Moses is presented as the exemplar of love o God and neighbor, his people.Dt. 34 and the death of Moses-plus and minus in loving god and neighbor. I have always felt sorry for Moses that he is unable to enter the Promised Land. some think that Israel needed to break free of Moses He is pr portrayed as vital to the end. It encourages us to perhaps look back at our own lives and toward the vision of the Promised Land. some think it was an incident at Meribah where Moses perhaps overstepped his role. some think it is an anticipation of Jesus as a suffering servant who is not permitted to enter the Promised land any more than the vast majority of the exodus generation.
At 60, I have been declared officially harmless. i am intrigued that Moses is portrayed as being vigorous well into the extreme old age Maybe it reflects 2 lives, as an Egyptian added to his normal life span as a Hebrew.This congregation may be graying, but it does have at least some of the vigor of youth.
Does anyone die having checked off their bucket list? Does anyone die with all of the hopes realized? Life always feels unfinished. We all have wishes undone and tasks unfinished.Those can be personal ones or for causes with whom and for whom we may labor, communities that have embraced us and those we have embraced.
Even though Moses will not set foot in the Promised Land, he is given a satellite image view of the Promised Land. I like to think that maybe he saw history unfold Vision of the future propels us forward at times. If we work toward a vision, work on a dream of a different future, it enlarges and engages our perspective. Moses receives a God’s eye view of the future, an expansive one.What vision do you have for this special place for the future? Yes, we are a graying church group, but maybe we are grandparents preparing to visit the maternity ward of a new day.We live within a legacy here in this place. Is it, will it be a living legacy, to quote Peopria’s Dan fogelberg (cncert in his honor over the weekend there).What faithful legacy shall we leave in our time here?
God buries Moses. So it cannot beocme a shrine, a memorial to the past, his burial place is secret.No shrine will be given for Moses. His memory will be enshrined in Israel. I sometimes think that a fine gift to our families is to do some pre-planning for the disposition of our bodies and the plans for our funerals. In Africa, ebola is being spread through the final act of love an dkindness we offer a loved, the care and disposition of the body. Here God gives Moses the last rites and buries him secretly, an ironic resting place for a public man.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on April 3, 1968, the night before he was assassinated. He addressed the crowd in Memphis:”Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people will get to the promised land.”
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