When All Signs Point to the Same Truth
Matthew 17:1-10
1. The Law Testifies to the Coming of the Messiah. (Matthew 17:1-3a, Exodus 24:9-10, Deuteronomy 18:15-19, Luke 9:30-31)
Exodus 24:9-10, Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders, and they saw the God of Israel. Beneath his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself.
Luke 9:30-31, Suddenly, two men were talking with him—Moses and Elijah. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Deuteronomy 18:15-19, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him… I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. I will hold accountable whoever does not listen to my words that he speaks in my name.”
2. The Prophets testify to the Coming of the Messiah. (Matthew 17:3b, 1 Kings 19:9b-12, Malachi 4:5-6)
1 Kings 19:9b, Suddenly, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
1 Kings 19:11-12, Then he said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the LORD’s presence.” At that moment, the LORD passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper.
Malachi 4:5-6, Look, I am going to send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.
3. The Father Testifies to the Supremacy of the Messiah. (Matthew 17:4-6, Hebrews 1:2-3)
Hebrew 1:1-2a, Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son.
Hebrews 1:2b-3, God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe, through him. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
4. The Resurrection Confirms the Identity of the Messiah. (Matthew 17:7-9, Luke 11:29, Acts 4:33, 1 Corinthians 15:17-19)
Psalm 16:10, For you will not abandon me to Sheol; you will not allow your faithful one to see decay.
Luke 11:29, As the crowds were increasing, he began saying: “This generation is an evil generation. It demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.”
Acts 4:33, With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.
1 Corinthians 15:17-19, And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Those, then, who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.