The Death of Moses

We’ve spent the better part of two months with Moses, and it seems that he’s been waiting to die for the past couple of weeks, since his death was predicted as far back as Numbers 20. I don’t think any of us can think of this moment without immediately visualizing the final scene in The Ten Commandments, and despite the fact that John Derek’s Joshua utters a line that actually comes at the end of Joshua, it’s a moving scene. The part I want to key in on is something I intended to mention earlier.

Deuteronomy 34:7 tells us “…his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.” Not too bad for a man of 120 who has spent the past 40 years leading millions of people through the desert, but think back to something we read on Tuesday when we learned that throughout their time in the desert, their sandals didn’t wear out nor did their clothing become tatters. When we read that Moses’ faculties were undiminished at his death, we need to remember that the Lord was with the people of Israel in all ways while they were in the desert. No detail was too small, from providing food and water to something as seemingly trivial as maintaining the clothes they wore.

Is there any reason to think that God isn’t still doing this for us today? For our own selfish reasons we might like to think that he’s abandoned us, but that’s usually self-pity or anger on our part. I’ve written it numerous times in the past three months and I’m sure I’ll mention it again, but just because this is Old Testament writing doesn’t mean that it doesn’t still have meaning and import for us today. God is still taking care of us down to the smallest detail, and we would do well to remember that and thank him for it.

And that’s the last we’ll see of Moses (other than an appearance at Jesus' transfiguration and as possibly one of the two prophets we'll meet in Revelation). Without graphing it out, chances are that, other than Jesus and the disciples, this is the most time we’ll spend with one person in the Bible. As we leave him, let’s remember what made him special—it wasn’t his abilities or his pride for accomplishing things, but his willingness to submit to the Lord and do what he was told. “…no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel,” but that doesn’t mean that with the Spirit’s help, we can’t try. Pray on it, think on it, and then act on it.

Scott