SERIES F --- WILDERNESS WANDERINGS --- LESSON 19

MOSES

THE DEATH OF MOSES

From Deuteronomy 34

From the plains of Moab, Moses climbed to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, across the Jordan River from Jericho. There Adonai showed him all of the Promised Land, even to the territory of Gilead as far north as Dan. Adonai pointed out the territory of Naphtali, Ephraim and Manasseh and all the land of Judah across to the Mediterranean Sea. He showed Moses the Negeb, the Jordan Valley and Jericho, {The City of Palm Trees} and also Zoar. [This is the land which I promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,] He said. [I told them I would give it to their descendants. I have let you see the land, but you shall not enter it.] Then Moses the servant of Adonai died there in the land of Moab as Adonai had said. Adonai Himself buried him in a valley near Beth-Peor, but no one knows exactly where his grave is. When he died, Moses was one hundred and twenty years old, but his eyesight was that of a young man and his physical condition was still youthful. The people of Israel mourned for him for thirty days while they camped there on the plains of Moab. Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands upon him. The people of Israel obeyed Joshua and followed Adonai’s Commandments that He had given to Moses. No other prophet in Israel has ever been like Moses, for Adonai spoke to him face to face. No other prophet performed such great miracles as Moses did for Adonai in the land of Egypt. Moses did great wonders before Pharaoh and his court in Egypt, as well as before the people of Israel.

COMMENTARY

MOUNT NEBO AND THE VIEW FROM THE TOP

Moses died a very old man. The Bible says he was one hundred twenty years old. True to His word, YHVH did not permit Moses to enter the Promised Land. But Moses was allowed to see it before he died. YHVH instructed him to climb a mountain named Nebo, from whose heights Canaan could be seen. Moses then descended the mountain and died, to be buried in the Valley of Moab. Mount Nebo is one of the peaks in a mountain range called Abarim, where the Israelite tribes were camped at the time of Moses’ death. {Nebo} means {height} in Arabic and Mount Nebo is the tallest mountain of the Abarim range. Although Nebo stands only about six hundred feet higher than the other peaks, the entire mountain range itself stands on a plateau that is over four thousand feet above the level of the Dead Sea. From the top of Mount Nebo, the view is far and wide. One can see farther north than the city of Dan, past the Sea of Galilee to Mount Hermon. The sweeping view in other directions takes in the lands that were given to the tribes of Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim and Judah. Across from Mount Nebo, the city of Jericho with its verdant lofty pine trees is clearly visible. Turning south, the green Plain of Jericho, the motionless Dead Sea and the barren desert of the Negev complete the awesome sight.