The Death of Moses

“And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,” Deuteronomy 34:10

This morning as I read the end of Deuteronomy, I read with tears welling in my eyes, a sadness growing in my heart, and a profound soberness overcoming my soul. The death of Moses should strike all of us with sadness. Apart from Jesus, there is no man greater in Scripture. He was alone and betrayed, broken but strong, humble but confident, and spoke of God as I might speak about my wife or a childhood friend. No one had a more intimate relationship with God than did Moses and despite the great suffering he underwent at both the hands of the nation of Israel and the hands of God himself at times, he was a man who died with great joy in the knowledge of God His Rock. Because of unheard of amounts of homework this last week, I have been unable to write about the book of Deuteronomy. This is much to my own regret, for I haven't been moved by a book of the Bible in this way in a long time. Although there were many sections that stood out, countless lessons to be learned, what struck me most is the way Moses could speak on God's behalf, speak about His character and intentions, and the deep passion and love oozing out of every word Moses spoke about His God. The Moses I met in Deuteronomy was so different than the one I met at the beginning of Exodus. I was overcome by the profound change that occurred as a result of Moses knowing God. It made me long for it. I don't believe any of us could ever attain the intimacy with God Moses had, but I still want it. When others ask me what God is like, I don't want to merely list off theological quips or acronyms, I don't want to recite creeds or quotes, I don't to point to this book or that book, this verse or that verse, I just want to be able to pull them aside, have them sit down, and say, "Let me tell you all about my dear friend and Lord..." To know God, not to know about him, but to know him, to be in His presence, to watch his power intersect in our lives and in this world, to see his promises lived out and his discipline received, to shout with gladness with the joy of his presence, to KNOW God should be what we wake up for every morning, and spend our lives, our time, our money, and our energy attaining. Of all the other great things that could be said about Moses, the greatest thing, the last thing written about him, was that he knew God, face to face. I hope they can say the same of me when I go to meet my Jesus, my sweet friend and Savior, the Rock upon which I stand.

Lord Jesus, give us a knowledge of you that cuts through our academics and turns our entire souls into love with you. Let us know you!