God Buries Moses
Open Your Bible
Deuteronomy 32:48-52, Deuteronomy 33:1-29, Deuteronomy 34:1-12
BY Rebecca Faires
Text: Deuteronomy 32:48-52, Deuteronomy 33:1-29, Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Driving in the van, we talked about prosaic adult things in the front, while the children rattled around in the back. I was telling my husband about a memory-building chart I’d seen in college, and they were playing “touched you last.” But later that morning, sitting next to my journal-obsessed nine-year-old, I looked over and saw a transcript of our conversation and a rendering of the chart I’d described.
Simultaneously surprised, delighted, and a little alarmed, I remembered how important we are to her. Right now, she is interested in everything we say and do. Objects, places, and ideas all hold special significance for my daughter if she hears that I love them.
It’s a weighty thing to be so adored by someone, to be so intimately and lovingly observed. God invited Moses into intimacy. When Moses was born, “he was beautiful in God’s sight” (Acts 7:20). God knew and watched Moses from the beginning, and He called Moses into a close and special journey with Him. Unlike my daughter, God wasn’t simply eavesdropping on Moses; He was giving Moses the unimaginable gift of His loving attention.
God’s attention seems so unfathomable to me. Why would the Almighty bother to attend to my nail-biting hesitations, or even my wedding day? His is a love so big, we cannot even fathom it.
God loves His people so much that He actually invites us into a relationship with Him. There are few places in history where we have such a beautiful record of God’s tender and patient encounters with men. From the day of his birth, Moses enjoyed God’s special favor and blessing, and this close relationship between God and Moses continued to Moses’ final day.
Because of his sin at the waters of Meribah, Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:11). But even in the midst of this heartbreaking judgment, God showed favor to Moses and allowed him a glimpse of His promised home for Israel.
God’s favor doesn’t look like what we’d expect it to. The blessing of God isn’t limited by our ideas of good living. When I pray for His blessing and favor, in my heart, I’m often just asking for things to go my way. But the glory of God’s blessing is not circumstantial at all—the blessing is intimacy with God Himself.
Moses’ life was a whirlwind of disappointments and triumphs, but regardless of what was going on in the tents and on the desert plain, God was with him. The final scene of Moses’ life is private and tender: God buries him in a secret place. He was God’s man.
May we long for this kind of intimacy with God. May “He who spoke to Moses” be our ever-present help in trouble, the shield that protects us. For “indeed He loves His people” (Deuteronomy 33:3), and he is our dwelling place, let us desire nothing more than to draw near to Him and see His face (Deuteronomy 33:27).
28 thoughts on "God Buries Moses"
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So powerful. The blessing is always intimacy with Him! More of that Lord!
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The Eternal God was Moses’ dwelling place (Deut. 33:27). His view from Mt. Nebo was not one of regret at what could have been or even feeling like he had so much more to give as “his eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated”. (Deut 34:7). Moses’ view was on God whom he trusted with his whole being even when God told him to climb the mountain and die. Oh how I long for this view when I am on my Mt. Nebo. May the God of Old be my dwelling place each moment of my life.
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I’ve always thought God was a little harsh with Moses. Seems to me the Israelites messed up a whole lot more than Moses. Of course that first generation didn’t enter the promised land either. They died off in the wilderness. But couldn’t Moses at least have gotten a toe touch in to the Promised Land? Could it be that God holds leaders to a higher standard, more responsible for following God’s word ? Could it be that Moses’ earthly purpose was to get them just that far? Once Moses completed his task, God simply took him home, gently and tenderly doing the funeral service Himself. Makes me think : in my leadership roles, am I consistently taking full ownership of my responsibilities and am I fulfilling my purpose, not concerned with how far I go or what I accomplish, as long as I stay in God’s will? Thoughts to ponder this morning. Thanks Scripture and SRT for the prompting.
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Churchmouse,
I went back and read all of Numbers 20. I think when Moses didn’t believe, we saw him in his humanness. If I had been around these people for 40 years grumbling and complaining, I would have done the same thing. I probably would have done it in year 5. Yes, I do think God calls certain people to higher standards. The first set of verses where God told Moses he was going to die on the mountain, I was like that is harsh. I appreciate your thoughts and questions, things I will ponder on today. -
Thanks for your insight. Something to think about.
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Your (Holy Spirit’s) message grabbed my heart
Your Holy Spirit ordained message- has held my heart hostage this a.m.
I’ve been putting something off God wants me to do because I’m afraid.
May He bless you for being His vessel. -
I thought the same thing. I had to go back and read the scripture to remember what Moses had done so terribly to deserve death and not enter the promised land. But I do believe now that God may hold his leaders to higher standard that’s the only thing that would make sense in this case. Thank you for the curiosity!
https://ashhtoocurlyblog.wordpress.com -
James 3: 1-2
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Wow. God knew that I would read this devotion on this particular day. Even when the writer was posting in on SRT. “But the glory of God’s blessing is not circumstantial at all. The blessing is INTIMACY WITH GOD HIMSELF. ”
This week, and especially yesterday, I felt confused by God. Something I just knew was from Him – I was sure of it – did not work out. I was left confused, hurt and a little embarrassed. I was already rejoicing and thanking Him for the blessing and then……… poof, it was not to be. Then this morning I read that I already have the blessing. Intimacy with God. Quiet mornings alone with him in his word as he whispers to me. Loud, crazy days when He has to speak a little louder for me to hear are still mine to enjoy. God hasn’t forgotten me. He still has a plan. Today I will rest in the blessing of my relationship with my Savior. Thank you, SRT.-
I’m so glad you shared this. I’ve experienced the same recently and needed to hear that. Thank you.
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This was the perfect response. I desperately needed to hear that.
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Woah.. You nailed it for me…Hard to type with brurr by tears eyes. I too was thanking him in anticipation for solving a financial issue for me..We are comforted in the trust that its all in his hands.. Your comment ( I photo saved so I can see it till the situation is resolved) will keep me with my eyes on God himself, not on my issue or the delaying solution.
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I have had this happen as well. Someone that I was in a relationship with and I had confirmation after confirmation that I was right where I needed to be. Long story short, he moved far, far away and I was to follow after we got married…well we never got married. I felt so silly. Something I thought, was convinced was confirmed by God and it just ended. Poof. Done. I prayed a lot, thought a lot, prayed some more and finally God showed me that for the time, I was exactly where I needed to be. He needed to know that I was willing to leave my family, friends, my comfortable life behind and follow Him. Once I submitted to that will and allowed HIM to lead my life everything changed. Fast forward a few years and that willingness to go where God needs me has lead me to an incredible man, a growing community and a closer relationship with God than ever before. I realized looking back that every part of that heartache and confusion pointed me straight to Christ. Intimacy and true trust in Him! What a blessing those times can be if we just focus our eyes on Him!
http://www.littlelightonahill.com
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As I reflect on Moses’ life, his ups and his downs, GOD was always with him! Even though he never entered his promised earthly home, Canaan, he was Not kept from entering his HEAVENLY home! God loved him even to the very end! We too are loved by God in this way! Praise God that he doesn’t give up on us, that He sent Jesus to redeem us that we too may experience our Heavenly Home someday!!
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Yes! And while the Scriptures tell us that God showed Moses Israel’s future home, we’re not privy to what it must have been like for Moses — upon dying and leaving his mortal body — to then be shown his new Heavenly home — but don’t you know that experience for Moses had to be absolutely glorious?! And, Sisters, as Believers in Christ, that will one day be our own personal experience, as well!
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I love that unlike Moses, who was separated from the Promised Land because of His sinfulness, we are no longer separated from our Promised Land, our life in eternity with God through Christ Jesus. Our sins no longer stand between us and God, to have intimacy with Him has become way easier. Unlike the Israelites, that needed Moses as a mediator between them and God, we can come to God directly, because our mediator, Jesus Christ, IS God!
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This one sentence hit me straight in the face. “When I pray for His blessing and favor, in my heart, I’m often just asking for things to go my way.”
Man ain’t that the truth. May we be a people who truly and honestly pray for His will to be done in our lives and for us to humble ourselves and put our own will aside. His will and blessing for us is so much better than anything else in the world.-
Convicted by those same words, Sara. My prayers often start out with praise but quickly reduce to “gimme.” A list of my desires. Seeking my will and my way. Ugh. Praying this morning to pray His will, His way, regardless of how it looks, how long it takes, or whether I like it. He knows best. Praying to trust Him more.
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Amen! I was struck by the same thing. I recently heard a quote… “If we could see things from God’s perfect perspective, we would ask for everything He gives us.”
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I love that quote. So true, yet sometimes so hard for us to see.
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Yes, yes, yes. This brought me to a place of thinking that when I have those “I wish…” moments, I should really be identifying them as unbelief, not vision or dreaming. I´m not believing God for the good he has for me in this moment no matter how unlikely that seems from my end. Forgive my unbelief.
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One sentence
“He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”
Numbers 20:10 NIV
And that was it. Moses who was so loved, spoke to God face to face was no longer to see the promise land he had spent his life leading God’s people to. Yet I’m glad that is not what Moses is remembered for. Moses brought so much good and so much hope. He petitioned for his people time and time again. He gives me hope because I know that with God all things are possible. I’m still blown away from yesterday’s truth to be honest and seeing God in all the small things I do. Trusting he is here and seeking to dwell closer to him.
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