Teach Us To Number Our Days

Deuteronomy 34 - Episode 115

No one lives forever. Our time on this earth will one day come to an end, and when that day comes, what will we leave behind? What will our legacy be? We all want our lives to have meant something to at least a few, if not to many. We hope that something lasting comes from our short time here. But how many of us think about that in the present? We may reflect back and wish that we would have done things differently, but are we aware in the moment that our lives here are short and that what we do everyday matters for the future?

It’s easy to just do everything that has to be done and not think much about how it will affect us and others later on. But then, when later comes, it may be too late to change things. So, as we look back on the life of Moses and read his prayerful song, we are reminded of how short life is and we are encouraged to follow the Lord daily, seeking to fulfill His will for our lives. That is how we make our time here on earth count and how we secure our home with Him for eternity.  

A Man of God – Deuteronomy 34

            After his last bit of encouragement and blessings for the people, Moses left them and climbed Mount Nebo, which was part of the Abarim mountain range. When he reached its peak, called Pisgah, God showed him the land. Just opposite him, was the city of Jericho, where the Israelites would establish their first victory. Notice that Moses did not just look out over the river and see this new land, but that God walked him through every piece of it. He showed him its boundaries and where each tribe would live. Moses could see the hills, the plains, and the valleys, along with the lakes and the sea. He got to see all its vegetation and the promised richness of the land. Then God confirmed that this was the land that He had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and Moses knew that the Lord’s promise would soon be fulfilled. Then Moses died and was buried by God Himself. No one knows the place of his burial, presumably so no one could make a shrine to his grave.

Moses was 120 years old, but he did not die of old age or natural causes. His vision had not deteriorated, and his health was still good. His time to die had come because of his sin and not because of his health. He had not represented God as holy to the people so he would not be allowed to lead them the rest of the way.

            The people mourned for Moses for 30 days, then they prepared to enter the new land. Moses had laid hands on Joshua, and he had been given the Spirit of the Lord. So, the people followed him and did as the Lord commanded. But there would never be a leader or prophet like Moses that had such a close, personal relationship with God until the Lord Jesus Himself came in the flesh. Deuteronomy 18:15; John 6:14; Acts 3:22-26

Rest in Peace

As I put myself in the shoes of Moses, it all must have been so bittersweet standing on the top of that mountain with the Lord. He was not allowed to enter the land so I’m sure he was sad. But he had lived a good long life and his body was still strong and healthy. What a blessing!

 We all know that we won’t live forever. Like Moses, my time will come and so will yours. But in the end, even if I live a good long life, I know there are things in the lives of my children that I will be missing. It would be such a blessing to know how they will do after I’m gone. Will they have what they need and at least some things that they want? Will they be happy? Will they have a loving family of their own? Will they realize their dreams? Have I prepared them well enough for a future without me? Has my life meant something, and will there be anything lasting that comes of it? We all want to matter, at least to our family if no one else.   

When I look at the end of Moses’s life, I just see God’s grace. Even though He would enter the land with them, the Lord allowed him closure. He got to say goodbye. He left them with wisdom and blessings. He knew he had prepared the people for everything that would come. They were ready, not only to defeat their enemies, but God had given him the blueprints for their government, and he had taught them well. Moses had explained everything they would need to do in the future, he had written it down, and he had left them a new leader to continue where he left off. They were in good hands and there was nothing more that he could do.

So, Moses was leaving this earth knowing that he had prepared the people, but then God actually allowed him to see some of the future that he would be missing. He got to see where each one of them would live, and it was a rich and bountiful land. They would be blessed and have everything they needed in order to be successful.

These people would be on the receiving end of an almost 500-year-old promise. They were the generation that had been chosen to enter the Promised Land and Moses was the one who had led them to it. He left an amazing legacy! The name of Moses is still known today. His life mattered not only to the people he led, and not only to us, but it mattered to God. No one had such a personal relationship with God after him until Jesus came to the earth.

I’m sure that Moses was tired. The people had been rebellious and hard to lead. So, I can see how he might have wished he could go into the Promised Land, but I also am sure that he had done his job well and it might have been a relief to pass it off to the younger generation and rest in peace.  

What about you? Do you, too, want to know that your life will mean something after you are gone, that you have done your job well, and that you have prepared your children to carry on what you have started? I think that is the purpose of Moses’s other song. He wants to encourage us all to make the most of our time here on this earth, so that our lives will matter to God and to man.