A DIGNIFIED DEATH
Opening Prayer
I praise You, Jesus, that even now You are preparing a place for me in Your eternal kingdom.
Read Deuteronomy 32:48–52; 34:1–12
Moses to Die on Mount Nebo
48 On that same day the Lord told Moses, 49 “Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo in Moab, across from Jericho, and view Canaan, the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession. 50 There on the mountain that you have climbed you will die and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. 51 This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites. 52 Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”
Deuteronomy 34
The Death of Moses
34 Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the Lord showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, 3 the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. 4 Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.”
5 And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. 6 He buried him[a] in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. 8 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.
9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit[b] of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses.
10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
Footnotes:
a Deuteronomy 34:6 Or He was buried
b Deuteronomy 34:9 Or Spirit
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
We don’t like to think about our death, but maybe it is good to do so. As one book subtitle said, “learn to live by preparing to die.”Back in Numbers 20:1–13, Moses had failed to honor God at a key moment in his leadership. Consequently he would never enter the Promised Land, but God let him see it. Mount Nebo was the unique vantage point for this last earthly experience of God’s kindness (Deut. 32:48–52).
The death of Moses is not defined by his failure in leadership. Yes, he had made a mess of one situation, but he died with dignity and honor. We read of God showing him the land that he had promised the Patriarchs from north to south (34:1–4), then after his death it was God who buried him (34:5,6). Moses had clearly been taken in God’s timing (34:7), and the nation grieved for an extended period (34:8). Joshua took on the leadership anointing from Moses, for great leaders don’t leave behind a vacuum (34:9).
Moses was not perfect, but his epitaph highlighted how unique he was: he met with the Lord face to face, performed God’s miracles in Egypt and led the nation. Moses was a great prophet. At the time of writing, a greater prophet than Moses had not yet risen in Israel. Thankfully, by the time the whole Bible was written, the greater prophet, Jesus, had risen!
Apply
In light of eternity, what are the truly valuable things in your life? Are you investing in those things? How can you make sure that the truly important things are receiving proper attention?
Closing prayer
Thank You, Jesus, that my life need not be remembered for my failure, but for Your faithfulness.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Discovery is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.