Hear God’s Beloved Son

And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”

Luke 9:35

In the accounts of what happened on the Mount of Transfiguration found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, we see how our Lord Jesus brought His disciples, Peter, James, and John, up a high mountain to pray.

Scripture tells us that “as he was praying, the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white” (Luke 9:29 NLT). Then two of the most illustrious figures in the Jewish faith, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus. Imagine the disciples’ shock and awe when they saw these two great men—one representing the law and the other representing the prophets—appearing with Jesus in glory!

Peter, feeling he had to say something but not knowing what to say, blurted, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”.

Now, Peter didn’t realize that by saying this, he was putting Jesus on the same level as Moses and Elijah, and the Father had to correct Peter. While Peter was still speaking, a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” When the disciples heard this, they hit the ground, greatly afraid. Jesus came over to them, touched them, and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid” (Matt. 17:7). When they dared to look up, they saw no one but the Lord.

Now, imagine this: you’ve just been overshadowed by the bright cloud of the shekinah glory of God and heard the Father say from heaven, “Hear My Son, Jesus!” As you are facedown on the ground, absolutely terrified, don’t you wonder what Jesus will say? What His first words will be? Then the Lord Jesus comes over to you, touches you in assurance and warmth, and says, “Arise, and do not be afraid.”

Isn’t that so beautiful? His first words when His disciples were terrified were not words pertaining to a new law or commandment. They were words of grace. And in those words, you see the nature of our Lord. His presence and His words will always lift you up—spirit, soul, and body—when you are feeling down or in fear.

Going back to the story, I want you to note what the Father said: “Hear Him,” not “Hear them.” On that mount of our Lord’s transfiguration, Moses and Elijah were standing right there together with Jesus. Who was Moses? The lawgiver. Who was Elijah? Not just an Old Testament prophet, but also the law-restorer (in the Old Testament, when Israel went after other gods, Elijah came to the people as the restorer of the law).

Do you see that for the believer, the law of Moses has served its purpose to bring man to the end of himself? The prophets have also served their purpose of reminding man of God’s laws. Both have served their purposes. Now it is the day of grace. It is the day of the Son of God—not the servants of God, but the Son of God Himself.

Unfortunately, there are many believers today who put Jesus—grace—on the same level as the law of Moses. They see themselves as law-restorers and fight for the law of Moses to be restored. But that’s not the heart of the Father. This is why the Father spoke and said, “Hear Him.”

I believe that people who advocate bringing back the law of Moses don’t realize that by the law is not the knowledge of holiness or God, but the “knowledge of sin”! Look at Romans 3:20–22:

Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.

Notice that in the above passage, Apostle Paul also says, “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed”. Do you want to live in the now or in the past? And do you want the latest revelation from God? Well, the latest revelation from God is grace! It’s the revelation of the righteousness of God given to you as a gift apart from the law, and this revelation came through the Son. This is why Moses (the Law) and Elijah (the Prophets) were both witnesses to how we are to “Hear HIM,” the Son—grace alone for that is what will lift you up today.

This devotional is taken from the book Glorious Grace—100 Daily Readings from Grace Revolution.