e; so as no fuller on earth
can whiten them," "white as the light," "glistering," "dazzling."

"Behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with Him." How
did the disciples know the Lawgiver and the Prophet? We are not told.
There may have been given them some supernatural powers of discernment.
They may have known by the conversation between Jesus and His celestial
visitants, as, in earthly language with heavenly tone, they "spoke of
His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem," of which
He had told them on the plain below.

It was that Moses who fifteen hundred years before came down from Mount
Sinai with the two tables of the law in his hands, when Aaron and the
children of Israel stood in awe before His shining face. But now He had
come, not from the mount which Paul describes as "darkness," but unto
that other whose snowy whiteness has given it the name of Lebanon. He
had come from Heaven, to yield homage to Him to whom He would sing with
us,

"My dear Redeemer and my Lord,
I read my duty in Thy Word;
But in Thy life the Law appears,
Drawn out in living Characters."

"The children of Israel could not look steadfastly upon Moses for the
glory of His face." In the "excellent glory" by which Peter describes
the scene on Hermon, the whole figure of His Lord was bathed in light.
But the glory of that vision was not yet complete. A cloud, brighter
than any on which the moon was shining, enwrapped Jesus and Moses and
Elijah. It was no other than the Shechinah, once more returning to the
earth,--"the symbol of Jehovah's presence."

This cloud overshadowed the disciples. As its light gleamed upon them,
they were filled with reverential fear. They were ready to do the
heavenly visitors immediate and humble service. But the mission of the
two was ended. Their last words of comfort to Jesus had been spoken. If
they could be detained, it must be done quickly. So, awed and confused
by the strange vision, yet longing for its continuance, the disciples,
Peter being the spokesman, proposed to make booths for their Master and
His two heavenly visitors. But the two had gone, and the crown of glory
that had enveloped them spread to the disciples, filling them with yet
increasing awe. The silence that had followed Peter's call was broken.
"There came a voice out of the cloud, This is My Beloved Son; hear ye
Him." Startled by such a response, "they fell on their face and were
so