The praying experience:
Prayer is an elevated form of speaking with God. The biblical form of prayer, such as kneeling or lying face down on the ground, if possible, isolating everything else from your mind, is the preferred type of prayer. God will hear you in whatever position your body will tolerate when you pray. Jesus took his inner circle to a mountain to pray. They were going to have an experience with the kingdom of God while in prayer. They saw Moses, who represents deliverance, and Elias, also known as Elijah, whose name means “My God is Yahweh”, and Christ, the savior of the world, and the cloud. The disciples saw the glory of the three: Jesus, Moses, and Elias. Daniel had a similar experience with the Son of man coming in his glory, for which he became grieved in his spirit (Dn 7:13-15). John the Revelator, years later, after Christ died and rose from the dead, had another experience with him that he accounts in the book of Revelation (1:15-18). He said that after he saw him, he fell at Christ’s feet as if he were dead.
Luke 9:27-31
27 But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.
28 And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:
31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
The disciples could not stay awake during the prayer time. With the heaviness in their eyes, they witnessed the kingdom of God and entered into the cloud. As Moses and Elias were leaving, a cloud was moving close to them. Peter then offers himself to Jesus to make three tabernacles: one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elias, maybe to shelter them from the cloud (Lk 9:34-36). Now, the cloud in the bible symbolises God’s presence. God was with his people, Israel, in a pillar of cloud to lead them out of Egypt (Ex 13:21). God spoke to Moses in a thick cloud (Ex 19:9, 34:29-30). The cloud represented his holiness. As the disciples were entering the cloud, they began to fear. Matthew tells us that Jesus told the disciples not to be afraid of this experience. The disciples could not speak to anyone about their account, because they were in a state of shock. All this happened when they went to the mountain to pray.
Daniel 7:13-15
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
Revelation 1:15-18
15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Luke 9:34-36
34 While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.36 And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.
Exodus 13:21
21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
Exodus 19:9
9 And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord.
Exodus 34:29-30
29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.
30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.