Devarim 34 (Deuteronomy 34)
Devarim 34, Moshe ascends to the top of Mount Pisgah. Yehovah shows Moshe all the lands the Children of Yisrael will inherit. Moshe then dies and Yehovah buries him. Moshe was 120 years and maintained his natural force. The Children of Yisrael mourned 30 days for Moshe. Yehoshua was designated leader after Moshe. There did not rise again a prophet like Moshe who knew Yehovah face to face.
Yehovah is used 7 times in Devarim 34 in 12 verses.
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Moshe Ascends Mount Pisgah
Moshe Ascends Mount Pisgah
Devarim 34:1
1 And Moshe went up from the plains of Moav to the mountain of Nevo, to the top of Pisgah, that over against Yericho. And Yehovah showed him all the land of Gilead, to Dan,
The Children of Yisrael had been at the border of the plains of Moav since Bemidbar 22:1.
1 And the Children of Yisrael set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moav on this side Yarden Yericho.
Mount Pisgah was first mentioned in Bemidbar 21:20.
20 And from Bamos the valley, that in the country of Moav, to the top of Pisgah, which looks toward Yeshiymon.
Moshe ascended mount Pisgah to complete his journey in this lifetime. Moshe would eventually die and go to Sheol with his fathers.
Moshe was first told of his impending death in Bemidbar 20:12.
12 And Yehovah spoke to Moshe and Aharon, Because you believed me not, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the Children of Yisrael, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
Aharon met his death in Bemidbar 20:25-27.
25 Take Aharon and Elazar his son, and bring them up to mount Hor. 26 And strip Aharon of his garments, and put them upon Elazar his son. And Aharon shall be gathered and shall die there. 27 And Moshe did as Yehovah commanded. And they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.
Whereas Aharon went up the mountain with Moshe and Elazar, Moshe will ascend Mount Pisgah by himself.
This also was not the first time Moshe was told to ascend the mountain. Moshe was first told in Bemidbar 27:12-13.
12 And Yehovah said to Moshe, Get you up into this Mount Avarim, and see the land which I have given to the Children of Yisrael. 13 And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aharon your brother was gathered.
Immediately after this, Moshe requests that Yehovah set a man over the congregation to lead the Children of Yisrael. To this, Yehovah tells Moshe that Yehoshua will be set over the congregation of Yisrael with the assistance of Elazar. Moshe was to lay hands on Yehoshua. As such, Moshe did not die here. However, that does not mean Moshe’s request delayed when he would die.
In Devarim 3:26-28, Moshe is speaking to the Children of Yisrael. He tells them of the past and the future to come.
26 But Yehovah was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me. And Yehovah said to me, Let it suffice you; speak no more to Me of this matter. 27 Get you up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold with your eyes. For you shall not go over this Yarden. 28 But charge Yehoshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him. For he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you shall see.
This is at least the third time that Moshe’s death is being discussed. However, Moshe is not dying here. Then in Devarim 32:48-50.
48 And Yehovah spoke to Moshe that selfsame (etzem) day, saying, 49 Get you up into this mountain Avarim, Mount Nevo, which in the land of Moav, that over against Yericho; and behold the land of Kenaan, which I give to the Children of Yisrael for a possession. 50 And die in the mount whither you go up, and be gathered to your people; as Aharon your brother died in Mount Hor, and was gathered to his people.
From the time of Bemidbar 20, the incident at the rock, to Moshe’s death in Devarim 34, there were several discussions as if his death was impending or scheduled to occur shortly. It should lead one to question the order of the chapters and occurrence of events.
Yehovah’s Word, His Order
Yehovah’s Word, His Order
What should be appreciated from this is, Torah was recorded in the way God intended. Torah was never meant to be just a historical record of events or a list of commandments to obey. It has a purpose that often escapes many of us.
Yehovah being all powerful had the option of creating Torah any way He wanted. It would be foolish to think Yehovah would allow Torah to be subject to human frailties or based on our emotions and interpretations. However, man has continuously tried to insert himself into Torah and the rest of the Bible in various ways.
Further, it makes sense that Yehovah would have a way to preserve the word through time. The Bible is not subject to decay as we are.
One should consider the statement in Devarim 12:32.
32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it. You shall not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
If the word was only subject to God, then not changing any word would make sense. However, if the Bible were men’s impression or interpretations, what would it matter? It was just their impression. What would make them right and someone else wrong?
Yeshayahu, probably the best known of the Hebrew Prophets, states in Yeshayahu 1:1-2.
1 The vision of Yeshayahu the son of Amotz, which he saw concerning Yehudah and Yerushalayim in the days of Uzziyah, Yotam, Achaz, Yechizqiyahu, kings of Yehudah. 2 Hear, heavens, and give ear, lands. For Yehovah has spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me.
Yeshayahu had a vision from Yehovah. Yeshayahu was considered a holy and righteous man. It would be out of character for him or any prophet to allow their understanding or thoughts to cloud the words spoken by Yehovah. Yehovah used Yeshayahu because he, like all prophets, would be an oracle. The prophets and writers of Scriptures were neither historians nor commentators. They wrote what they were told without tainting the words.
Yeshayahu gave us something to consider when he was before Yehovah. He was in the throne room and the serafim came towards him in Yeshayahu 6:6-7.
6 Then flew one of the serafims to me, having a live coal in his hand, he had taken with the tongs from off the Altar. 7 And he laid upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.
This event represents the purging of Yeshayahu’s lips. The words Yeshayahu spoke were free of iniquity; therefore, they were not subject to human inaccuracies. Yeshayahu’s prophecies were as Yehovah wanted them.
Yirmeyahu states at the beginning of his prophecies in Yirmeyahu 1:4.
4 Then the word of Yehovah came to me, saying,
Yirmeyahu tells us that his words were from Yehovah. They were not his own words, they were what God had told or planted into him. We should be able to trust that an all powerful God is able to do this.
Yechezqel echoes a similar concept in Yechezqel 1:1-3.
1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth, in the fifth of the month, as I among the captives by the river of Chevar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of Redeemer. 2 In the fifth of the month, which the fifth year of king Yoyakiyn’s captivity, 3 the word of Yehovah came expressly to Yechezqel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Kasdim by the river Chevar; and the hand of Yehovah was there upon him.
The word came expressly to Yechezqel, because Yehovah could trust Yechezqel. Like all other prophets, Yechezqel wrote exactly as Yehovah intended.
Sooner or later, one has to trust in the words of the Bible. If one believes that these prophets were subject to error, then nothing can be trusted to be authentic word of Yehovah.
All faiths, whether religious or something else, is based on the integrity of a source. Christianity is based on an all knowing and powerful God. He had the ability to ensure the authenticity of the Bible. If one cannot trust in the authenticity of the Bible, then they have no business calling themselves a Christian.
As such, we must consider Torah not as a book, but much more. It provides insight that can guide us through life. Its meaning becomes clearer as we continue to study it and walk in it. We should consider this each time we begin a new cycle of continuous study.
Moshe Saw the Lands
Moshe Saw the Lands
Devarim 34:1-3
1 And Moshe went up from the plains of Moav to the mountain of Nevo, to the top of Pisgah, that over against Yericho. And Yehovah showed him all the land of Gilead, to Dan, 2 and all Naftali, and the land of Efrayim, and Menashsheh, and all the land of Yehudah, to the utmost sea, 3 and the Negev, and the plain of the valley (biqah) of Yericho, the city of palm trees, to Tzoar.
From Mount Pisgah, Moshe could see all the lands. Many times people try to determine if this is possible. They wonder how far Moshe could see from the mountain top. Once again, men miss the meaning and power of God. If it states Moshe saw all the lands, we do not need to understand how. We need to know that Moshe did.
|
Place |
Meaning |
|
Moav |
of his father |
|
Nevo |
prophet |
|
Pisgah |
cleft |
|
Yericho |
its moon |
|
Gilead |
rocky region |
|
Dan |
a judge |
|
Naftali |
wrestling |
|
Efrayim |
double ash-heap, I shall be doubly fruitful |
|
Menashsheh |
causing to forget |
|
Yehudah |
praised with out stretched hands |
|
utmost sea |
N/A |
|
Negev |
southern district of Yehudah |
|
Valley of Yericho |
N/A |
|
City of Palm Trees |
N/A |
|
Tzoar |
insignificance |
One thing that should be noted. They have not even crossed the Yarden River and already land was designated. This should be no surprise, they were to do this by lot. Yehovah determines the lot. He already knew the lands they would receive.
A question that may come up is, what did Moshe actually see? Did he see the lands that would be divided in six years or did Moshe see the lands that were to be designated when we enter into eternity?
Either way we cannot answer this question. We must trust that Yehovah showed Moshe what Yehovah decided.
Looking into the Future
Looking into the Future
Devarim 34:4
4 And Yehovah said to him, This the land which I swore to Avraham, to Yitzchaq, and to Yaaqov, saying, I will give it to your seed. I have caused you to see with your eyes, but you shall not go over thither.
The land that Moshe saw was promised to Avraham, Yitzchaq and Yaaqov. It was first promised to Avraham in Bereishis 12:7.
7 And Yehovah appeared to Avram, and said, to your seed will I give this land. And there he built an altar to Yehovah, who appeared to him.
The land was promised to Avram after he had already left Ur of the Kasdiym. What was told to Avram prior to leaving Ur was in Bereishis 12:2-3.
2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. 3 And I will bless them that bless you and curse him that curses you and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.
This was the blessing that caused Avram to leave his home lands and sojourn in the land for 100 years. Yehovah repeats the promise of the land to Avram in Bereishis 13:14-15.
14 And Yehovah said to Avram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now your eyes, and look from the place where you are northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward. 15 For all the land which you see, to you will I give it, and to your seed for ever.
Then Yehovah repeats the blessing of being a great nation in Bereishis 13:16-17.
16 And I will make your seed as the dust of the land. So that if a man can number the dust of the land, shall your seed also be numbered. 17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it to you.
These blessings again are promised to Avram in Bereishis 15:18.
18 In the same day Yehovah made a covenant with Abram, saying, to your seed have I given this land, from the river of Mitzrayim to the great river, the river Perat (Euphrates).
Again Yehovah promises Avraham in Bereishis 17:6-8.
6 And I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of you. 7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you, and to your seed after you. 8 And I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land wherein you are a stranger, all the land of Kenaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their Redeemer.
This promise was made after Yehovah changed Avram’s name to Avraham. This is when Yehovah told Avraham to circumcise all males eight days and older.
The interesting thing today is, so many tell us the law was nailed to the cross. If the law, Torah, was nailed to the cross, then so were the promises. We cannot pick and choose what we believe. It is sad today that many have a selfish view of Torah and the covenant. They want the blessings without the responsibilities. People can think that, but they should have understood Yehovah’s point of view first. We cannot have one without the other. Avraham knew this and so did his son Yitzchaq and his son Yaaqov.
The following year, Sarah will give birth to Yitzchaq the son of the covenant. Yehovah will tell Avraham to sacrifice Yitzchaq on Mount Moriah. Avraham understood that he was to comply, but before that happened Yehovah stopped him. He told Avraham in Bereishis 22:12.
12 And he said, Lay not your hand upon the lad, neither do you any thing to him. For now I know that you fear Redeemer, seeing you have not withheld your son, you only from Me.
Avraham will then sacrifice a ram caught in a thicket. Yehovah will tell him in Bereishis 22:16-18.
16 And said, By Myself have I sworn, said Yehovah, for because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only. 17 That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which upon the sea shore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 and in your seed shall all the nations of the land be blessed; because you have obeyed My voice.
Avraham would be blessed because he was willing to do what was asked of him by Yehovah. However, we must never forget that neither Avraham, Yitzchaq nor Yaaqov ever saw fulfillment of these blessings. The man closest to Yehovah, who spoke face to face to Yehovah would not see the fulfillment of the blessing either. Yet all these maintained their faith.
We can marvel in our forefathers; however, where do we fit in all this? Our forefathers are more than just historical characters, they were to be an example to us. Many of us find it hard to maintain the integrity of our faith in the face of adversity. Avraham, Yitzchaq and Yaaqov walked the land with little to show for their faith compared to many of us today. Yet it is written of Hebrews 11:8-10.
8 By faith Avraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Yitzchaq and Yaaqov, the heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker God.
Avraham looked for a city God would build. That city is the New Yerushalayim of Revelation 21:1-2.
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I Yochanan saw the holy city, new Yerushalayim, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Avraham was looking for a city that would come forth four thousand years later. But this city was not a structure, it was the future nation of people that Yehovah had promised. Avraham, like all men of faith, understood that the promises were to be fulfilled in the future. They would see blessings along the way, but the total promise would be at a future date.
We too need to understand this. Our lives can never be about the here and now. We must be able to see into the greater future, when Yehovah will bring together all the promises. We must be patient and long-suffer the present. We must be as our forefathers and the prophets. We must be able to see with our spiritual eyes if we are to walk in faith today.
Faith of Moshe
Faith of Moshe
Devarim 34:5
5 So Moshe the servant of Yehovah died there in the land of Moav, according to the word of Yehovah.
After almost 51 chapters, Moshe is finally laid to rest. For Moshe he never saw the reality of the promise. However, he was never to see it in his lifetime anyway. He too understood that today is just the earnest of the promise. Just as our lives are an earnest, Ephesians 1:13-14.
13 In whom you also, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. In whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
We need to realize the promises of God will happen in the future. We can have blessings today. Yet, that is highly dependent upon us. What we do with our measure of faith determines our blessings today, Romans 12:3.
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to every man that is among you, not to think more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.
We have a measure of faith. What we do with it, in humility to Him, will determine our blessings in this lifetime.
Devarim 34:6
6 And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moav, over against Bet-peor, but no man knows of his sepulcher to this day.
To this day, no one knows where Moshe is buried. This became an issue later, Yehudah 9.
9 Yet Miykael the archangel, when contending with the devil He disputed about the body of Moshe, did not bring against a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke you.
More than likely, the location of Moshe’s gravesite was unknow to prevent the people from making a monument. Unfortunately, they have done this with many others. We are not commanded to do this nor should we. We should morn for the dead no more than 30 days and leave it at that. We are not to say a prayer for them annually as so many do. These are all heathen traditions not found in Scriptures. We should honor Yehovah and not come up with traditions that glorify the creature and not the Creator, Romans 1:25.
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
This is exactly what so many of us do today. Death today is not final, death in the Millennium will be.
Further just as we do not know Moshes burial place, Yeshua’s burial place is unknown. Even if we could find Yeshua sepulcher, the result would probably be the same. It would be empty, Yochanan 20:6-9.
6 Then comes Shimon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher, and sees the linen clothes lie, 7 and the napkin, that was about His head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulcher, and he saw, and believed. 9 For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
Devarim 34:7
7 And Moshe a son of hundred and twenty years when he died. His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
Moshe lived 120 years. There were basically 3 parts to Moshe life. The first 40 years, approximately, were spent in Pharoah’s court. Moshe was somebody. He thought he could deliver his people, but it was beyond him. Moshe ended up fleeing Mitzrayim, Shemos 2:13-15.
13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore you smite your fellow? 14 And he said, Who made you a prince and a judge over us? You intend to kill me, as you killed the Mitzrayim? And Moshe feared, and said, Surely this word is known. 15 Now when Pharaoh heard this word, he sought to slay Moshe. But Moshe fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midyan and he sat down by a well.
From Mitzrayim, Moshe settled in Midyan with Yitro. This was until Yehovah called him in Shemos 3:2-4.
2 And the messenger (malak) of Yehovah appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush not consumed. 3 And Moshe said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when Yehovah saw that he turned aside to see, Redeemer called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moshe, Moshe. And he said, Here I.
At this point, Moshe had served his father-in-law, Yitro, approximately 40 years. Moshe had gone from the greatest court of the known world to a measly shepherd on the backside of the wilderness. Moshe was at the lowest point of his human existence. Now Moshe could begin to be used by God. Moshe was eighty years a son, Shemos 7:7.
7 And Moses eighty years son, and Aharon eighty and three years son, when they spoke to Pharaoh.
The last forty years of Moshe life he served Yehovah. Moshe saw and heard things no other man before him or after him did. But Moshe like our forefathers Avraham, Yitzchaq and Yaaqov did not see the promise in fulfillment. He looked towards the future to come, Hebrews 11:24-28.
24 By faith Moshe, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 esteeming the reproach of Messiah greater riches than the treasures in Mitzrayim. For he had respect to the recompence of the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Mitzrayim, not fearing the wrath of the king. For he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest He that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
Moshe lived a life of earthly riches and one of lowly existence. But his greatest triumph was walking with Yehovah and to know Him face to face. We should only hope to have a glimpse of this.
Devarim 34:8
8 And the Children of Ysrael wept for Moshe in the plains of Moav thirty days. So the days of weeping mourning for Moshe were ended.
As they mourned for Aharon 30 days, they mourned for Moshe. Today, we look forward to the prophet of Moshe returning with all His saints. We look to Moshe as an example of faith to follow.
Prophet Like Moshe
Prophet Like Moshe
Devarim 34:9
9 And Yehoshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moshe had laid his hands upon him and the Children of Ysrael hearkened to him, and did as Yehovah commanded Moshe.
After Moshe ascended the mountain, Yehoshua was to lead the Children of Yisrael into the promised land. In the future, the prophet like Moshe will take all His people into the promised land.
Just as the Children of Yisrael hearkened to Yehoshua, we should hearken to Yeshua, Yochanan 10:27-28.
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give to them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of My hand.
We need to listen to Yeshua if we expect to be led into the Spiritual Kingdom in this lifetime. In the future, Yeshua will lead His people into the physical Kingdom.
Today, we are to make preparations for the future by operating in the Spiritual Kingdom in this lifetime. This will prepare us for the future to come.
This all starts with listening to Moshe, just as Yeshua told us in Yochanan 5:46-47.
46 For had you believed Moshe, you would have believed Me. For he wrote of Me. 47 But if you believe not his writings, how shall you believe My words?
If we are to believe Yeshua, it starts with believing Moshe. That starts with the Baptism of Moshe, 1 Corinthians 10:1-4.
1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that you should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and were all baptized to Moshe in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4 and did all drink the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Messiah.
If we are to truly follow Messiah, we need to start with Moshe. We ought to do this, because He said so. If we do not, then we may not be hearing His voice or we may not be His sheep.
Devarim 34:10
10 And there arose not a prophet since in Yisrael like to Moshe, whom Yehovah knew face to face,
This is something we need to appreciate. Yehovah first spoke about this in Bemidbar 12:6-8.
6 And he said, Hear now My words. If there be a prophet among you, Yehovah will make Myself known to him in a vision, will speak to him in a dream. 7 My servant Moshe not so, who faithful in all My house. 8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of Yehovah shall he behold. Wherefore then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moshe?
Moshe was in a class of his own. That is until, Yeshua appeared. Then there were two who knew Yehovah face to face. Yeshua never disrespected Moshe or what he wrote. He told us to understand Moshe’s words. Today many disrespect Moshe and what he wrote. That is a grave mistake.
Devarim 34:11-12
11 In all the signs and the wonders, which Yehovah sent him to do in the land of Mitzrayim to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, 12 and in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moshe showed in the sight of all Yisrael.
No one including Yeshua performed miracles on the level of Moshe. It is time that we show due respect to Moshe. We do that by reading the words he wrote, the words of Yehovah. If we disrespect Moshe, we disrespect Yehovah our savior. This is why we continue to study His words and not another. And certainly we do not alter them.
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