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After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.

It was late summer, a little more than half a year until Jesus’ crucifixion. We don’t know exactly what mountain this was, but since Jesus and his disciples had just been near Caesarea Philippi on the slopes of Mount Hermon, it is likely that this was the Mountain of the Transfiguration.

Jesus took three of his disciples up the mountain with him. These three were his inner circle of friends who were privileged to witness an amazing scene—Jesus was transfigured before them. The appearance of his face and clothing changed. For a brief time, those three disciples saw the unveiled divine glory of Jesus, the bright glory that is his from eternity as the Son of God.

In a few short months, these same disciples would witness the deepest point of Jesus’ humiliation on earth—his bitter suffering and death on a cross. The vision of Jesus’ divine glory on that mountain helped prepare the disciples for what they would see their friend go through at the hands of his enemies. The transfiguration of Jesus assured them that he is the Son of God whom God the Father appointed and sent to earth to be the world’s Savior from sin.

With that firm conviction, Peter later preached, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus alone is the world’s Savior—your Savior!

Jesus, glorified on the Mount of Transfiguration as the eternal Son of God, you went on to deeply humble yourself as my Savior on Calvary’s mountain and die to take away the punishment for my sins. Lead me to always honor you as my Lord God and love you as my only Savior. Amen.

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.