God told Moses that he would not be allowed to go into the Promised Land.   When God commanded Moses to “take the rod and speak to the rock” to get water for the people, Moses disobeyed God and struck the rock twice with his rod!  (Numbers 20:6-14)  Now that the Israelites had finally received the word to go into the land, Moses made one final request to cross over and see the “good  land”!

 “Then I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying:  ‘O Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds?   I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon.”  (Deuteronomy 3:23-25 NKJV)

God answered Moses:  “The Lord said to me, ‘That’s enough! Do not speak to Me again about this matter.  Go to the top of Pisgah and look to the west, north, south, and east, and see it with your own eyes, for you will not cross this Jordan.   But commission Joshua and encourage and strengthen him, for he will cross over ahead of the people and enable them to inherit this land that you will see.”  (Deuteronomy 3:26-28)

Joshua became Israel’s new prophet and leader.    ^“Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.  And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:7-8)

 “Then the Lord spoke to Moses that very same day, saying:  “Go up this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, across from Jericho; view the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel as a possession;   and die on the mountain which you ascend, and be gathered to your people, just as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people;   because you trespassed against Me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Zin, because you did not hallow Me in the midst of the children of Israel.  Yet you shall see the land before you, though you shall not go there, into the land which I am giving to the children of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 32:48-52)

So Moses went up the mountain, and the LORD showed him the land that He promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Moses was able to see all the land because God showed him. And Moses died in the land of Moab as the LORD had said.  “And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day.  Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished.”  (Deuteronomy 34:6-7)

I have copied a lot today because I couldn’t find words to describe it like the written Scripture captures this part of Israel’s history!  Moses is remembered throughout Scripture for his faithful service to God!  “But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face” (Deuteronomy 34:10)

Until Christ!!!