(REFLECTIONS ON Deuteronomy 3:21-29)

When we see the name Moses, what do we think of? Growing up in a Christian home and having attended Sunday School as a child, when I think of Moses I think of his loving mother and sister, a baby protected by God, a man growing in power in Egypt, a man that found his Hebrew identity and was called to lead God’s people out of slavery from Egypt.

When I think of Moses, I think about the burning bush, the Ten Commandments, the golden calf, Mount Sinai, the wilderness, and the man that prayed on behalf of Israel to God. In today’s Scripture, however, what Moses do we see?

We see not the great and mighty Moses, savior of Israel, but a man desperate to see the Promised Land.

23 At that time I pleaded with the Lord: 24 “Sovereign Lord, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do? 25 Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan—that fine hill country and Lebanon.”

26 But because of you the Lord was angry with me and would not listen to me. “That is enough,” the Lord said. “Do not speak to me anymore about this matter.

In Numbers 20, we read about Moses’ response to God’s command with anger rather obedience, and the result was that he would not be able to enter into the Promised Land. Although he pleaded with the Lord, the Lord would not listen to him. Whether fair or unfair, Moses accepted his fate.

Moses didn’t respond with rebellion, disobedience, pouting or shouting, “That’s not fair!” No, he prepared Joshua, whom God had chosen to replace Moses and whom Moses had be preparing since his youth, and faithfully led Israel all the way until his time was up.

Brothers and sisters, let us remember that none of us can be forever, because only Jesus Christ is forever. Yes, even Moses, in his greatness, was only able to lead Israel up to the precipice of inheriting the Promised Land, but now it was time for Joshua to continue that journey with Israel. Even Moses could not be forever, because only Jesus Christ is forever.

That is why Jesus Christ is the final prophet that came after Moses, the one we read about in Hebrews 3:3,

3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.

Rather than serving God thinking about our legacy, how we hold on to the throne just a little bit longer, may we learn to say as John the Baptist said in John 3:30,

“He must become great; I must become less.”

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy 3