Day 631: Mission accomplished - Deuteronomy 34 vs 1 - 12

1-3 Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, the Negeb, and  he Plain, that is, the Valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar.  4 And the  Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.” 

5-6 So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord, and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but  no one knows the place of his burial to this day. 7-9 Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigour unabated. And the people of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days. Then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended. And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses. 

10-12 And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel. Deuteronomy 34:1-12 (English Standard Version)

One of the deepest joys of anyone who loves the God of Abraham is knowing that while our sinful stumbles may cost us something in this world, they don't stop God from loving us, or prevent His plans from going forward. Moses had forgotten to honour God before the nation when they demanded water in the desert and this had cost him the joy of crossing the Jordan river into the land God was giving to Israel. But even here we see a tenderness on God's part as He shows Moses the land from a viewpoint high up on a mountain. What's the strange part about Moses' death in vs 5-6?

The wording suggests that Moses was buried by the Lord. It could be speculated that perhaps Joshua was with him, and he buried him in a grave that wasn't marked and it's whereabouts was therefore not known in later years. But the words imply that it was an act of God. The New Testament book of Jude quotes a written Jewish tradition that the Archangel Michael 'disputed with the devil over the body of Moses'. (Jude vs 9). We don't know more details of that, but it's clear that Moses had played a major role in God's unfolding plans for Israel, and for the world.

Do you think vs 7-9 may imply that even Moses' stumble was used by God in His purposes?

The fact that his eyesight was still good, and his 'vigour was unabated', means that Moses was fit enough to lead Israel over the Jordan. But the fact that Joshua's name means 'God saves' suggests that a new stage had been reached in God's plans. The website 'biblestudytools' mentions how Joshua is seen as a 'picture' of Jesus in that “the name is common to both; Joshua brought Israel into the possession of the Promised Land, as Jesus brings His people to the heavenly Canaan; and, as Joshua succeeded Moses, so the Gospel succeeds the Law.”

It seems that one chapter of God's plan of salvation had reached it's end. A big part of that plan was to give Israel God's holy laws. And the apostle Paul says: “The law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:24) So Moses' part of God's plan had been a huge one, as vs 10-12 show. He was unique in how God spoke to Him so plainly, and in the amazing miracles God enabled him to do. Notice too that they are called 'deeds of terror'. It's only as we realize how awesome and holy God is that we learn to fear Him, in the right sense of that word. And it's the fear of the Lord that shows us the need of His salvation. A footnote to Moses' life is that he was seen by the Lord's disciples when he appeared with Elijah on a mountain and spoke to Jesus about the 'exodus' Jesus was going to accomplish at Jerusalem. (Luke 9:31) May we grow to fear and to love the Lord as Moses did.