Jesus meets with Moses and Elijah on the Mt. of Transfiguration. Why those two? It may have to do with the circumstances of their deaths. If you listen to enough reformed sermons this comes out. God buries Moses. God marks Elijah’s death by coming in a spiritual chariot to take him home. I think there is more going on. Moses and Elijah are unique in that God used their prophetic ministries to bring Israel through a death and ressurection.
Moses initiates God’s covenant on Mt. Sinai. He gives Israel God’s law. Scripture tells us that Israel was baptized into Moses (1 Corinthians 10). This baptism is a death and resurrection that brings Israel into a new world; the promised land. He initiates a new world; a new stage in the history of God’s people.
Elijah also comes to a mountain in the wilderness (1 Kings 19). God gives him the authority to initiate a new world. Elijah begins a new prophetic community with Elisha. He initiates a new stage of the northern kingdom with the anointing of Jehu. Finally, God anoints Hazael as king of Syria through Elijah (the anointing is actually accomplished by Elijah’s successor Elisha). Through Elijah, God brings judgement upon the world but preserves 7,000 faithful Israelites to come into the new world, which is formed through the judgement of Israel. He rules this new world through empires rather than kings.
One major initiator is missing: Samuel. Samuel brought in the Davidic Kingdom. He’s missing because the fulfilment of that Davidic kingdom is here; Christ. This Christ combines both David and Samuel as king and prophet, who will not only bring a new world into being through his death and resurrection but will also rule it as a true heir of David.