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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 2
the completion of his mission, and especially of his sufferings to be
endured at Jerusalem.
The Father chose Moses and Elijah to be his messengers to Christ,
and glorify him with the light of Heaven, and commune with him
concerning his coming agony, because they had lived upon earth as
men; they had experienced human sorrow and suffering, and could
sympathize with the trial of Jesus, in his earthly life. Elijah, in his
position as a prophet to Israel, had represented Christ, and his work
had been, in a degree, similar to that of the Saviour. And Moses, as
the leader of Israel, had stood in the place of Christ, communing with
him and following his directions; therefore, these two, of all the hosts
that gathered around the throne of God, were fittest to minister to the
Son of God.
When Moses, enraged at the unbelief of the children of Israel,
smote the rock in wrath and furnished them the water for which they
called, he took the glory to himself; for his mind was so engrossed with
the ingratitude and waywardness of Israel that he failed to honor God
and magnify his name, in performing the act which He had commanded
him to do. It was the plan of the Almighty to frequently bring the
children of Israel into straight places, and then, in their great necessity,
to deliver them by his power, that they might recognize his special
regard for them, and glorify his name. But Moses, in yielding to the
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natural impulses of his heart, appropriated to himself the honor due
to God, fell under the power of Satan, and was forbidden to enter the
promised land. Had Moses remained steadfast, the Lord would have
brought him to the promised land, and would then have translated him
to Heaven without his seeing death.
As it was, Moses passed through death, but the Son of God came
down from Heaven and resurrected him before his body had seen
corruption. Though Satan contended with Michael for the body of
Moses, and claimed it as his rightful prey, he could not prevail against
the Son of God, and Moses, with a resurrected and glorified body, was
borne to the courts of Heaven, and was now one of the honored two,
commissioned by the Father to wait upon his Son.
By permitting themselves to be so overcome by sleep, the disci-
ples had lost the conversation between the Heavenly messengers and
the glorified Redeemer. But as they suddenly awake from profound
slumber, and behold the sublime vision before them, they are filled