Deuteronomy 32:48-34:12
Today Search the Scriptures gives us this little note: “Chapter 33, like Gn. 49, requires for its full understanding much research.” Indeed. I rather doubt that many of us have undertaken such research. I know I haven’t. What might we be missing out on as a result? After all, Deuteronomy 33 is here for a reason. Should we just blithely skim over it, scratching our heads as to why Moses utters these particular blessings and what they might signify? Just asking…
Moses comes to the end of his life, and we are reminded that the LORD would not allow him to enter the Promised Land. Moses gets to see the Promised Land, but he cannot go in because of his actions at the waters of Meribah. (See Numbers 20:10-13.) Though Moses begs to be allowed in, the LORD still refuses. (See Deuteronomy 3:23-29.) Sometimes, from where we sit in our comfy chairs, we look at that situation and we think that surely the LORD is unfair to Moses, that He is overly harsh in His judgment against what appears to us to be a minor issue. But do we comprehend the implications of our thinking that way? Do we really think that we are more just and righteous than God? Do we really think God is in the wrong? God is God, and we are not. We would do well to remember that.
We would also do well to remember that even here at the end of Deuteronomy, the end of the Pentateuch, we don’t have Moses’ full story. Let’s remember that he appears again, together with Elijah, in conversation with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36) I’d say that appearance trumps getting to step foot into the land of Canaan. Wouldn’t you?
See also:
- March 3 (2023) / Deuteronomy 33-34; Psalm 90
- April 8 (2023) / Psalms 96, 105-106 (for Holy Saturday)