Deuteronomy 33 Journey Through the Bible Joshua
King James Version
The Book of Deuteronomy
Chapter 34
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Commentary
Deuteronomy 34
Verse 10 tells us that Moses had a special relationship with God, that he knew God face to face. Verse 7 tells us that Moses was healthy, and did not suffer the physical ailments or weaknesses that people most always experience in age. Moses was at his full age quota, at the full age of 120 years old, and wasn't even weakened by his age. This is most certainly the result of his relationship with God, that he was blessed with a long life and perfect health. This is something I have been seeking in current times. God's hand rested upon a person to give him long life and perfect health as a result of the relationship established between God and man.
God will do for you and I what He has done for others, but we must learn the conditions that were present in those circumstances, so that we can respond in like manner. We must align ourselves with God's will in a way familiar to the way other renowned men of God had been established in their lives, so that we can receive these blessings. Recorded history is essential for us to remember the ways of old... what worked and what did not, so that we can come to that place, and even excel beyond. There is a closeness with God that will result in not seeing death at all. Somehow Enoch had established this closeness, along with a few others... as recorded in the Holy Bible.
Moses was not perfect. He had a temper. He did sin in his anger by smiting a rock when he was instructed to only speak to that rock. When we do not what God tells us to do, or when we do it incorrectly, as Moses did, it seems to result in nothing at all. It seems like when nothing happens, we think the whole thing was a hoax from the very beginning and we don't consider the possibility that we simply done incorrectly the instructions laid out by God. Moses was punished for smiting the rock instead of speaking to it. His punishment was what I see as very severe. He was not permitted to enter the Promised Land, but only to see it from atop Mount Nebo.
After all that Moses had done to establish the escape and the leading of the people to their freedom, and ultimately, to the Promised Land, it only took one sin to keep him out. This is severe and strict because of Moses' close relationship with God. The benefit is that God will bestow miracle after miracle in the lives of many through the obedient one. The cost is that God will expect far more accuracy of obedience from us and that our consequence will be more severe. There is a phrase that says, "To whom much is given, much is required." This phrase is true in the case of God's relationship with man.
We must apply that which we learn. If we do not, what we learn next will be unclear and uncertain. Our way will be froward and distorted by our lack of good judgment. What was supposed to be clear and effective has become uncertain and ineffective by our lack of commitment. This will cause us to drift farther from God until we are so far away that we need others' help to come back on track with His will. The others that help us may be closer to the will of God, but in today's times it is a rare thing that a man will be as close as Moses was to God.
We must practice responding to the Spirit of God as He leads us. Even if the unction seems far fetched or unlikely. We will develop a relationship with God that will be unmistakable to all people, and we will know His will. We will not confuse His will with the wiles of the enemy, and his counterfeit way. We will "sense" His direction over any confusing or enticing distraction. This is all because of our willingness to do His will, and His mercy for us because of our effort, and not our ability. We will find ourselves coming short of His will time and time again. Let's assume that each time we fall short of God's will it is unintentionally or accidental, and that we had our entire heart in it when we went adrift. Even then, we must make a new commitment to God, so that we will not be more apt to go astray again.
I know that for many people this seems like common
sense. When I was growing up I wished that someone would spell it out
for me, even though for most people it was merely common sense. I wished
that someone would break it down into practical, applicable
instruction, instead of some mystic journal of days gone by. All of it
was quite mysterious to me, but I knew that there was something to it
that I could not ignore. I knew that I had to seek for myself, and even
if I never get it right, I am content that I was permitted to see it
from a distance and tell others that it is real, true and beautiful. I
am able to tell people some of the details of my journey, so that they
might be encouraged, should they find it difficult to understand.
Saturday, February 13, 2010 1:02pm
