Read 2 Peter 1:12-21
Peter gets intimate with us here, reminding us of what’s important. Revealing his passion from having spent time with the Messiah himself, Peter shares a glimpse of what it must have been like. Peter knew he wouldn’t live forever and had to make sure he left his own legacy of faith for us to find.
Have you ever had an experience in life that you recall in perfect clarity and detail, as if it just happened a minute ago? Jesus’ transfiguration was like that for Peter. You can’t un-see something so magnificent. You wouldn’t want to. You only feel limited by the language we have to describe things. Seeing Jesus’ sparkling body and hearing God’s voice would certainly have rocked me to my core!
That whole account can be found in all three of the synoptic gospels: Matthew 17:1–13, Mark 9:2–13, and Luke 9:28–36. Interesting that John didn’t write about it, having been there himself. In case you don’t know, Matthew, Mark, and Luke are referred to as “synoptic” because of how they share stories and timelines so closely. (Just a little lesson there!)
Peter doesn’t stop with his own testimony but points to the prophets of old and how God spoke truth through them. Peter was privileged to witness up close the fulfillment of so many of those ancient texts. The very prophets who had written those words would have had no knowledge of how and when they would be fulfilled. This experience did so much to bolster Peter’s experience with Jesus bolstered both his personal authority in the church and his love for the Bible.
Have you spent much time reading the prophecies of the Old Testament? I hadn’t, until recently. I’ve now published my reflections on Isaiah and Jeremiah’s words. The twelve minor prophets, too, will soon be available. I’d love it if you’d grab a volume and walk with me through those prophetic writings. I was amazed at how relevant they are for today!
Is reading Scripture something that draws you in, too? I hope you’re having the same experience as I am, hungering each time you open the Bible for another message from God. It’s like uncovering treasure after treasure belonging to the heart of God. Peter didn’t want us to miss out on being that close to God.
That’s the bonus outcome – we draw closer to God when we spend time in his word. We get to know him. Thanks, Peter, for making sure that we never forget.
![colorful animation of prayer hands and hearts and flowers](https://be-still.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/prayer4-150x150.jpg)
Let’s pray. Lord, you are so good. You’ve thought of everything. Your word is all we need to navigate through life. Stir in me the same passion Peter has to be spreading your word to the world. Use me to do my part in helping people remember. In Jesus’ name. Amen.