Deuteronomy 34

CHAPTER 34THEME: The death of MosesThe question arises whether Moses wrote of his own death. He could have. The Lord had told him he would die. I have had funeral services for individuals who wrote out the details of the entire service before they died. However, a great many believe that this is part of the Book of Joshua. This certainly may be, since originally there were not the book divisions that we have today. The Old Testament was written on scrolls with one book following another. Therefore, this may actually be the beginning of the Book of Joshua.

Deuteronomy 34:1

Why was his sepulchre unknown? Because of the fact that Moses was to be raised from the dead and brought into the Promised Land. You will remember that when the Lord Jesus was transfigured on the mount, both Moses and Elijah appeared with Him and spoke about His approaching death. So, you see, Moses did get to the Promised Land eventually. The Law could not bring Moses into the land, but the Lord Jesus Christ brought him in.

Deuteronomy 34:7

By Nebo’s lonely mountain, On this side Jordan’s wave, In a vale in the land of Moab, There lies a lonely grave. And no man knows that sepulchre, And no man saw it e’er, For the angels of God upturned the sod, And laid the dead man there. Cecil Francis Alexander “The Burial of Moses” Again, why was his grave kept secret? Well, after all, Satan would not want Moses to appear on the Mount of Transfiguration. God took care of this by performing the burial of Moses Himself. Although to us it may seem like a lonely death, one translation has it, “He died by the kiss of God.” It is a lovely thought that God just kissed Moses and put him to sleep. What a picture we have here! It is with a note of sadness that we close the Book of Deuteronomy, but we will be going with the children of Israel into the Land of Promise in the Book of Joshua.