Pass The Torch
4 The LORD said to him, "This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants'; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there." 5 Then Moses, the servant of the LORD, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord's command. 6 He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. 7 Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigor had not abated. 8 The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended. 9 Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the LORD had commanded Moses. (Deuteronomy 34:4-9)
It's heartbreaking to read that, after everything Moses went through while leading the people of Israel, he wouldn't get to enter the promised land. But God didn't spring this judgment on Moses at the last minute - God told both Moses and his brother, Aaron, immediately after their disobedience. In response to one of the instances of the people grumbling to Moses about their thirst, God told Moses to speak to the rock to receive water for the community. But Moses struck the rock with his staff instead of speaking to it, and he failed to credit God (and actually seemed to take the credit himself) when he spoke to the people.
9 So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. 12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” (Numbers 20:9-12)
No one is perfect, and there is mercy and forgiveness for our sin. But forgiveness does not always erase the consequences. God could not allow Moses' insolence to go unanswered, yet God's mercy allowed Moses to see the land to which God had been leading this people. God also gave Moses the grace and humility to prepare and pass the torch to the leader who would follow him - Joshua. What love Moses showed for Joshua by trusting him with the work Moses had begun. What love Moses showed for the people to ensure that they would have capable leadership when he was gone. What humility Moses displayed in not allowing his pride to prevent progress. May God give us the love and humility to find our success in setting others up to succeed.
36 "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" 37 He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40)
