Go Up On That Mountain and Die

Just after Moses gives the people God's law, God then tells him to go up on a mountain and die. It's quite interesting the order of events and the abruptness of the transition.

Deuteronomy 32:46–51 (ESV) he (Moses) said to them, “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. 47 For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.” 48 That very day the LORD spoke to Moses, 49 “Go up this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, opposite Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel for a possession. 50 And die on the mountain which you go up, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died in Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, 51 because you broke faith with me in the midst of the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, and because you did not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel.

Forty years of wandering with these people who gave Moses fits. Forty years of carrying them on his shoulders and fighting for them, interceding for them and basically laying down his life for them in ways they didn't even realize (remember the two specific times Moses interceded and intervened when the wrath of God was about to wipe them out?) and now Moses is commanded to die!

What's more, God tells him to go up a mountain and die. If I'm about to die, I don't want to be climbing a mountain. I get that he could better see the Promised land from that vantage point, but how about getting the peak earlier and then lying down on his bed to die in peace? 

Also, notice the wording here. Why is Moses going to die? Because of sin. But what sin? He "broke faith" with God in the midst of the people AND he "did not treat (God) as holy in the midst of the people." Moses' sin for which he was to die was a disregard for the Person of God in the midst of God's people. 

By the way, the name of the mountain on which he dies, "Nebo" means "foretelling" or "to prophesy". That is most interesting of all. It would make perfect sense however when we remember that the Bible is about Jesus and how all who came before Him were prophetically speaking of Him so that men would be able to recognize Him once he showed up. 

And so, after healing people and serving their needs and feeding them... after caring for people in ways they did not even truly understand or appreciate, God's command was the fulfillment the Moses' event foreshadowed: "Go up on this mountain and die." That is just what Jesus did. He took His cross up on that hill and died in the midst of the people for the very same sin Moses died for centuries earlier: They did not treat Him as holy and they broke faith with their God. Moses' death had to happen this way. Why? Because it was pointing us forward to the ultimate death for sin - Jesus on the Cross. 

Now, just as Moses' death made way for the people to be led by a champion named Joshua who was with Moses the entire time he was leading God's people, so too, the death of Jesus makes way for God's people to be lead by the Holy Spirit who was WITH JESUS the entire time He was leading. 

The Bible all comes together at the Cross. Take that out and the cornerstone of the edifice is removed. But when you make all things center on and find their foundation in that - His story comes alive and empowers us to live it out.

Jesus died for our sins so that we could be filled with the Holy Spirit and walk triumphantly into our promises from God. What a great Savior we have!

Amen.