OT Notes Dt. 34

I always go back to Dennis Olson’s fine Book Dt. and the Death of Moses. I find it tragic that he does not get to go into the the Promised Land. At least he gets a vision. As I turned 60, I am delighted that he is pictured as hale and hearty to the end of his days. By the time of Jesus it was a legend that since he had no burial place, maybe he was assumed into heaven.; that may be one reason why he is pictured with Elijah (of the chariot to heaven) in the Transfiguration.The cloud of the Ascension of Jesus is matched by a lcoud taking Moses into heaven in some rabbinical works.

1. Why was it important to prevent a shrine to Moses? How is Torah a  shrine for him?
2. Patrick Miller in his 25 year old commentary sees Moses as a suffering servant. What other links to Christ can you find?
3. 3) Did Moses die a good death? I often think of King’s closing vision in her last speech in Memphis.
4. The death of Moses could be a promt for us to consider our own deaths.
5. 5) I like to think that the vision of Moses of the entirety of the Promised Land included a vision of the future as well.
6. 6) God buries Moses. What a remarkable act of care. This could be a wedge into considering our current burial practices.
7. 7) Go through some death scenes in literature and movies.