Wednesday, December 22
“So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day” (Deuteronomy 34:5, 6). Thus, with these few verses, Moses — so central to the life of Israel, a man whose writing lives on, not only in Israel but even in the church and in the synagogue today, as well — died.
Moses died, was buried, the people mourned, and that was that. Certainly, the principle of the words of Revelation apply here: “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them” (Revelation 14:13).
However, Moses’ death was not the final chapter in the story of Moses’ life.
Read Jude 9. What is happening here, and how does this text help explain the appearance of Moses later in the New Testament?
Though we’re given only a glimpse, what an incredible scene is depicted here. Michael, Christ Himself, disputed with the devil about the body of Moses. Disputed over it how? There’s no doubt that Moses was a sinner; indeed, his last known sin, the taking on himself glory that was God’s, was the same kind of sin — “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:14) — that got Lucifer himself thrown out of heaven in the first place. The dispute over Moses’ body must have been because Christ was now claiming for Moses the promised resurrection.
But how could Christ do that for a sinner, Moses, someone who had violated His law? The answer, of course, could only be the cross. Just as all the animal sacrifices pointed ahead to Christ’s death, so obviously the Lord now, looking ahead to the cross, claimed the body of Moses to be resurrected. “In consequence of sin Moses had come under the power of Satan. In his own merits he was death's lawful captive; but he was raised to immortal life, holding his title in the name of the Redeemer. Moses came forth from the tomb glorified, and ascended with his Deliverer to the City of God.” Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 479.
How does this account of Moses help us to understand the depth of the plan of salvation, that even before the cross Moses would be raised to immortality?
