The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Joshua 1:1-2a,
"After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: "Moses my servant is dead.'"
God's servant, Moses, died! Moses was dead and so the Lord tapped Joshua to take his place to lead Israel into the land he promised. The Lord himself called Moses his servant.
Throughout the Scriptures Moses is acknowledged as a great man of God. It was through Moses that the Lord began the process of revealing himself to the world through the Scriptures. Moses was the great lawgiver of God. Through Moses the Lord actively unfolded his great work of redemption, as evidenced in the freeing of Israel from Egypt. Moses is acknowledged as a great man of faith in Hebrews 11. Moses met with God personally on Mt. Sinai and actually reflected the Lord's own glory as he approached the men of Israel, sending them fleeing from his presence, Exodus 34:29-35.
It was this great man that now lay dead, the servant of the Lord. He had given his life to carry out the Lord's agenda, expending himself until his death. He had completely given himself to God. So, why did he die?
It was God's will!
Death was God's choice for his servant who had served him so faithfully for so many years. God decided that Moses should die. God has decided that we all die. In Moses case, the events surrounding his hitting the rock of water with his staff determined he would die prior to Israel entering into the promised land. Numbers 20:1-13.
Sometimes we forget that God has determined we all die, that it is his will. It is not some evil source that makes us face death. We pray for deliverance from death for ourselves and our loved ones to the very One who has determined we die.
Why? Why is it we get sick? Why is it we die? Why is it we live in a world that is so hostile to us? Sin. God's judgment of us for sin is death, Genesis 2:16-17. Trifling with God brings its consequences. Even for a man as godly as Moses! It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!
How wonderfully gracious is his kindness and mercy toward us sinners that he has provided us a way to his table in the resurrection!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment