Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Moses Dies on Mount Nebo
1 Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is across from Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land of Gilead as far as Dan, 2 all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, 3 the South, and the plain of the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. 4 Then the LORD said to him, “This is 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 it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.”
5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. 6 And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day. 7 Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished. 8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. So the days of weeping and mourning for Moses ended.
9 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 LORD had commanded Moses.
10 But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 in all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, 12 and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.
Moses led his people to the edge of the promised land and gazed over what was to come as the LORD showed it all to him, as far as the eye could see. This was the new world promised to God’s children through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel) to their descendants long before this momentous time in history. It brings to mind how we will all one day stand at the threshold of death and gaze with scriptural vision of faith in the promise of a kingdom that cannot ever be shaken (Hebrews 12:26-27, 28, Romans 8:21, 1 Peter 1:4) or taken away by the enemy who will be permanently removed (Revelation 12:10) from the world at last. We will stand there at the edge of death and gaze on the life that continues forever into glory as promised and marvel with joy and humble gratitude in worship of Him who promises (2 Peter 3:13, Romans 4:21) and will deliver us (2 Corinthians 1:10) into that kingdom at last to,stand in worship before His face in our new flesh that knows no sin like that which kept Moses from entering the earthly promised land. Moses died there as he gazed over the promised kingdom to come in this hope and was buried in a spot unknown to this day on earth but will be fully known in the resurrection to life in the final day. There will be no more weeping for him or us there (Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 7:17, 21:4) as children of Israel lamented for thirty days over their loss of Moses. The charge to lead the people into the promised land of Canaan was taken up by faithful Joshua just as we lead others into glory now with the gospel in the armor of the Lord (Ephesians 6:10-11, 19) by faithful reliance on He who works and speaks through us to lead others there as we fight the good fight to make a way for all whom He may call. There has arisen a greater prophet than Moses (Acts 3:22-23, 25, 26) with this good news and power to lead us by faith into the promised heavenly land (Hebrews 11:13, 16, Philippians 3:20) to come. His work was and is infinitely more powerful and miraculous than Moses in the demonstration of His divine person and effective work in life, death on the cross of our curse, and resurrection from death to life as the promise to convince us of these things. Hear Him as Acts 3:22 and Mark 9:7 urges us to turn from sin to Him in repentance and faith to gain entry into the paradise (Luke 23:43, Revelation 2:7) of His kingdom presence!
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