The First and Last Words of Moses - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

The LORD is near - Friday, February 18, 2023
by Jacob Redekop, Brian Reynolds, John van Dijk, Eugene P. Vedder Jr

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The First and Last Words of Moses

Why art thou smiting thy neighbor?

Happy art thou, Israel! Who is like unto thee, a people saved by Jehovah?
Exodus 2:13 JND; Deuteronomy 33:29 JND

The First and Last Words of Moses
Moses might well have reigned over Egypt, but God was at work in his life and he "refused to be called son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction along with the people of God than to have the temporary pleasure of sin" (Heb. 11:24-25). Seeing an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, he killed him, thinking, says Stephen, "that his brethren would understand that God by his hand was giving them deliverance. But they understood not." The next day he found them fighting among themselves and "compelled them to peace, saying, Ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one another? But he that was wronging his neighbor thrust him away, saying, Who established thee ruler and judge over us?" (Acts 7:25-27). Hearing that, Moses fled Egypt.

The history of God's heavenly peopleâ€”who know His love in sending His Son as their Delivererâ€”is also marred by infighting. God expects better from such near neighbors: "Let each one of us please his neighbor with a view to what is good, to edification" (Rom. 15:2); "Wherefore, having put off falsehood, speak truth every one with his neighbor, because we are members one of another" (Eph. 4:25).

God brought Moses back to Egypt to lead His people out of the house of bondage. It was a great burden and he failed at times, but he remained faithful. When they arrived at the river Jordan after forty years of wandering, he pronounced blessings on them, though he was prevented from entering the land (Num. 20:2-13). His last words in this life look forward to the Millennium when "all Israel shall be saved" (Rom. 11:26). They won't be dysfunctional and divided then but truly happy as Moses said. How much more God's heavenly people should "love one another" now, in anticipation of our eternal future together in the Father's house (Jn. 14:1-3; 15:12).

-- Simon Attwood

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