A Time to Leave

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. I couldn’t wait to get here this morning to see the beautiful mountain view from your over look. That spot out there has become one of my favorite places to be. I love seeing the colors of fall, smelling the brisk air, hearing the crunch of leaves under my boots, pulling on a big sweatshirt or sweater. For some people Fall is a depressing time of year. For some people the colors of the trees signal impending death of the leaves. For some people fall signals shorter days, longer nights, cold. It is a time of year they would rather not experience. The colors are brilliant but just when you start to enjoy them they are gone. Ecclesiastes says There is a time for everything, a season for everything under the sun. Today we are going to focus on a time for leaving. We all experience leaving and we all experience being left. A loved one leaves, as Ms. Bernice did, to go to their “next” assignment. A loved one moves away, our health gets to the point that we have to leave our homes, friends and loved ones die. We all know what it feels like to lose something/or someone.

Today our passage of scripture records the end of Moses life. Moses knew his life was coming to an end. It doesn’t seem fair to those of us who are reading the account. To remind you Moses had had quite the life in his 120 years. He was born at a time when the death of all Hebrew boys under the age of two was called for. His mother sacrificed being able to raise him, in order to save him. She put him in a basket and put him in the river. The Pharaoh’s daughter finds him and takes him home and Moses is raised as an Egyptian. He was raised with the best of everything and became a strong leader and warrior under Pharaoh’s direction and instruction. As an adult Moses fled Egypt and went to Midian where he married and began tending the flock of his father. It was during this time that God appeared to Moses and told him that the was to return to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses did not feel capable for the task but God told him different. God gave him his brother Aaron to help him with his speech as Moses had a problem with Stuttering. Moses went back to Egypt as God ordered. He led the people out of Egypt toward the land of Canaan; the promised land. As the story unfolds we experience the Israelites to be on a roller coaster ride of trust and faith in God, anger and questioning of God. They are at times very faithful to God and at other times so far from faithfulness that the slip back into practices of Idol worship. God never fails them. God always forgives them. During the time of wandering in the wilderness God provided manna for food and water from a rock. He sent clouds for them to follow. He provided the 10 commandments during this time as Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights on a mountain communicating with God and receiving instruction. Moses faithfully followed God’s directions and faithfully lead the children of Israel to the promised land. However, we learn in today’s passage that Moses dies before he gets to enter the promised land. In fact just a few chapters previous to this one God reveals to Moses that because of his sin he would not enter the promised land. What was Moses’ sin. I mean we’ve listed all that he has accomplished. Well back when the Israelites were grumbling about not having water, which was right after they had grumbled about not having food and God provided them with food, rather than trusting God, Moses questioned if God was going to provide for the Children of Israel. When God gave him direction Moses didn’t follow the directions precisely. He altered what God told him to do and did it his own way. This way brought the water. God still supplied but he was not pleased with Moses. For me this is a little bit scary here. Moses made one mistake and he doesn’t get to go in is that really fair? Let’s think about this for a moment. We are in the old testament. The Israelites are just getting to know God. Their view of God now is clearer then it was in the beginning of time. For them, sin brings death. There is no one sin greater than another. Sin is sin and Romans 8:28 tells us that the wages of sin is death. The early church got this view from the study of the Torah, the books from which we read the stories of Moses. Let’s look at that verse in Romans thought. The wages of sin is death BUT…..the GIFT of God is Eternal life through Jesus. What we have today is Jesus who paid that wage for us. We all have sinned. So, while it doesn’t seem quite fair, doesn’t seem like the mistake outweighed all the good Moses did. Moses doesn’t get to enter the promise land. He does get to see it. He climbs the mountain, He sees the land and he dies. If we read the previous chapters though we know that before he dies he reminds the children of Israel where they have come from. He reminds them of the history of God being wit them. Moses is 20 years old and in perfect health. No one but him is expecting this. Isn’t that how it is with us sometimes. How many times have we heard after someone dies, ” I just saw him yesterday, he was fine.” It just doesn’t seem fair. It certainly doesn’t seem fair that God would take someone’s life for one small mistake. Let’s think about that a minute. I want you to think about someone you know very well. Think about the first time you met them. What did you know about them? What did you think you knew about them. I’m thinking about my friend Allison. I first met her when she became my office mate at work. She came into our relaxed office with a business suit. She was rather quiet. I knew her name was Allison. What I thought was that she was stuffy and stuck up and that I was in trouble if she was going to be my office mate. Well, today I know much more about her. I know that she is funny, adventuresome, loyal. I know that when my son is in the ER she will come and sit with me. I know that when I am having to sit at a mental health facility with my son all night, waiting for him to be assessed and transported to a treatment facility that she will come and sit right beside me all night long. I know that she sees good in the people that most people have given up on. I know that she is one of my best friends. What does this have to do with our story today. Well, this. Think about the children of Israel. Think about Moses. They are of the first to begin to know who God is. They are wrapping their brains around how God responds to things and where God is in world happenings. As you read through the Bible you’re going to find that the view of God and the world changes the more that persons get to know who God is. In Deuteronomy we’re told that The sins of the father will be visited upon the son. In other words not only will the father die for his sins but his son will also.. That was Moses understanding of sin and God and consequences. Then we turn to Ezekiel 18 and we’re told to erase that, not to go by that. We’re told that each person is responsible for their own sin. We’re told that if the father is sinful, he will die but that if his son sees the error of his father and lives a righteous life that he will live. That is Ezekiel’s understanding. Then we go on into the new Testament and Paul reveals that God is full of grace and forgiveness. He understands that God loves unconditionally and that his gift is eternal life. When we look back on the history of the Israelites we know this has always been the case. Adam and Eve lived after they blatantly disobeyed God. Cain lived after he killed Able. Noah was in a drunken state and lived. Sarah laughed and mocked God when she was told she was going to have a baby, yet she still gave birth to Isaac and she lived. Jacob lived after tricking his father and his brother. Not only did he live but he became the father of the nation that God called his very own. Joseph’s brother sold him into slavery, they lived. The children of Israel doubted God, worshipped idols, over and over they failed God and over and over God forgave them and provided for them. They had all the evidence there that God is a loving and gracious God but it took years upon years for them to get it and understand it. Why even today don’t we find ourselves asking what we have done to deserve the bad that happens in our lives. We still sometimes hold onto the belief that when something bad happens we must be at fault. God must be punishing us. The truth is this Moses died. He was healthy, there was no sign that he was ill but yet he died. We don’t know how he died. Perhaps he had a heart attack, perhaps he had an aneurism. These are things that rob us of people too soon, unexpectedly.. I think of John Thomas a young pastor in Asheville who had a great vision. He walked among the homeless on the streets of Asheville. He had a heart for sharing God’s love with the least, the last, and the lost. He had started a new church. HE was in the prime of his life at 40 y/o. He was healthy. He had a beautiful wife and two sons who depended on him. He was close to realizing his dreams and his vision yet one day his wife went to the church to find him face down on the floor, dead. These things happen. So, our first lesson in today’s lesson is that perhaps Moses death was not a punishment at all. Perhaps God gave Moses a gift by letting him know that he was not going to make it to the promised land. Perhaps it was a gift that knowing Moses’ time on earth was through that he was able to climb that Mountain and see all that God had promised, to know that his work had not been futile but that he would die knowing that God kept his promise of bringing the children of Israel to the promised land. The second lesson is that we need to get to know God. How do you get to know God. You get to know him the same way you get to know anyone, by spending time with him, reading about him, asking questions.

What else does this story of Moses death have for us this morning? Following Moses Death he was buried by God but know one knew where his grave was. Why was this? How was this? Some persons believed that God used Angels to bury him, some believe that Moses went into a cave to die, thus burying himself. Some believe that he went straight to heave with God just as Elijah had. This would make sense because in Matthew Jesus appears to the disciples with Moses and Elijah. The How is not as important as the Why. It seems that all scholars agree that the reason Moses’ burial place was unknown was because of God’s knowledge of the Israelites propensity toward idol worship. There was a fear that the Israelites would idolize Moses through his burial place. The message here is that while it is important to hold onto the lessons we are taught by our mentors and those who teach us and lead us to the promised land. We are never to idolize them. Moses knew he was dying. He knew his time with the Israelites was almost over. What we see in the previous chapters is him gathering the tribes around him and giving each tribe a departing message of hope. It’s important that we share those lessons we have learned over the years with those around us and within our circle of influence. It’s equally important that we point them away from us and toward the only being worthy of worship……God.

Next, this passage of scripture illustrate to us that there is a time to mourn. The Israelite upon learning of Moses’ death mourned until the time of mourning was up. Joseph mourned for his father for 7 days. The Israelites mourned for Aaron for 30 days. Popular belief was that the time of mourning for Moses was 30 days. In Jewish tradition 30 days was the normal time of mourning. There is a very strict formula for what is to be done during this period of mourning with the first 7 days after burial being a private time of mourning just for family. The family sits in the home of the deceased during those seven days finding comfort in each other and comfort in their memories. Following the 7 days, the family continues to mourn but friends and acquaintances are welcome to join with them. They begin doing more day to day activities but it is not until after 30 days that they resume their normal day to day activities such as work. Grieving is an important time of healing and this is recognized by the Israelites. They take time out to remember all that Moses had been to them. They celebrate his life, they mourn his loss.

Then comes the next lesson. Vs. 9 “Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses.”

A new leader takes over. God, through Moses had been preparing Joshua to be the next leader of the Israelites. If we look back at the story we know that Joshua was one of the friends who held Moses’ hands up during the battle against the Amelikites when Moses was getting too tired to hold them on his own. We know that of the spies that were sent into Canaan to assess the situation that only Joshua and Caleb saw the good, the potential and had the confidence that they would be able to invade the Promised Land. All others became fearful and distrustful and wanted to give up. It was Joshua who God chose to lead the children across the Jordon to possess the Promised Land. God had earlier instructed Moses to lay hands on him, commission him and give him authority which he did.

I’m reminded here of the recent loss of a 21st century icon, Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs knew he was dying and 1 month prior to his death he resigned as CEO of Apple. “Steve has made countless contributions to Apple’s success, and he has attracted and inspired Apple’s immensely creative employees and world class executive team.

Steve Jobs knew for Apple to continue to be successful after he was gone it would be important to attract the most creative and world class executives he could. He brought them in and he taught them all he knew. When his death was near he commissioned the next CEO of Apple.

There are a couple of lessons to learn from this. First, know that when someone leaves God has gifted another to continue the vision and mission. Secondly, know that it’s important for you to share your expertise, knowledge and wisdom with others. I have always said that when someone loses a loved one that as long as they continue to share the memories and the lessons they learned from that person, a piece of that person will always live on.

Lastly in this passage we are told that there is never another prophet such as Moses who has seen God face to face. This is an end of the error. This is the end of the Torah. NO longer is the Torah enough to bring us to the promised land. We are pointed forward, beyond the land of Canaan, to a promised land of God’s Kingdom. From this point forward that is what we as God Followers strive for. We strive for the establishment of God’s kingdom right here on earth.

So friends, as you think on this passage of scripture today remember the following:

The Israelites do not yet fully know God. It is important that we get to know God fully through spending time with him, asking questions, reading about Him.
Do not idolize people but recognize them for the unique contribution they had on your journey.
There is a time to mourn, take that time during periods of life.
There is a time to move forward and God will be with you and prepare a way for you to move forward.
While you are here on this earth make sure you share your stories, experiences, wisdom and expertise with others so that your contributions to the journey will live on.
Pass on wisdom you learn from those who are in your life.
Do your part in establishing Kingdom here on earth.

Finally friends, it is fall, a time of leaving. Don’t miss out on the colors for fear of what comes after. What comes after is going to come whether you take time to enjoy the colors or not. And never forget that the God of love, grace, forgiveness and mercy is with you every step of the way.