Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.” So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. (v.4-5)
Why couldn’t Moses enter the Promised Land? Because of his sin of disobedience at Meribah dishonored the Lord (Psalm 106:32-33). As a result, when Israel was about to enter the land promised to their forefathers, Moses wasn’t allowed to go with them. Instead, at God’s direction, he climbed Mt. Nebo and from there God graciously showed him the promised land, before He called him home.
Moses died at the age of 120 in good health. His last moments were spent privately with God, surveying the Promised Land and no doubt meditating on the greatness and faithfulness of the Lord. He died in peace, knowing that his labor had not been in vain. God Himself buried His friend and servant, and to this day the location of the grave remains unknown (v.6).
Moses' story encourages those of us who feel that our lives have been a mixed bag of regrets and successes. Psalm 90, written by Moses himself, provides us with a realistic perspective on our own lives and our human frailties. The psalm concludes with an earnest prayer: “May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; and establish the work of our hands.”
Like Moses, we must work diligently at whatever God has called us to do, but ultimately, we rely on God for the results—and our own legacy.
The Truth: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
