Hovering over the first part of Matthew 17. Trying to imagine a face shining like the sun and clothes as white and bright as light itself. Not even the best, darkest sunglasses are going to allow you to stare into that very long. Trying to imagine what it was to look upon the transfigured Christ.

Literally, it was a great metamorphoo. A mind-blowing, eye-burning transformation. And that’s what I’m trying to behold with the eye of faith this morning. Jesus’ entire countenance changed before the physical eyes of Peter, James, and John. “Resplendent with divine brightness”, my Greek lexicon says — so that Peter, James, and John were able to peer into the majesty but for a moment. And all this, records Matthew, “up a high mountain.”

But they didn’t see Jesus only. They saw two others speaking with the robed-in-light Lord.

And after six days Jesus took with Him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with Him.

(Matthew 17:1-3 ESV)

While trying to imagine the scene, I fixate on Moses. After all, this wasn’t his first rodeo. Being on mountains and beholding God’s glory was kind of Moses’ thing. Think Mount Sinai, wrapped in smoke “because the LORD had descended on it in fire” (Ex. 19:18). And God calls Moses to come up the mountain and into the cloud (Ex. 19:20). And what about Mt. Sinai 2.0 when Moses returns after that little “golden calf” incident? This time the “LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him” declaring His holy name, showing Moses His glory as Moses took shelter in the cleft of the rock (Ex. 33:18-23, 34:5).

But as I think about Moses on the mount with Jesus, the encounter of the divine kind that comes to mind, in particular, is the one in front of a burning bush.

Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. . . . And He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

(Exodus 3:1-2a, 6 ESV)

A burning bush. Aflame but not consumed. The Angel of the LORD appearing to Moses out of the midst of the bush, cast in the light of the fire’s radiance. The Messenger declaring, “I am God.” Like I said, the Mount of Transfiguration wasn’t Moses’ first and up-close brush with the glorified Second Person of the Trinity (yeah, I think the Angel of the LORD was the pre-incarnate Son of God).

So, what I’m wondering as I hover over the Mount of Transfiguration is this, “Was Moses wearing shoes?”

God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”

(Exodus 3:4b-5 ESV)

Holy ground. That was the state of the soil on that night Moses stood before the burning bush. Holy ground. That’s was the makeup of that mountain on the night when Peter, James, and John had front row seats to the glorified Christ meeting again with Moses. Holy ground. That’s what any and all ground is when in the presence of Jesus. Holy ground. Kind of feeling like I’m on it right now. Time to take your shoes off.

So, was Moses wearing shoes on that transfiguration night? Bet ya’ he wasn’t!

A barefoot Moses before the beloved Son of God. Hmm . . . that image just might stick.

With Jesus. Standing on holy ground. What sweet privilege.

Only by His grace.

Oh, to behold His glory.