Much as revelation is the key to knowing God, Jesus constitutes the perfect revelation of the Father. Prior to His incarnation, there were many prophetic revelations aimed at giving humanity a glimpse of the nature of God. However, it was the advent of Jesus as a man on earth that produced the complete picture. Hebrews chapter 1:1, 2 says, “…God has in these last days spoken to us by His Son. …”. It implies that the various ways by which God spoke in time past, were intended only as an interim measure. They were not His best choice of means of revealing Himself to mankind, Jesus is.
The Biblical account of what transpired when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain in the sight of His closest disciples, proves beyond every shadow of doubt that Jesus is God’s perfect means of revealing Himself to man. According to the account, Moses and Elijah appeared to Jesus and His disciples on the said mountain and were having a discussion with Jesus. It was at that point that Peter suggested that they remain there on the mountain and build a tabernacle for Moses, Elijah and Jesus respectively. God had a different plan, which He indicated, as follows in His response to Peter’s suggestion: ” while Peter was still speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him! “”
God wanted it to be clear that neither Moses (who represented the law) nor Elijah ( who represented the prophets), was to be equated or even compared with Jesus, for He is the antitype of all the types and shadows that the law and the prophets portray in symbolism. Then, as if to reinforce His earlier assertion about Jesus, God withdrew both Moses and Elijah from visibility. Therefore, “when they (Peter, James and John) had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.” (Matt 17:8). It is indisputable, then, that “Jesus only ” is God’s proclamation of His intended means of adequately revealing Himself to mankind.
Needless to say, God’s public declaration :”This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him “(Matt 17:5), concerning Jesus, shows that Jesus is the perfect expression of God’s pleasure. Outside Jesus, nothing pleases God. This is the reason why the Bible says, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Rom 8:29). God looks for the image of His Son in everyone and everything. Jesus is the ultimate satisfaction of God’s pleasure, therefore, He commands all to: “…HEAR HIM ” (Matt 17:5) (emphasis mine). Hence, if we do not hear Jesus in a teaching, preaching or any other manifestation, it does not originate from God and neither pleases Him. For it is only the life of Jesus that brings pleasure to God and flawlessly reveals Him. Shalom.
