‏ Deuteronomy 34

* Moses views the promised land from mount Nebo. (1-4) The death

and burial of Moses, The mourning of the people. (5-8) Joshua

succeeds Moses, The praise of Moses. (9-12)

1-4 Moses seemed unwilling to leave his work; but that being

finished, he manifested no unwillingness to die. God had

declared that he should not enter Canaan. But the Lord also

promised that Moses should have a view of it, and showed him all

that good land. Such a sight believers now have, through grace,

of the bliss and glory of their future state. Sometimes God

reserves the brightest discoveries of his grace to his people to

support their dying moments. Those may leave this world with

cheerfulness, who die in the faith of Christ, and in the hope of

heaven. 5-8 Moses obeyed this command of God as willingly as any other,

though it seemed harder. In this he resembled our Lord Jesus

Christ. But he died in honour, in peace, and in the most easy

manner; the Saviour died upon the disgraceful and torturing

cross. Moses died very easily; he died "at the mouth of the

Lord," according to the will of God. The servants of the Lord,

when they have done all their other work, must die at last, and

be willing to go home, whenever their Master sends for them, #Ac

21:13|. The place of his burial was not known. If the soul be at

rest with God, it is of little consequence where the body rests.

There was no decay in the strength of his body, nor in the

vigour and activity of his mind; his understanding was as clear,

and his memory as strong as ever. This was the reward of his

services, the effect of his extraordinary meekness. There was

solemn mourning for him. Yet how great soever our losses have

been, we must not give ourselves up to sorrow. If we hope to go

to heaven rejoicing, why should we go to the grave mourning? 9-12 Moses brought Israel to the borders of Canaan, and then

died and left them. This signifies that the law made nothing

perfect, #Heb 7:19| It brings men into a wilderness of

conviction, but not into the Canaan of rest and settled peace.

That honour was reserved for Joshua, our Lord Jesus, of whom

Joshua was a type, (and the name is the same,) to do that for us

which the law could not do, #Ro 8:3|. Through him we enter into

the spiritual rest of conscience, and eternal rest in heaven.

Moses was greater than any other prophet of the Old Testament.

But our Lord Jesus went beyond him, far more than the other

prophets came short of him. And see a strong resemblance between

the redeemer of the children of Israel and the Redeemer of

mankind. Moses was sent by God, to deliver the Israelites form a

cruel bondage; he led them out, and conquered their enemies. He

became not only their deliverer, but their lawgiver; not only

their lawgiver, but their judge; and, finally, leads them to the

border of the land of promise. Our blessed Saviour came to

rescue us out of the slavery of the devil, and to restore us to

liberty and happiness. He came to confirm every moral precept of

the first lawgiver; and to write them, not on tables of stone,

but on fleshly tables of the heart. He came to be our Judge

also, inasmuch as he hath appointed a day when he will judge all

the secrets of men, and reward or punish accordingly. This

greatness of Christ above Moses, is a reason why Christians

should be obedient and faithful to the holy religion by which

they profess to be Christ's followers. God, by his grace, make

us all so!