Michiana Covenant Presbyterian Church

In Luke 9 Moses and Elijah appear on the mountain with Jesus at his transfiguration. Moses is the obvious one. He was the one whom God used to bring Israel out of Egypt. But why Elijah? Why not Abraham or David or Isaiah? When you consider what Jesus came to do, it makes sense: Elijah is portrayed in Kings as a new Moses. He is the one who leads a new exodus out of idolatry. Just as Moses had triumphed over the gods of Egypt, so now Elijah triumphs over the gods of the Canaanites (in Israel). Moses had faced the magicians of Egypt single-handedly, as now Elijah faces the prophets of Baal (in Israel). In other words, when you think about who is the "prophet like Moses" that Deuteronomy had promised? The book of Kings makes a strong case that the answer is Elijah! And so when Moses and Elijah show up at the transfiguration, it is as if to say, yes, Elijah was – sort of – the prophet like Moses... but Jesus will take it to the next level as he faces down not merely the apostasy of the priests in the temple in Je