my life with a wonderful guy.
Notes to Women 