A Special Vision of the Kingdom of God

Jesus Christ stated that there were some people who were standing with him who would not die until they saw him coming in his kingdom as recorded in Matthew 16:28:

"28Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (KJV)

Because all of those people have died after their normal lifespans, does this mean that Jesus Christ established his kingdom within 100 years or so of his making this statement? Does the Bible explain what Jesus Christ meant? Yes, it does in Matthew 17:1-9:

"1And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 6And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead." (KJV)

The special vision he gave them is called the transfiguration. The key to understanding the transfiguration is in verse 9 where Jesus Christ told Peter, James, and John to "tell the vision to no man" until he was risen from the dead. What Peter, James, and John saw was not real. It was a only special vision of the Kingdom of God in the future, not the resurrection of Moses and Elias (Elijah) who had died many years before.

Jesus Christ kept his promise as recorded in Matthew 16:28. Three of the leading disciples saw the son of man (Jesus Christ) coming in his kingdom.

Jesus Christ gave these three disciples a unique glimpse of the coming Kingdom through a supernatural vision. The Kingdom of God was not yet ruling over the entire earth. Elias (Elijah) and Moses were not literally present. They were present only in vision, symbolic of their roles in the congregation (or church) of the Old Testament and in God