Read
Moses Will See the Land
48 Later that day the Lord said to Moses:
49Go up into the Abarim Mountain range here in Moab across the Jordan River valley from Jericho. And when you reach the top of Mount Nebo, you will be able to see the land of Canaan, which I am giving to Israel. 50Then you will die and be buried on the mountaintop, just as your brother Aaron died and was buried on Mount Hor. 51Both of you were unfaithful to me at Meribah Spring near Kadesh in the Zin Desert. I am God, but there in front of the Israelites, you did not treat me with the honor and respect I deserve. 52So I will give the land to the people of Israel, but you will only get to see it from a distance.
Reflect
One last time, Moses urges the people to follow God, and then it is finished. After 40 years of pleading with and for these people, Moses is now finished. The conclusion is bittersweet.
Moses has seen God do remarkable things, he has walked with remarkable patience and humility, and yet he too fell short of the mark and lost his patience. Moses broke faith with God and God’s righteousness would need to prevail. With God, there are not favourites, not even Moses. We all must bear the consequence of sin.
So Moses was not allowed to enter the promised land. Like a whole generation who rebelled against the Lord, Moses’ life would end outside of the Promised Land. But God, in his grace, took Moses to a mountain and showed him that land. While Moses didn’t get to enter the land, he did get to see the land and the promise of God.
It can be very hard to live with the consequences of having broken faith with God. Not everything that breaks in those moments can be restored. It was true for Moses, it will be true for us. My choices have left scars in my life and the lives of others that may fade, but they still remain.
In heaven, these scars will be healed, but for now they are reminders of the price of breaking faith with God.
Respond
Father, our choices are so important. I want to keep the faith. Today, I want to choose you. I want to walk in faith. Thank you for the witness of Moses, both in this reminder of the price of sin, and in the reminder that one day we will be united with you.
Dwayne Uglem
Dwayne and his wife, Janell, have made Caronport their home for the past 26 years. The Lord has blessed them with four daughters: Amy married to Caleb and their first grandchild, Hudson; Victoria; Carlie; and Lindsey. Dwayne's 26 years on staff at Briercrest College and Seminary has included a variety of administrative roles: Registrar, Associate Dean, VP Research and Planning, VP Finance and Operations, and VP Education. After a year serving as interim president, Dwayne was appointed president in July 2005. A graduate of Briercrest College and Seminary, Dwayne completed his Ed.D. with Nova Southeastern University. A love for numbers, research, and organizational culture have lead Dwayne into teaching areas that focus on organizational learning and planning, research, and assessment strategies. Dwayne thoroughly enjoys gardening, teaching the Bible, cooking, history, and mechanical work.