THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF MOSES

"Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Mount Pisgah east of Jericho, and there the Lord showed him the whole land: the territory [area] of Gilead as far north as the town of Dan; the entire territory of Naphtali; the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh; the territory of Judah as far west as the Mediterranean Sea; the southern part of Judah; and the plain [land] that reaches from Zoar to Jericho, the city of palm trees.SRme 1.735

"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'This is the land that I promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob I would give to their descendants. I have let you see it, but I will not let you go there.'SRme 1.736

"So Moses, the Lord's servant, died there in the land of Moab, as the Lord had said he would die. The Lord buried. . .[Moses] in a valley in Moab, opposite the town of Bethpeor, but to this day no one knows the exact place of his burial.SRme 1.737

"Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died; he was as strong as ever, and his eyesight was still good" (Deut. 34:1-7).SRme 1.738

God did not let anyone go with Moses to the top of Mount Pisgah. Moses stood alone at the top of the mountain in the presence of God and heavenly angels. Moses looked at Canaan as long as he wanted to, then he lay down, as a tired soldier, to rest. Moses died in his sleep. Angels took Moses' body and buried the body in the valley. The Israelites could never find the place where Moses was buried. His body was buried secretly to keep the Israelites from sinning against God by worshiping his burial place.SRme 1.739

Satan rejoiced that he had succeeded in causing Moses to sin against God. Moses died because of his sin. Moses would have entered the Promised Land if he had continued to be faithful and hadSRme 1.740

given God the glory for bringing water from the rock. Later Moses would have been taken to heaven without having to die.SRme 1.741

But Moses did not stay long in the grave. Christ, with the angels who had buried Moses, came down from heaven to resurrect Moses and take him to heaven. Satan and his evil angels were guarding the body of Moses. They were determined to keep Moses from being raised from the dead.SRme 1.742

Christ and the holy angels came near the grave. Satan tried to keep them away. But Satan was forced to move back because of the glory and power of Christ and His angels. Satan said the body of Moses was his (Satan's) because of Moses' one sin. But Christ referred the devil to God the Father, saying, "'The Lord rebuke you!'" (Jude 9).SRme 1.743

Christ told Satan that Moses had humbly repented of his sin, so there was no stain [sin] upon Moses' character. Christ added that the name of Moses stood bright and pure in heaven's book of records. Then Christ resurrected Moses and took him to heaven.SRme 1.744

Later when Jesus was on earth, He took three of His disciples up a mountain. On the mountain Jesus was glorified. God sent Moses and Elijah from heaven to talk with Jesus about His sufferings. Moses and Elijah took God's glory to His dear Son.SRme 1.745

God had greatly honored Moses. Moses talked with God face to face, as people talk with their friends. God showed Moses His (God's) great glory more fully than that glory was shown to any other person on earth.SRme 1.746