“Jesus … took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure (Greek, exodos), which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:28-31)
The Old Testament Exodus of Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 3-15) was a foreshadowing of a far greater Exodus that Christ would accomplish through the cross. Here on the holy Mountain of Transfiguration Luke tells us that Moses and Elijah discussed the “exodus” that Jesus would soon fulfill in Jerusalem. As Pharaoh of Egypt held the sons of Israel in slavery, so Satan held humanity enslaved to sin (1 John 5:19). But through Jesus Christ’s redemption a great exodus took place. For we were “delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred” into His Kingdom (Colossians 1:13). As Jesus foretold in Luke 11:21-22, Satan was a fully armed strong man who closely guarded his house. But Jesus is infinitely stronger. He invaded Satan’s dark domain, stripped him of his armor, bound him, and plundered him of his “possessions” – human souls. Paul speaks of this “greater Exodus” in Ephesians 4:8 when he wrote, “When He ascended on high, He took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” According to Paul Jesus disarmed Satan and his demons (Colossians 2:15). Hebrews 2:14 says that by His death Jesus destroyed (rendered powerless) the devil. So now, all who cling to Jesus by faith can experience glorious freedom from Satan’s power and follow Christ freely.
The Greek word exodos – found here in our text – was used as the title for the Book of Exodus in the Greek translation of the Old Testament (the Septuagint). This was the Bible of the early church. The earliest use of the word exodos was to describe a military expedition, the “marching forth” of an army. This made it fitting to describe Israel’s “exodus” from Egypt (e.g. Exodus 19:1; Numbers 33:38; Psalm 113:1 [superscript of Psalm 114] in the Septuagint). For Israel is said to have “plundered” Egypt (Exodus 12:36) and to have marched out as an army (Exodus 6:26; 12:41, 51; 13:18). God had proven Himself a Warrior by destroying Pharaoh and his army (Exodus 15:3-4). But He had also transformed the Israelites from slaves to soldiers. They would share His victory by becoming His people and driving out the Canaanites from the Promised Land.
In the same way Christ transforms us who believe from slaves to sin to soldiers in His army. He who crushed Satan under His own feet (Genesis 3:15; Joshua 10:24-25), will crush him under our feet as well (Romans 16:20). But we overcome sin and Satan only by Christ’s divine power, not by our own (Ephesians 6:10-12).
REFLECTION
- How do you see yourself, as a weakling bullied by sin or as a soldier of Christ?
- Even in humbling circumstances, what does Christ make us (Romans 8:35-37)?
- Stop living like a slave to sin and to your moods. Start living triumphantly in Christ. Through Christ you can do all things (Philippians 4:13).
