Our Bible Lesson Column

Narrator: Chris Genthree
Exodus 33:11; Deuteronomy 34:10  •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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“And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.”— Deut. 34:1010And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, (Deuteronomy 34:10).
The Death of Moses.
1-3. “And the Lord shewed him all the land.” Read with prayer and reliance upon the Holy Spirit the parallel passages in Num. 27:12-1712And the Lord said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. 13And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. 14For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. 15And Moses spake unto the Lord, saying, 16Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd. (Numbers 27:12‑17); Deut. 3:23-29; 32:48-5223And I besought the Lord at that time, saying, 24O Lord God, thou hast begun to show thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might? 25I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. 26But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter. 27Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan. 28But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see. 29So we abode in the valley over against Beth-peor. (Deuteronomy 3:23‑29)
48And the Lord spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying, 49Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession: 50And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people: 51Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel. 52Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel. (Deuteronomy 32:48‑52), and notice Moses’ great desire to go over into the land, his prayer to God that he might be permitted to do so, God’s refusal to allow him, Moses’ meek submission and his request that someone be appointed in his stead, so that Israel might not be as sheep which have no shepherd.
4. “I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.” When Moses pleaded to be permitted to go over, the word from the Lord was, “Let it suffice thee, speak no more unto Me of this matter” (Deut. 3:2626But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter. (Deuteronomy 3:26)), and that was enough. It was Israel’s sin in murmuring and rebelling that led Moses to sin, but that did not excuse Moses. How holy is our God, and what holiness He requires in us! And who is equal to it?
5-7. “Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.” When Aaron died, Moses and Eleazar were with him, but no one was with Moses when he died. He had often been alone with God, on two different occasions for forty days and nights at a time, but previous to this occasion he had always come back to continue with the people. Now in health and vigor of body and in the use of all his faculties he went up into the mountain alone and returned to Israel no more. Out from the earthly tabernacle in which he had sojourned or 120 years, Moses, the servant of the Lord, went to live with God for ever. No sickness, no suffering, as far as we know, but he just closed his eyes to earth and entered into the presence of God and of the redeemed and of the holy angels, absent from the body, present with the Lord, which was very far better for him (Phil. 1:21, 2321For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)
23For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23)). He is still there alive and well, and after more than 1,400 years from the time of his departure Peter and the others saw him on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus Christ, as he and Elijah spake with our Lord of His approaching decease (Luke 9:30-3230And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. 32But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. (Luke 9:30‑32)). The body of Moses was buried, but, no man being present, no man knows where, for God has not seen fit to tell.