Of many discussion I have with Christians these verses commonly called "The Mount of Transfiguration" are generally mentioned first or figure predominately in an attack against Psychopannychy.
This event is described in Matthew 16:27 to 17:13, Luke 9:27 to 9:36 and Mark 9:1 to 9:10.
I shall quote from both Matthew and Luke.In both narratives Jesus precedes this event by saying, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." And then:
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
[ An aside, the six days of Matthew and the eight days of Luke provide some interesting speculation. Let’s skip it.]
Luke adds: who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. This is an important point.
These three apostles, who all later died before Christ returned, were shown a vision of Christ, Moses and Elijah in their glorified bodies, as they will appear when Christ enters His kingdom and returns to the earth with the saints from heaven.
Are we to assume from this that Moses and Elijah are now awake in heaven in their glorified bodies? 1Co 15:20 tells us, But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
This was a transfiguration. Christ was not in His glorified body on earth when His body was shown glorified, but they were all shown glorified to give this vision to the apostles.There is another verse that is interesting:
Luk 9:32 Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.I think there is something to be learned here.
They were asleep and when they awoke they saw the glorified Christ, the vision of Christ in His kingdom.Compare:
Eph 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Dan 12:2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
Psa 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
This was nothing more than a vision. That is, Moses and Elijah were not really there with Christ. Certainly Moses and Elijah had not yet received glorified bodies. Christ had not yet been crucified nor had He risen. This certainly was a peek into the future, “…some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom”
Christ is fully awake in His glorified body in heaven. Elijah and Enoch may have been taken to heaven and Moses (in his body) may be in heaven. Enoch and Elijah had not died. I do not think that Enoch, Elijah, and Moses are now conscious in heaven. If they are then what of Jesus' words in John 3:13, ..no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
The Bible says Enoch was taken. It doesn't say where. The Bible says Elijah was taken up to heaven but was this the first, second or third heaven?In view of other scriptures it would appear this was a vision of a future events. Jesus even said that this was what is was ("Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." ) How dangerous to base a doctrinal belief on so an unsure of footing.
1Th 4:15-18 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.