Daily Thought

Moses wants to see the good land beyond Jordan. His great longing is to plant his feet upon the proper inheritance of Israel. He urges the Lord to let him go over, but God can not grant him his request. Not believing God’s clear instructions he had spoken unadvisedly with his lips at the waters of Meribah; by his actions, God was not sanctified in the eyes of the people. Now, by solemn and irreversible enactment of divine government, God prohibits His servant from crossing over Jordan.

The Meekness of Moses. Gathering the assembly, Moses rehearses in their ears how the Lord was ‘wroth’ with him, and refused to hear his request, saying, ‘speak no more unto me of this matter’. All this was morally necessary for the people. It was on their account God denied Moses his greatest longing. Do we find it hard to confess we have made a mistake because we want to retain our reputation? Moses stands before the whole congregation and confesses his mistake and, bowing to the governmental dealings of God, he steps down from his elevated position, and throws his mantle over the shoulders of his successor. Joshua is encouraged by Moses to discharge the duties which he must resign.

The Moral Greatness of Moses. Moses humbled himself under the mighty hand of God, and accepted the discipline imposed on him. We do well to ponder why God could not grant the request of his servant. Moses spoke ‘unadvisedly with his lips’, Ps. 106. 33. With Aaron, he failed to glorify God in the presence of the people. God said, ‘ye rebelled against my commandment’, Num. 27. 14.

It is a serious matter to rebel against the word of God. Moses was refused entrance into the Promised Land for neglecting the word of the Lord. He had received a plain commandment, and by that commandment his conduct must be governed. He disobeyed - and now, no matter how great his desire, or how earnest his pleadings with Jehovah, his disobedience cost him entrance into the land.

Here is a solemn lesson for every child of God. Disobedience hinders God granting our requests. Grace elevated Moses to become the leader of His people. Government deprived him of going over to ‘see the good land’.