Moses Shall Not Go to The Promised Land
Scripture Passage: Deuteronomy 32:45-52 (NASB)
45 When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them, “Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you will command your sons to follow carefully, all the words of this Law. 47 For it is not a trivial matter for you; indeed it is your life. And by this word you will prolong your days in the land, which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.”
48 Now the Lord spoke to Moses that very same day, saying, 49 “Go up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho, and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel as a possession. 50 Then you are to die on the mountain where you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, 51 because you broke faith with Me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you did not treat Me as holy in the midst of the sons of Israel. 52 For you will see the land at a distance but you will not go there, into the land which I am giving the sons of Israel.”
SUMMARY
As the Israelites prepare to cross the River Jordan into Canaan, Moses tells the Israelites to take to heart the words Moses has spoken, that the Israelites may command their children to obey the law and obey the law themselves as they live in Canaan. God then tells Moses to go up to Mount Nebo, across from Jericho, and to see the land that God is giving to the Israelites to possess. God tells Moses that he will die on Mount Nebo and will not enter the promised land, because Moses and Aaron broke faith with God at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and did not uphold God’s holiness among the Israelites.
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
This passage had always left an impression with me in the past because of the severity of God’s punishment. But reading it now, I am even more struck, because God cites Moses’ actions at the waters of Meribah Kadesh as the reason for the punishment. What did Moses do wrong at Meribah? Perhaps Moses failed to glorify God appropriately and failed to give God credit for the flow of water at Meribah. Maybe at Meribah Moses failed to follow God’s precise instructions, by striking the rock instead of speaking to the rock to cause water to flow. But those things seem very minor compared to the egregious and repeated sins of the Israelites who were allowed to cross the Jordan into Canaan.
But God placed a heavier burden on Moses, and judged him more harshly because of the position to which God elevated Moses. God appointed Moses to be the Israelites’ spiritual leader. Moses was responsible for guiding the Israelites and keeping them holy. If Moses failed in his duty to God, the entire Israelite population could fall away from God.
APPLICATION
Too often I see my sin as an issue affecting me alone. But that is not true. My laziness, my anger, and my pride (both in myself and in my family, especially my son) hurt those close to me and causes them to fall away from God. When I speak to my son too harshly, I am giving my son a reason to doubt God’s love. How can I teach my son to love God, when I, who am supposed to love God, cannot display charity and forgiveness to my own family? Moses was charged with the spiritual safekeeping of thousands of Israelites. I am charged only with guiding those immediately close to me.
But more and more, I realize that I cannot even do that on my own. My pride and unjustified petulance are too great to overcome on my own. I must do what God told Moses to do – obey God’s Word. I must regularly read God’s Word and absorb it into my mind and soul. Only then will I let go of my will and let God’s love and holiness fill me instead.
PRAYER
Lord, forgive me. I have forgotten the wonderful and amazing responsibility you have placed on me, to model your love to those around me and to lead my family to follow you. I have been selfish, especially during the pandemic, thinking of my own needs and my own desires instead of seeking to guide those around me and especially my own family to follow your ways. Help me to remember Moses and the way he tried, though imperfectly, to convince the Israelites to follow your laws. Help me Lord to let go of my pride and instead model your love. I know I cannot do this on my own. Without your Holy Spirit I will be the same sinful person I always have been. Please lead me to your Word, that I might read it and obey without question.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
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