Day 1,111: Deuteronomy 34- Looking Forward

Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, 2 all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea,3 the Negeb, and the Plain, that is, the Valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. 4 And the Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go 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 the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but no one knows the place of his burial to this day.7 Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated. 8 And the people of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. Then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses. 10 And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, 12 and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

Meditation
More than a collection of stories with moral messages, Moses’s life and death look forward to greater promises than the land of Canaan and a greater Prophet who possesses the power to lead all whose faith is in Him into the full promises of God. The story of Scripture finds its substance in Jesus Christ.
 
Moses was on Mt Nebo (1) when “the Lord showed him all the land” (2-3). The land God swore to Abraham, Moses saw with his eyes (4) before he died (5-7). Looking forward, God buries His leaders while His promises and purposes go forward.
 
Practically, the transition of authority had been made to Joshua (8-9). The end of Moses life leaves the reader looking forward to Joshua’s leadership, Israel’s life in the promised land, and longing for a prophet with the power to bring God’s promises to His people.
 
John 3:14-15 establishes Moses as a paradigm to see Jesus offering greater redemption, the paramount prophet the Old Testament longs to see (Deuteronomy 18:15-22). Moses specifically and the Old Testament generally look forward to Jesus, “worthy of more glory than Moses” (Hebrews 3:3). Moses redeemed Israel from Egyptian slavery. Jesus redeems believers from our sins. Moses gave the law. Jesus is the fulfillment of the law. Moses met with God face to face. When we look at Jesus, we see God.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from the narrative of Moses’ last days?
 
-Where does your heart long to experience the fullness of God’s promises as Moses surely longed to experience the promised land?
 
-How can you move towards Jesus as the fullness of God’s promises, finding in and through Him all that God promises His people?  Be specific in the steps of faith you can take to taste and see the goodness of God in Jesus.
 
Key Verses
4 And the Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.”