Learning to finish well

Today I read about the death and burial of two persons - Moses and Jesus
 (Deut 34 and Mark 15)


The Death of Moses

(Deuteronomy 34:1-12) 
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. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.

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.

Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

By any comparison, Moses lived well and finished well. He was 120 years old when he climbed his last mountain (Mount Nebo), some 817 meters before his death. He still had good sight and strength, and most likely a sound faculty in his head. The scripture above described him as a great prophet (one who speaks for God, not so much one who predicts the future), who had done some amazing signs and wonders. God knew him face to face (literally) and spoke to him directly. He was given the ten commandments in tablets of stone written by God himself. He remained faithful to the end though he was punished over one rebellious event by not being able to enter the promised land himself. He had a good look from the top of Mount Nebo though. In the book of Hebrews, it speaks of many of these people of faith:

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:13-16)

So learning from Moses, I understand that this life is merely a sojourn to a better place. I seek to commune with God every day while I am still here looking forward to (or longing for) a better country - a heavenly one. And do not look back where I was once a slave to sins and the desires of this world.

The picture here shows the most likely vantage point where Moses has a panoramic view of the promised land. There is now erected the famous "Serpentine cross", which is used as a symbol of the medical profession. In Numbers 21:9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

At first, it seems strange to combine a snake (usually associated with Satan) and the cross where Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice. Yet that's exactly the point: Jesus took on the sins of the world and offered himself as the atoning sacrifice so for those who trust in him (or to look to the cross) would not only be healed, but be saved for eternity.


The Death of Jesus (Mark 15:33-47)
At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died,^[c] he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

⁴⁰ Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph,^[d] and Salome. ⁴¹ In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.

The Burial of Jesus
⁴² It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. ⁴⁴ Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. ⁴⁵ When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. ⁴⁶ So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. ⁴⁷ Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.

I had previously written another blog on Jesus' death. In contrast to Moses, Jesus lived only 33 years on earth. Moses has trained 1 successor - Joshua; Jesus trained 11 apostles. Moses had the respect of the entire nation of Israel; Jesus was deserted even by his disciples. Moses showed us God's promise; Jesus IS THE PROMISE FULFILLED!

Oh how unfathomable is Jesus' love for us. His life and death is not considered a role model for most people in our society and yet he urged us:
And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:27)

So for the remaining of my days, I learn to carry the cross of Jesus - not as a little pendant on my necklace but the message of hope. This message of hope will be rejected by some. But for those God has put in my path it will give them power to live.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Cor 1:18)