Intro: My wife’s favorite book of the Bible is Deuteronomy. Part of the reason for that is that Deuteronomy is action-packed. It’s replete with Moses’ sermons and poems to the covenant people of God. And of course it contains the death of Moses (ch. 34) on Mount Nebo, where God took Moses’ life. Moses, the great human leader of the exodus, the intercessor on behalf of a stiff-necked and recalcitrant people, the man who received the tablets of stone from God on Sinai, the man whom God used like no other in OT history, Moses was barred from entry into the land of promise. I sometimes try to picture Moses’ facial expression when God 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” (Deut 34:4, ESV).
If you are tender to the things of God, that will break your heart. Why? Because Moses was truly a great man. Listen to what Scripture says of Moses:
And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 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, and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel (Deut 34:10-12, ESV).
Encouragement & Application: As many years as I’ve been in ministry, I’ve through the Bible many many times, but the sheer power of Moses’ ministry is spectacular by any measure. And yet God did not allow this greatest of OT prophets and leaders and intercessors enter the land to which he’d been used by God to lead a stubborn people. Why? Because Moses, like all of us, had to answer to God for his sin. He was a great man in so many ways, yes, but he also battled anger, violence, impatience, and more. And he had to answer for his sin.
There would have to be another who would endure the anger of sinners, would submit to the violence of sinners, would show divine patience towards sinners, and would even give his life as a ransom for sinners. That was Christ, of course, the One to whom Moses pointed. Learn from Moses; emulate his good traits, but flee to Christ, for He alone redeems. Moses, too, answered to Christ.
MIND & MATTERS 
Was it his killing of the Egyptian or his impatient railing on God in the matter of God giving water from the rock? Or was it because he lost patience with God’s people who defied God in building an idol so that he broke the tablets? I shudder to think of His reaction to what we have done with those same commandments today! How many of us have them hanging on the walls of our homes. We complain that we have had them removed from our schools, post offices, and YES even our courts and churches. I dare to say that most people can’t quote more than two or three from their memory. If we were marching with the Israel children would we be allowed to cross over into the promised land? LORD please have mercy! Be safe my brother, I love you.
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Solid questions, Mr. Henry, as always. Part of my initial response to your questions is yes to them. Your points are powerful and received. I think we, too, will have much for which to answer. Love you, dear brother.
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