Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the Lord showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.” And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said.
Deuteronomy 34:1-5
Moses looked up at the mountain ahead of him. He knew it was his last journey, the final mountain that he would climb. His end was coming close but the new phase of life for the people was only just beginning. All he had now was to look back, to remember the past, whilst the people had a future as well as a past to consider
Moses stopped for a brief rest, he took a drink and sat on a hard rock. He glanced back down to the valley where he could make out the vast numbers of tents. A new generation on the brink of their inheritance, a people about to fulfil their destiny. And he wasn't going to be part of it. There was not much further to go before he reached the summit, and the summit was his final destination. He set off again and climbed higher, the wind got up and the clouds charged along, seemingly out of control
As he rounded some rocks, he could see the mountain top. A few minutes later he stood just below the highest point, waiting. Over the years he had become sensitive to God, knowing when the Creator was going to reveal himself. If anyone had asked, he wouldn't be able to explain how he knew, he just did. But no one ever raised the question. Moses had spent years meeting with God, it had become a regular occurrence, a 'normal' part of his life. But he never took it for granted, he never became complacent, he never got used to it. He cried out to God daily that he, as the leader of the people, would remain humble, remain teachable
As he waited near the mountain top, he remembered some of the times that God had drawn near. The burning bush in the wilderness, the confrontations with Pharaoh in Egypt, the Exodus, the crossing of the Dead Sea. These were the highlights, the events that would be remembered. But Moses focused on the ordinary days when God had visited him and spoken to him. Sometimes it was words of instruction for the nation, other times it was as a father who simply wanted to talk with a son
Moses knew that shortly God would show him the promised land, part of him longed for that view, but he also felt the depth of disappointment. His arrogant disobedience at the rock meant that God had refused to let him enter the land. He had pleaded with the almighty, but he had been crushed with the words, “Do not speak to me anymore about this matter."
God began to approach, whether in a cloud or in fire was impossible to know. Moses felt the awful presence as a crushing weight, a terrifying breathlessness, a hole in the centre of his being. These feelings soon developed into a depth of peace that could not be explained. Moses knew that whatever happened he was safe in the hands of the God of heaven
Slowly Moses felt the Lord taking him by the hand and leading him the last few steps to the mountain top. Gradually everything came into view and his eyes at last could see. There the Lord showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. Moses gazed out seeking to see clearly what he looked at, trying to comprehend the beauty of what he saw. He looked west and north and south and east, he looked at the land with his own eyes, he breathed in the air of promise. He was shown the land of the covenant by the God of the covenant, that was enough
Moses turned to walk back down the mountain, he started to feel the heaviness of God's presence lift, but this was different from normal. He was used to this change as for many years after meeting the Lord, Moses knew the withdrawal of God's presence. However, this time not only did God seem to depart but his own life began to slip away. He had experienced the former, but the latter was a new reality. Moses sat on the ground as his life ebbed and flowed. He laid down and rested his head as his breath became shallow. God looked on as his beloved friend breathed his last, soon they would be separated no longer. For the moment the Lord drew close again, not in heaviness but in an intimate connection with the mortal man. Death was the end of the earthly journey for Moses but the start of a new chapter
God lifted Moses and took him to the burial site, one that he prepared earlier. With great love and tenderness, the human frame was laid into the grave and covered with stony earth. The Lord made sure that the site would not be found, he didn't want the people to honour dead bones but the living words that Moses had spoken
God knew that the next time that Moses would feel his feet on a mountain top there would be another Son, one who didn't just speak the word but who was the living embodiment of the word. The Messiah would meet with Moses and Elijah and talk about the things of God
God looked up from the grave and his eyes sought out another. There by the tent of meeting was Joshua son of Nun, it would be him who would lead the people into the next chapter of the story
