A History Lesson - Pt. 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 the Plain, that is, the Valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. 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.” 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. Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated. And the people of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. Then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended. (Deuteronomy 34:1-8 ESV).

 

Before you get the impression that I believe there was something wrong with Moses, let’s explore our reading today. It is the account of Moses’ death and the things that followed. It is often true that when truly great leaders die, people wonder what will happen next. Moses was such a man. He certainly wasn't perfect. Like all of humanity, he was a sinner. As a result of his angry disobedience and lack of trust in the power of God when he struck the rock for water, he would die outside the promised land (cf. Numbers 20:12). But there was no one like him, not in his own day or later. For forty years he stood between God and his people, bringing them God's instructions and pleading before God on behalf of those stubborn people God loved. Moses was the go-between and the lawgiver.

 

The Lord himself had said, "With [Moses] I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles" (Numbers 12:8). And now, even though Israel would enter the land under Joshua's leadership, they would still be under Moses' guidance: the book of the Law of Moses (Joshua 1:7-8) would accompany Israel into the future. However, as great as Moses was, today we know that One who is greater than Moses has come. He not only spoke face to face with God; he is God's Son, Jesus Christ. He gives us the bread and water of life, and he is "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).

 

Like Moses, Christ died. But unlike Moses, Christ rose again and ascended to his Father. And he will come again. Take great care, learn from history, only Jesus has the position and power not to disappoint you. Only Jesus is sufficient to lead us to eternal life. Don't look for another. Follow no other man… not even Moses.