Moses: A Tribute – Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Introduction – Moses was the great prophet, ruler, and shepherd to Israel, bringing her out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, to the foot of Mt. Sinai, and through the years in the wilderness. As Moses goes to be with Yahweh, we are invited with Moses to see Yahweh’s larger purposes as Moses did, by faith. Also, as we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, we are invited to sing our Hosannas with those who saw the fulfillment of the Law in the arrival of the Prophet, King, and Good Shepherd.
The Final View(vv1-4) – Just as promised, Yahweh leads Moses up to Mount Nebo, shows Moses the land sworn to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that this land would be given to their descendants. While Moses was not allowed to go into the land at this time, he would one day stand on the mount of transfiguration along with Elijah as they met with Jesus discussing another “exodus” (Luke 9:31).
The Kiss of Death (vv5-8) – “So Moses…died there...” according, literally, “…to the mouth of Yahweh.” The midrashic rendering of this verse is that Moses died “with a kiss from the mouth of God,” which meant a painless, even blessed, passing unto death. Moses had been a faithful servant in all God’s house (Heb 3:1-6). God buried Moses and told no one where the grave was. Moses was 120 years old when he died and was still vigorous at that time. As was their custom, Israel mourned for Moses for thirty days.
The Spirit of Wisdom (v9) – There was not simply a bureaucratic transfer of power from Moses to Joshua, but rather an anointing “full of the spirit of wisdom.” This spirit-empowered authority rested upon Joshua so that “..the children of Israel heeded him, and did as Yahweh had commanded Moses.” Godly leadership is a gift and not a technique. Without this gift, civil governments, familial governments, ecclesial governments, and self-governance will ultimately fail no matter how many laws, tricks, and techniques you put into place, no matter how many books you read. When God removes this great blessing, cultures unravel and there is nothing to be done except to repent and cry out to God for mercy. This is what David did when God removed this spirit from him because of his sin (Psalm 51:11). Of course, this is the wisdom which Jesus grew up in (Luke 2:51-52) and the anointed which rested upon Christ when He officially entered into His ministry (Luke 3:21-22) and to which He testified in His first sermon in Nazareth (Luke 4:18-19). Recognizing this anointing, Christ, the “anointed One” was hailed as He entered into Jerusalem that Palm Sunday (Luke 19:37-38).
A Tribute to Moses(vv10-12) –For those with ears to hear, we have seen how Moses, and all of his teaching through Deuteronomy, was not an archaic set of writings with no application for New Covenant believers in our generation. This wonderful tribute gives a final “pointing” to the true reason Moses was so great: He was a wonderful type of the great Law-giver, the greater Prophet, the greater Shepherd, the greater miracle-worker, the more terrible Judge and King, and the greater Promise-keeper.
God’s Law, God’s Love, God’s Grace, are all Gospel – All of God’s Word is Gospel and life to those who hear with faith; all of God’s Word is condemning law to those who hear with ears of flesh. We are not to hear and obey in order to be saved. Rather, therefore (having been delivered, redeemed, born again, having been saved) we are to hear and obey. Godly obedience always has and always will flow from grace to grace.
Love Needs the Law – Connected to this, we see that love fulfills the law and that law directs love. Love and law are not at odds, and therefore gospel and law are not at odds (Rom 13:8-10). Law and gospel are both repulsive to unregenerate hearts; law and gospel are both sweet to those who have come to faith.
We Are the House Moses Served – As we saw in Hebrews 3:1-6, we are the same congregation; we are the covenant people of God. The blessings are just as real, even magnified. The curses are just as real, even magnified. And all of it is to drive us to faith and renewal with God the Father, through Jesus Christ. Deuteronomy is “our” story and Moses is our forefather, as is Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all who shared with us the same faith.
Blessings to Descendants – This hope is given to us and we are to receive it by faith for ourselves and for our children to a thousand generations. We are to train our children up in this faith, by this faith, towards this faith, and with this faith (see Deut 6-7, for instance). Covenant keeping is promise believing.
All Because One Greater Than Moses is Here – Moses was the great prophet whom Yahweh knew “face to face” (v10), and how much more Jesus (John 14:9-11). He is the Prophet promised in Deuteronomy (Deut 18:15, Acts 3:22-26). His signs and wonders far exceeded Moses, and continue to do so (John 21:25). His great terror far exceeded Moses, and will even more do so one day (Luke 19:41-44, Matt 25:31-46). The words of Yahweh from Moses were life (Deut32:46-47), and Jesus, the Word of God, even more – “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:16).
Dave Hatcher – April 1, 2012 – Palm Sunday
Notes for Little Saints
Moses: A Tribute – Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Moses was a picture of Jesus in many ways.
Moses was a prophet whom the LORD knew ______to ______(Deut 34:10).
Jesus, the greater Prophet, said that if you had seen Him, you had seen the ______.
(John 14:9)
Moses did many ______and ______(Deut 34:11).
Jesus did so many things that, if they were written one by one, the world could not contain the
______that would be ______. (John 21:25).
Moses’ law-words were words of ______(Deut 32:47).
Even more so, Jesus, the Word of God was the ______, the ______and the ______
(John 14:16).
Draw a picture of Moses looking over the land God promised (from Deut 34:1-4).
Jesus was promised all of ______and ______was given to Him (Matt 28:18).