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<h2><a onclick="return mV('Deu',34,'all');">Deu 34</a> - The Death of Moses</h2>
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<p>A. Moses on Mount Nebo.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',34,'1-3');">1-3</a>) <span>The</span> vision of the Promised Land.</p>
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<p class="c2">Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is across from Jericho. And the <span class="c6">Lord</span> showed him all the land of Gilead as far as Dan, all <span>Naphtali</span> and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the South, and the plain of the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as <span>Zoar</span>.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo</span></b>: As Israel camped on the <b><span class="c3">plains of Moab,</b> Moses climbed the heights of <b><span class="c3">Mount Nebo</span></b> - from which he could see the Promised Land, <b><span class="c3">as far as the Western Sea</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Today, we know <b><span class="c3">Mount Nebo</span></b> and <b><span class="c3">Pisgah</span></b> as two separate mountain peaks. But in Moses' day, the same names were probably given to the same summit. <b><span class="c3">Pisgah</span></b> is the higher of the two, and it is probably from the peak that today is called <b><span class="c3">Pisgah</span></b> that Moses saw the Promised Land.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">And the <span class="c6">Lord</span> showed him all the land</span></b>: This was God's sweet grace to Moses. Though he could not set foot in the Promised Land, God allowed him to see it.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',34,4);">4</a>) God's last words to Moses: T<b><span class="c3">his is the land . . .</span></b></p>
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<p class="c2">Then the <span class="c6">Lord</span> said to him, "This <i>is </i>the land of which I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have caused you to see <i>it </i>with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">This is the land of which I swore to give</span></b>: These words, being in the present tense, were spoken to Moses at the summit of Mount Nebo as he looked westward and saw the Promised Land.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. The list of places here follows a large counter-clockwise circle from the north to the south. In this sweeping panorama, Moses saw the sweep of the entire Promised Land.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. "The invitation to Moses to view the land was not merely a kindly provision of God to allow His servant to view Israel's inheritance. It may have had some legal significance. There is some evidence that this was part of a legal process. A man 'viewed' what he was to possess." (Thompson)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">I will give it to your descendants</span></b>: God <b><span class="c3">swore</span></b> to give it to the descendants of <b><span class="c3">Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob</span></b>, and now the promise was going to be fulfilled. Moses was allowed to take the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob up to the threshold of the Promised Land, but no further.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there</span></b>: What a bitter-sweet moment! Moses saw this, and his heart was thrilled at being able to see the Promised Land as never before. Yet, there no doubt a sadness in His heart, knowing that it was his own sin - his own misrepresentation of God - which led to his not being able to set foot in the Promised Land himself. Here he stood so close, yet so far away.</p>
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<p class="c5"><span>i</span><span>. "What drama!</span> What pathos! What inward pain! What sense of accomplishment mixed with disappointment must have been in Moses' mind as he looked over the land the Lord had promised to <span>Israel!</span>" (<span>Kalland</span>)</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. Looking out over the vast panorama, on what must have been a crystal clear day, Moses saw the end result of his life's work - leading the children of Israel into the Promised Land - and heard God say, as clearly as he had ever heard God speak, <b><span class="c3">this is the land</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',34,'5-8');">5-8</a>) <span>The</span> death and burial of Moses, <b><span class="c3">the servant of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c2">So Moses the servant of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the <span class="c6">Lord</span>. And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth <span>Peor</span>; but no one knows his grave to this day. Moses <i>was </i>one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished. And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. So the days of weeping <i>and </i>mourning for Moses ended.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">So Moses the servant of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> died there in the land of Moab</span></b>: Moses' epitaph - the line on his tombstone – was simple. </p><ul class="c6"><li>It was not "Moses, Prince of Egypt." </li><li>It was not "Moses, Murderer of an Egyptian." </li><li>It was not "Moses, Shepherd in the Wilderness." </li><li>It was not "Moses, Spokesman for a Nation." </li><li>It was not "Moses, Miracle Worker." </li><li>It was not "Moses, Prophet." </li><li>It was not "Moses, the Man Who Saw a Piece of God's Glory." </li><li>It was not "Moses, Who Never Entered the Promised Land." </li><li>At the end of it all, the title was simple: <b><span class="c3">Moses the servant of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>.</li></ul>
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<p class="c5">i. This should be enough for us. We often <i>say</i> it, and it sounds so humble to <i>say</i> it, but it is much higher to really live it. To be satisfied with simply being <b><span class="c3">the servant of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b> is a precious place indeed. It is the happiest of all stations in life, for when the Master is glorified, the servants are satisfied.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. If one is truly a <b><span class="c3">servant of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>, it can be demonstrated by a simple test: by how they react when someone <i>treats</i> them as a servant. Many are pleased to be servants for people of our own choosing or in circumstances of our own choosing. But that isn't really being <b><span class="c3">the servant of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Moses the servant of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> died</span></b>: Moses died just as God promised. The promises of God are sure, including His more severe promises. It all happened <b><span class="c3">according to the word of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Literally, the phrase <b><span class="c3">according to the word of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b> means <i>upon the mouth of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></i>. From this, ancient Jewish traditions say that Moses died as God took away his soul with a kiss. The medieval Jewish rabbi <span>Maimonides</span> says that of the 903 different ways to die, this was the best.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. "In the meanwhile, Moses' time was at an end. A voice from heaven resounded, saying: 'Why, Moses, dost thou strive in vain? Thy last second is at hand.' Moses instantly stood up for prayer, and said: 'Lord of the world! Be mindful of the day on which Thou didst reveal <span>Thyself</span> to me in the bush of thorns, and be mindful also of the day when I ascended into heaven and during forty days partook of neither food nor drink. Thou, Gracious and Merciful, deliver me not into the hand of [Satan].' God replied: 'I have heard thy prayer. I <span>Myself</span> shall attend to thee and bury thee.' Moses now sanctified himself as do the Seraphim that surround the Divine Majesty, whereupon God from the highest heavens revealed Himself to receive Moses' soul. When Moses beheld the Holy One, blessed be His Name, he fell upon his face and said: 'Lord of the world! In love didst Thou create the world, and in love Thou <span>guidest</span> it. Treat me also with love, and deliver me not into the hands of the Angel of Death.' A heavenly voice sounded and said: 'Moses, be not afraid. "Thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward."'"</p>
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<p class="c5">"With God descended from heaven three angels, Michael, Gabriel, and <span>Zagzagel</span>. Gabriel arranged Moses' couch, Michael spread upon it a purple <span>garment,</span> and <span>Zagzagel</span> laid down a woolen pillow. God stationed Himself over Moses' head, Michael to his right, Gabriel to his left, and <span>Zagzagel</span> at his feet, whereupon God addressed Moses: 'Cross thy feet,' and Moses did so. He then said, 'Fold thy hands and lay them upon thy breast,' and Moses did so. Then God said, 'Close <span>thine</span> eyes,' and Moses did so. Then God <span>spake</span> to Moses' soul: 'My daughter, one hundred and twenty years had I decreed that thou <span>shouldst</span> dwell in this righteous man's body, but hesitate not now to leave it, for thy time has run....I <span>Myself</span> shall take thee to the highest heavens and let thee dwell under the Throne of My Glory'...When Moses heard these words, he permitted his soul to leave him, saying to her: 'Return to thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.' God thereupon took Moses' soul by kissing him on the mouth." (<span>Ginzberg</span>, <i>Legends of the Jews</i>)</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. "As a mother takes her child and kisses it, and then lays it down to sleep in its own bed; so did the Lord kiss the soul of Moses away to be with him for ever, and then he hid is body we know not where." (Spurgeon)</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">And He buried him in a valley</span></b>: Notably, the <span class="c6">Lord</span> buried Moses. This was more complicated than it sounds, because there was a <span>Satanic</span> contention over the body of Moses.</p>
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<p class="c5"><span>i</span><span>. Jude</span> 9 speaks of an occasion when <i>Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses</i>. Apparently, there was a contention over the body of Moses, and according to Jude Michael the archangel won this contest as he appealed to the Lord's authority: <i>"The Lord <span>rebuke</span> you!"</i> Yet <i>why</i> Michael contended with Satan over the body of Moses is less clear.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. Some say that the Devil wanted to use Moses' body as an object of worship to lead Israel astray into idolatry. Others think that Satan wanted to desecrate the body of Moses, and claimed a right to it because Moses had murdered an Egyptian.</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. But consider that God had another purpose for Moses' body, which Satan wanted to defeat: Moses appears in bodily form with Elijah (whose body was caught up to heaven [<a onclick="return mV('2Ki',2,1);">2Ki 2</a>]) at the Transfiguration (<a onclick="return mV('Mat',17,'1-3');">Mat 17:1-3</a>); and perhaps Moses and Elijah are the two witnesses of <a onclick="return mV('Rev',11,'all');">Rev 11</a>.</p>
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<p class="c5">iv. Apparently, God had a purpose to fulfill with the body of Moses before the time of general resurrection, so God made special provision to bury the body of Moses Himself. And, perhaps, God preserved the body of Moses in some way. God wanted to protect the body of Moses, so <b><span class="c3">no one knows his grave to this day</span></b>. Seemingly, they searched for it, as would be expected, out of a desire to memorialize this great leader of the nation.</p>
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<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died</span></b>: Moses' life was neatly divided into thirds. He spent 40 years as the crown prince of Egypt, 40 years as a humble shepherd in the wilderness, and 40 years leading the children of Israel to their destiny in the Promised Land. The first two-thirds were in preparation for the last one third. Moses was willing to let God prepare him for 80 years.</p>
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<p class="c4">e. <b><span class="c3">His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor abated</span></b>: This confirmed what was observed at <a onclick="return mV('Deu',31,1);">Deu 31:1</a> (<i>I can no longer go out and come in</i>). Moses was not hindered by physical infirmity, but by the command of God.</p>
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<p class="c4">f. <b><span class="c3">The children of Israel wept...the days of weeping and mourning for Moses ended</span></b>. As great as Moses was, the days of mourning for him ended. It was time to move on. God's program did not end with Moses, nor does it end with any man. The torch is passed and God's work goes on.</p>
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<p>B. The legacy of Moses.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',34,9);">9</a>) Joshua's leadership in Israel.</p>
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<p class="c2">Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the <span class="c6">Lord</span> had commanded Moses.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">For Moses had laid his hands on him</span></b>: Moses' prayer for Joshua was answered. Joshua was indeed <b><span class="c3">full of the spirit of wisdom</span></b>. Best of all, <b><span class="c3">the children of Israel heeded him</span></b>. The real test of leadership is to see if people actually follow you.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',34,'10-12');">10-12</a>) <span>The</span> unique legacy of Moses.</p>
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<p class="c2">But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the <span class="c6">Lord</span> knew face to face, in all the signs and wonders which the <span class="c6">Lord</span> sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses</span></b>: Joshua was a capable leader for Israel, and God's work went on, but that did not diminish Moses' unique legacy.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses</span></b>: Several things made Moses unique.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. <b><span class="c3">Whom the <span class="c6">Lord</span> knew face to face</span></b>: Moses was unique because of his personal intimacy with God. The term <b><span class="c3">face to face</span></b> does not literally mean "physical face to physical face," but it has the idea of free and unhindered communication. Moses had a remarkably intimate relationship with God.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. <b><span class="c3">All the signs and wonders with the <span class="c6">Lord</span> sent him to do</span></b>: Moses was unique in the number and kind of miraculous works he was associated with.</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. <b><span class="c3">All that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed</span></b>: Moses was unique in the power and authority with which we led the nation of Israel.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses</span></b>: There were greater rulers over Israel than Moses, greater leaders, greater prophets, and greater priests. But before the coming of Jesus Christ the Messiah, there was never one man who held all offices so gloriously as Moses did.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "In him were concentrated all the great offices of Israel - prophet, ruler, judge and priest. If some who held these offices were great, Moses was the greatest of them all." (Thompson)</p>
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