Daily Devotionals

Devotional: March 11th

Morning

“Thine eyes shall behold the land that is very far off.”

Deuteronomy 34

Deuteronomy 34:1

Having finished his work and pronounced his last blessing, the prophet cheerfully climbs towards heaven. Death to the saints is an ascent. Alone he pursued his upward pathway, but the Lord was at his side, and thus when earthly companions shall bid us adieu, we shall find the Lord at our right hand.

Deuteronomy 34:3

No doubt that eagle eye was supernaturally strengthened for its last earthly gaze; and even so have we seen the faculties of dying saints greatly enlarged just as they were departing. They have appeared to see and know more than unaided minds could have perceived. Heaven lay unveiled before them, and the land so far off to us, was very near to the eye of their faith.

Deuteronomy 34:4

And truly there was no need that he should cross into the land, for it was full of Canaanites, and it was better for the grand old man to go to the land where the wicked cease from troubling, than to endure the toils of war in his old age.

Deuteronomy 34:5

Or “at the mouth of the Lord.” The Jews say, “with a kiss from the mouth of God.”

Deuteronomy 34:6

Or else, perhaps, they would have idolised his bones. We need not care to have our burial-place known, for Moses sleeps in forgotten soil.

Deuteronomy 34:7

When the law is sweetly laid asleep to make room for Jesus, our true Joshua, it is not because its eye cannot see sin, or its arm avenge it, but because the Lord, himself, lays it in its honourable repose.

Deuteronomy 34:8

The mourning was long, for Moses was a great man, but it was not too long, for there was other work for living men to do.

Deuteronomy 34:9

God fitted him for the work, Moses ordained him, and the people chose him, thus Joshua was fully equipped. Men may die, but God’s work goes on. When those who seem the most necessary pillars are removed, the temple still stands.

Deuteronomy 34:10-12

All other prophets fall almost as much short of Moses as Jesus goes beyond him. Taking his whole life into consideration, we may pronounce him peerless, an incomparable man in whom the grace of God brought human nature as near to perfection as we can expect it to be this side eternity. He fell asleep after having been faithful unto death. In this manner, in our own humble sphere, may we be enabled to persevere till we lay down our body and our charge, and cease at once to work and live.

Sweet was the journey to the sky

The wondrous prophet tried;

“Climb up the mount,” says God, “and die.”

The prophet climb’d and died.

Softly his fainting head he lay

Upon his Maker’s breast;

His Maker kiss’d his soul away,

And laid his flesh to rest.

Show me thy face, and I’ll away

From all inferior things;

Speak, Lord, and here I quit my clay,

And stretch my spirit’s wings.

Evening

“Consider the High Priest of our profession.”

Hebrews 3:1-6

Hebrews 3:1

This will be the most profitable subject upon which the mind can fix itself; profitable for instruction, consolation, and example. Our Lord combined in his own person the official characters of Moses and Aaron, and discharged both offices most fully.

Hebrews 3:2

Having taken the servant’s place, he was as faithful as the best of servants could be; nay, he excelled them all.

Hebrews 3:3 , Hebrews 3:4

Jesus is the builder of the church, Moses was but a pillar in it. Jesus is God, Moses was but man. Yet the Jews greatly reverence Moses; shall we not much more honour and reverence our Lord?

Hebrews 3:5 , Hebrews 3:6

The superior relation of Christ to God as a Son, places him far above Moses, and also raises believers far above those who are under the law! We should walk in faith, and rejoice in hope; for only in holding fast both of these can we realize our honourable position as the household of the Son of God. So shall we experimentally know how far the Lord Jesus excels Moses.

Acts 7:37-41 , Acts 7:44 , Acts 7:45

Stephen, in his discourse before his enemies, gives us a few more words concerning Moses, with which we will conclude our consideration of his history

Acts 7:37

Like Moses, our Lord was the revealer of a system, a ruler, a deliverer, a mediator, and a teacher. He was mighty both in deeds and words, which combination we find nowhere else. He was rejected by his own people, but accredited by God, and to this day he leads his people through the wilderness towards the promised rest.

Acts 7:38

Coming from the living God, the law was a living oracle, though now, through man’s sins, it has become a death-dealing word. How honoured was Moses to be the channel of communication between God and his people, and to be the associate of the great covenant angel, who spake the law.

Acts 7:41

All this we have read before. Shall we thus treat the Lord Jesus? Shall we rebel against him and set up other gods? The Lord forbid!

Acts 7:45

Jesus or rather Joshua

Acts 7:45

But though they had all the outward signs, they missed the inward spiritual grace. May the Lord prevent our falling into the same condemnation.

Amidst the house of God,

Their different works were done,

Moses, a faithful servant, stood,

But Christ a faithful Son.

Then to his new commands,

Be strict obedience paid;

O’er all his Father’s house he stands

The sovereign and the head.