Deuteronomy 34:1-12 (NIV)
1 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, 2 all
of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the
land of Judah as far as the western sea, 3 the Negev and
the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of
Palms, as far as Zoar. 4 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."
5 And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said.
6 He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day
no one knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old
when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. 8 The Israelites
grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping
and mourning was over.
9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses
had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the
LORD had commanded Moses.
10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew
face to face, 11 who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD
sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to
his whole land. 12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed
the awesome
deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
M. Scott Peck died a few weeks ago. Peck was a psychiatrist
who became a best selling author with the publication
of “A Road Less Travelled.” His
book is an excellent combination of self-help and spirituality. It remained
on the best seller list, literally, for years.
A story about Peck, which I think is true, is that when
he started writing the book he was an agnostic. But by
the time he finished he had become a Christian. Certainly
his
Christian perspective is clear in later books such as “People
of the Lie.”
Peck began “A Road Less Travelled” with a famous
opening line. The first sentence Peck composed—the
very first words he wrote were, “Life is difficult.”
Life is difficult.
What a wonderful way to begin a self-help book!
Talk about telling it like it is right from the beginning.
Talk about honesty. Peck made it clear from the outset
that his book wasn’t going to gloss over problems and offer
superficial answers. He acknowledged what is a reality to
most people. He recognized that he was on the journey too.
A journey where he didn’t have all the answers. A
journey that pointed ultimately to hope in the midst of
the struggles.
In that way, Peck actually followed the course of another
best selling book—the Bible.
One of the great strengths of Scripture is its honesty.
Time and time again situations are shown in all their worldly
corruption. People are painted with all the colours available
to the authors—not just whitewash. The Bible has the
warts of humanity on display in its pages. Life doesn’t
always work out the way villains or heroes deserve. Life
isn’t always fair.
Life is difficult.
One powerful example of the honesty of Scripture is our
lesson this morning. It’s the bittersweet telling of
the death of Moses. The sadness comes, not so much in the
fact that Moses died, but in the circumstances that led up
to his death—circumstances that were forty years
in the making.
Moses had led the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt.
They were headed for the Promised Land. But the people
of Israel were, above all else—people.
People who didn’t know when they had it made.
People who griped and grumbled when they didn’t get
their own way.
People who were selfish and self-centred.
People who weren’t content with what they had—always
wanting more.
People who obeyed when it suited them and disobeyed when
they felt justified.
People.
People—like you and me.
God had led them out of slavery.
God had promised them a land of milk and honey.
God had provided for all their needs on the journey.
God had protected them and loved them.
But it wasn’t enough.
Time and time again they complained.
Time and time again they failed to trust God.
Time and time again rebellion marked their attitude rather than appreciation.
At one point God was so angered by their antics that God
stated the generation that had come out of Egypt wouldn’t
be the generation that entered the Promised Land. Instead,
for forty years, the people of Israel would wander in
the wilderness. It would be the sons and daughters of
the original
group who would cross over and enjoy the land of milk
and honey.
Literally in the middle of all this we find Moses. Moses
had always sought to bring the needs of the people to God
even as he brought God’s commandments to the people.
He intervened regularly when the people’s actions
had angered God.
Generally Moses was very much in tune with God. But he was
only human too. He had his time of not trusting God—of
taking things into his own hands. And so Moses, like all
the others, was told he wouldn’t enter the Promised
Land. Moses would lead the people to the border but never
go in. At the time God was very upfront about this. Moses
knew early on that his leadership wouldn’t result
in him entering where he wanted to go.
Our lesson tells us of the last days of Moses.
Moses knew that his journey would be incomplete.
He knew, when the time came for others to celebrate, he wouldn’t
be included.
He knew his task was to prepare a new leader to take the people to the prize
they had all longed to grasp.
He knew his life was coming to an end.
His life hadn’t been easy.
His life had been difficult.
I remember reading this passage years ago and thinking, “It
really isn’t fair!” Moses deserved better. After
all he had been through with such a stiff necked people.
After serving God so faithfully for so long. Why shouldn’t
he get to feel the Promised Land beneath his feet? Why shouldn’t
he get to taste the milk and honey?
It just didn’t seem fair!
A college sophomore, in anticipation of a notoriously difficult
final exam in ornithology—the study of birds—made what he considered the
ultimate effort in preparation for the exam. But he was stunned when he walked
into the classroom. There were no multiple-choice questions, no essay topics—just
25 pictures on the wall. Photos, not of birds, but of birds' feet. The
test was to identify the birds.
"This is insane," the student protested. "It can't be done."
"It must be done," said the professor. "This is the final."
"I won't do it," the young man said. "I'm walking out."
"If you walk out, you will fail."
"Go ahead and fail me," the student said, heading for the door.
"Okay, you have failed. What’s your name," the professor demanded.
The student pulled up his pant legs, kicked off his shoes and said, "You
tell me!"
(Adapted from John Ortberg, The Life You've Always Wanted, Grand Rapids:
Zondervan Publishing House, 1997, 209-210)
I think if I had been Moses I would have felt like that
bare legged student. But I’m a long, long way from
being like Moses.
If we look at our lesson there are some very interesting
points to consider.
First, there’s absolutely no hint of bitterness from
Moses. No resentment. No sense of “look what I did
for God and see where it got me!”
As well, while Moses didn’t enter the Promised Land,
God made sure that Moses was able to feast his eyes upon
it. Moses couldn’t touch but he could see the beauty
and the hope and the potential that he had brought his people
to. That must have filled Moses with a wondrous sense of
accomplishment. They had been a difficult group to lead but
he had succeeded. He had done what God had wanted him to
do. From slavery to freedom—by the long route, but
successful all the same.
And, as Moses died, God didn’t deliver a final shot
at him for his transgressions. Instead, God bestowed
honour upon him.
We read this glowing tribute to Moses as the book of Deuteronomy
draws to a close:
“10 Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like
Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 who did all those
miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt—to
Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land.
12 For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed
the
awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.”
Moses didn’t get into the Promised Land but, perhaps, he wasn’t
so hard done by after all. He got to know his task was completed successfully.
He was honoured. And, when he died he stood face to face, in heaven, with
the Lord who loved him so much.
Perhaps fairness isn’t as easy to define as we might
think?
When it comes to being treated fairly ourselves, I wonder
how often we’re able to see the whole picture rather
than our rather biased view of what’s happening around
us?
Sometimes, in looking back, we find ourselves glad that
something we wanted to happen, in fact, didn’t happen.
Sometimes it’s only in hindsight that we discover something
we thought wasn’t fair turns out to have been in
our best interests.
Sometimes God’s plan for us isn’t seen in all
its complexity until it unfurls and we find ourselves at
its completion or, at least, a little further along our
journey.
But other times the reality is that life really isn’t fair. As Peck said
so honestly, “Life is difficult.”
Being a Christian has never guaranteed that we would always
have things work out the way we like. Contrary to the heretical “gospel
of success” preached by so many televangelists, faith
doesn’t always result in material blessings and easy
times.
The story of Jesus’ life on earth speaks clearly
to the fact that things don’t always run smoothly.
Persecution of the Church and the resulting suffering and
even martyrdom, still taking place, reinforces that the world
isn’t always fair.
But, when life is unfair, we have the promised presence
and power of the Holy Spirit.
When life doesn’t work out as we wish, we have the
love, care and direction of God always available.
When life is difficult, we have the promise of eternal life where tears are
wiped away and all things broken are made whole.
Life can be difficult.
Life isn’t always fair but, in Jesus Christ, it is
never and never will be hopeless!
(1576)
© The Rev. Dennis Cook, St. Timothy’s Presbyterian
Church, Ajax, ON, Canada
