1. Know your “age.” How to finish your years. “And he said to them: “I am one hundred and twenty years old today. I can no longer go out and come in” (Deut. 31:2).
“Methodists die well” – John Wesley
2. Use your birthday. “This day” (31:2).
3. Know your physical limitations. “I can no more go out and come in.”
4. Promise to the next generation what God promises. “Thy God, He will go before you” (31:3).
5. Promise victory. “He will destroy these nations” (31:3).
6. Recognize those who will take your place and lead God’s people. “Moses called unto Joshua” (31:7).
7. Give the next generation a challenge to faithfulness. “Be strong and of good courage . . . go with this people unto the land” (31:7).
8. Leave a written record of your contribution. “Moses wrote this . . . delivered it unto the priest . . . at the end of every seven years . . . read this law before all Israel” (31:9-11).
a. The power of memory.
b. Remember the challenge of past obstacles.
c. Victory over past problems is basis for future victory.
9. Moses arranged for the custody of his book. “When Moses ended the words of this law . . . take this book . . . put it in the Ark of the Covenant” (31:24-26).
10. Be concerned about faithfulness to God by future generations. “That the children who have not known . . . may hear and learn to fear the Lord” (31:13).
11. Most know the general time when death is inevitable. “The Lord said unto Moses, ‘Behold the day approaches that thou must die’” (31:14).
12. Use whatever strength you have as long as you have it.
a. Moses claimed the promise he gave to others. “As thy days, so shall thy strength be” (33:25). God will give you strength to do what He wants you to do.
b. Moses had good strength up until the end. “His eye was not dim, nor his natural forces were not abated” (34:7).
c. Moses was able to climb Mt. Nebo/Pisgah. “Moses went up … to the top of Pisgah” (34:1. (Nebo is mountain, Pisgah is range).
13. God confirmed the completion to Moses of all he began. “The Lord showed him all the land” (34:1).
a. A life-confirming vision. His dream of the future when in the difficulties of the desert was confirmed on the mountain top.
b. A vision of peace and contentment.
c. Moses had assurance that when he obeyed the Lord, he accomplished what God promised. God’s promises are eternally true, but we must obey to receive His blessing.
14. Moses was the only human to be buried by God. Therefore:
a. No one knows (34:6) the place of his burial.
b. Some might have made it an idolatrous sepulcher to worship.
c. God didn’t let the angels bury Moses, because Moses was precious to God.
15. Even Moses’ burial had prophetic significance.
a. The devil tried to steal it to prevent prophecy fulfillment. “The archangel Michael argued with the devil about the corpse of Moses” (Jude 9, Jewish Bible).
b. Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:4). This is a divine preview of our future transformation.
c. Moses and Elijah will preach in Jerusalem during the tribulation (Rev. 11:6). They will be killed. “Their dead bodies” (Rev. 11:9) and they will be resurrected.
16. No one can do your work that God has for you. “There arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses” (Deut. 34:10). No one had the qualifications to do what Moses did.
a. Gifted and trained in languages (Acts 7:22).
b. Powerful in signs and miracles.
c. Humble (Num. 12:3).
d. Intercessor. He always “fell on his face before God.”
e. Called by God (Ex. 3:1-14).
17. The benediction of Moses’ life. “Whom the Lord knew face to face” (34:10). The original Hebrew, “month to month;” this means God talked to Moses and Moses received the life of God. God had given Moses His Spirit. God observed Moses carefully, knew him by divine knowledge, and endowed him with His Spirit.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
All PBC lessons are available online at trbc.org/pbc. Go to www.Hopenow.tv for the current program schedule.
www.itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-elmer-towns
Dr. Towns' email is ELTowns@liberty.edu
Dr. Towns’ web address is www.elmertowns.com
