I have had a few favorite biblical characters over the years, some because I relate to or identify with them. Peter – he could be impulsively obedient to Jesus, but lacked wisdom regarding the when and how. King David – oh, how he loved the Lord. He desired to know and passionately follow the ways of God. He spent much time developing an intimate personal relationship with his Shepherd. God said of him, “He is a man after My own heart.” Yet David succumbed to temptation in different areas of life. He would repent and the Lord would restore him. His heart was genuine about pursuing the Lord, but he was not close to being perfect.
Two weeks ago, as I traveled to the Middle East and spent time in Jordan, one biblical character rose to the top of my list, not so much because I identify with him, but because I admire him. Clearly, he was able to hear God. He was obedient to God, even pressing on when it was hard—very hard. He was a man of utter faith.
Moses is no longer just a biblical character to me: he is real. While in Jordan, my family was encouraged to visit Mt. Nebo, the mountain the Lord commanded Moses to climb in the last days of his life. Deut. 32:49 “Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo in Moab, across from Jericho, and view Canaan, the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession.”
I have been a pastor for 44 years. Standing at the top of Mt. Nebo, just about where Moses stood, was one of the most profound moments of my life. My soul was flooded with joy as my eyes filled with tears. My admiration for Moses skyrocketed. He was 80 years old when he stood up to Pharaoh and led the Israelites out of Egypt, not a young man. He was courageous in God’s power. Pharaoh was revered as a god and had ultimate authority of life and death over all his people. Yet Moses looked him in the eye and defiantly commanded him to “Let my people go!”
After leading the Israelites to the shore of the Red Sea, Moses commanded the waters to part. He knew his call and mission from the Lord and was obedient no matter what his eyes saw. The opposite of faith is not doubt, but sight. Moses walked by faith alone. He listened to God, he obeyed God, and he was courageous in extremely difficult or seemly impossible circumstances. He lived by faith.
The difficulties and seeming impossibilities only increased over the next forty years of leading several million complaining and grumbling people. It was hot, it was humid (no, it was not Alabama), it was desert, the people were hungry. When the Lord provided, the people remained grumpy. After seeing mighty miracles from the Lord Almighty, the people still lived by sight. Most of the spies sent to scout out the Promised Land reported that Israel couldn’t defeat the giants that lived there. Yet Moses persevered. For forty years he persevered. He had heard from the Lord. He would continue in obedience. He led by faith.
Just before Moses died at the age of 120, the Lord told him to climb Mount Nebo. The scripture says that Moses was physically strong and had very good eyesight at this age. This is important. When I climbed Mount Nebo, it was hot, humid, and steep. I had to use hiking sticks and it was difficult. I only walked about 400 yards on a paved road after driving up the mountain. God didn’t provide Moses with a car nor an elevator.
Just imagine what Moses felt when he reached the top and heard the Lord say in Deut. 34:4, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, I will give it to your descendants. I have let you see it with your eyes.” Moses’ soul had to have been filled with joy and his eyes must have filled with tears. He had worked and sacrificed his entire life to lead Israel to the Land of God, the Holy Land. This was the first time he saw it with his own physical eyes. And he had strong eyes. The only vision greater was his faith. He heard from God, he was obedient even when it was difficult, he lived by faith. God was gracious and allowed him to see with human eyes the result of his obedience. Moses is definitely one of the heroes of our faith.