Scripture

Jesus went on to say, “I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power.”

Observation

Jesus tells the crowd that they will see God’s kingdom arrive in great power.

The following week Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up to a high mountain. Jesus’ appearance is changed and his clothes become dazzling white. Moses, and Elijah appear and talk to Jesus.

Peter talks about building shelters to memorialise the event. Suddenly a cloud overshadows them and a voice says, “This is my dearly loved Son; listen to him.”

Then, just as suddenly, everything goes back to normal. They descend the mountain. Jesus tells them not to tell anyone about what has happened.

Application

When Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God coming in power, he was not talking about the end of the world or the Second Coming. This is about an event close in time, so that some of the people standing there would see it.

The two most common suggestions for the event are the resurrection of Jesus and the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D.

When Jesus rose from the dead, he demonstrated God’s victory over death, The pouring out of the Holy Spirit, a few weeks later, transformed the disciples so radically that, within decades, Christians were a powerful voice in the Roman Empire.

When Jerusalem, particularly the Temple, was destroyed in 70 A.D. it marked, the end of the Old Covenant. The sacrificial system and the law were finished, and the death of Jesus superseded the endless sacrifices.

We are blessed to live in this time when the kingdom of God is advancing forcefully across the Earth.