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You know, congratulations to all of us all of us because we have come to the end of the book of Deuteronomy. And it's indeed quite an adventure going through this book. The book of Deuteronomy is what we call the second reading of the law. This is for the second generation who have survived going through the wilderness. All the old generation have passed away along the way, and now they are coming towards the promised land and about to enter. And so they do not know, they have no experience about crossing the Red Sea and all the miracles that God have happened. Of course, they heard from their elders. But right now, this second generation is reminded of their history, their laws, and who they are and where they are going to the promised land. And so they were challenged by Moses in Deuteronomy to love God with all their heart, all their soul, all their mind, and also to obey the Torah, obey the law. Because when you obey, there is the life and the blessing that's awaiting for you. Whereas you disobey, there is the death and the curse. And so Deuteronomy chapter 40 is a very good, I would say, a very good conclusion to the whole book of Deuteronomy. Not only Deuteronomy, but also the rest of the other five books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and right now Deuteronomy. It's a good conclusion to all the whole uh teachings of Moses. And in fact, it's a good uh eulogy for for Moses, because Moses was the great servant of God, very much revered by the Jews even today. Besides Jesus, Moses is very well respected among the Jewish circle. And so he was a great statesman, he was a great uh lawgiver, uh a good administrator, and also a prophet that nobody has ever seen before, because he's seen God face to face. And so this ending was a good one because he he is about Moses' death. When I first got this topic to preach, I was wondering what to preach. All I need to say is Moses died. Amen. End of story. But as I begin to read the passage again and again, again and again, there's so much we can learn from this passage. And also, this is also the passing of Baton to uh Joshua to be the leader of uh Israel as they go into the promised land. And so we may be wondering who is the person who writes about Moses' death? You know, Moses may write everything, but towards the end, I don't think a dead man will write his own obituary. But he says, Moses died. Moses, the servant of God, died. Who wrote that statement? I don't think it's Moses. I believe probably unless God gave him a forewarning or dream that he's gonna die, and then he writes down by faith. But otherwise, I believe, generally speaking, most of us accept uh Joshua as the writer to complete the whole book. Or it may be Eliza, the son of Aaron, that may have completed it. But whatever it is, uh we do know, it doesn't matter who wrote it, but it's a tremendous uh ending for Moses himself. So all of and even though Moses was such a great man, great men also died. Already the original people like us, we will die or may die, or some of us may not die until Jesus comes, okay? But whatever it is, this is an issue that we will always be at the back of our mind. Whenever we feel pain, whenever you feel weak, we always think it's time's up. But the nevertheless, Moses' way of dying is very interesting. There are three words that I could sum up from uh Deuteronomy chapter 34. He went up, he saw, and he died. He went up, he saw, and then he died. Why did Moses uh went up to Mount Nabor of Pisgah opposite Jericho? One incident actually triggered this incident. It is in Numbers chapter 20, verse 8 to 13. This is at Mount Mariba uh Kadesh, where Moses and Aaron was instructed by God because the people were crying out for water. And so they uh Moses and Aaron was instructed to speak to the rock. Speak to the rock and the water will come out. But when Moses was agitated, he used the rod and wack the rock twice. This is a there's a also a similar incident in Exodus chapter 17, verse 1 to 7, it's not stated in the PowerPoint. Exodus chapter 17, where the same incident, almost the same similar incident, where they were thirsty, and Moses struck the rock and the water came out. So both times in Exodus chapter 17 and Deuteronomy uh uh Numbers 20, the water came out. But God was displeased the second time when uh Moses struck the rock because Moses and Aaron disobeyed the instruction. And and and and and he says, apparently from here we can learn. Uh don't presume that everything will be done the same way all the time. God sometimes changed the locks combination. So learn to trust God all the time, to hear from God afresh what He's going to do. And so Moses, uh God was displaced. He says, Because in verse uh Numbers chapter 20, verse 12, because you have not believed me to treat me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them. This is Numbers chapter 20, verse 12. That is the incident. And then in Deuteronomy chapter 3, which is the beginning of his final address, Paul, I mean not Paul, Moses. Moses uh shared about that incident. He says in verse in Deuteronomy chapter 3, verse 25 to 28, he says, At that time I pleaded with the Lord, let me go over and see. Uh let me go over and see the good land beyond Jordan, that fine land, fine country and Lebanon. But the Lord was angry with me and would not listen to me. Then it's enough, the Lord says, Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. Go to the top of Pisgah, which is Mount Nabor, and look west, south, north, south, and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to this Jordan. You are not going to cross this Jordan. But commission Joshua and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead these people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see. That's Deuteronomy chapter 3, verse 23 to 28. And so in Deuteronomy 32, which uh I think some of my colleagues have uh thought about Deuteronomy chapter 32, verse 48 to 52. This is even more clear. Maybe we like to read together. 48. The Lord told Moses, go up to die. The own possession. There on the mountain, you climb, you will die. And Aaron people, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. And this is because you have both broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Mariba Kadesh in the desert of Zin. And because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites, therefore you shall see the land only from a distance. You will not enter the land I'm giving to the people of Israel. Okay, this is even clearer. Not only just going up the mountains, but he will die there. He will not enter Jordan, he will not enter the promised land. So here it's very specific that Moses will die just as Aaron will die. You know how Aaron died? Aaron couldn't die in a way, because uh only until his whole priestly robes was removed, then he died. Okay, so there's something about uh the presence of God among these people. And so Moses had to go to Mount Nabor, right up there, and God had granted him the his wish, his desire to see the land, just see the land, but he's not allowed to cross over Jordan. But the thing is, uh in in 34, Deuteronomy 34, there was a confirmation. He went up. He went up 34 verse 1 and 2, he went up to Mount Nabor. So, but the thing that I like about this verse is that God called this old man, this man who is 120 years old, to go up a mountain. How many old men here can climb the mountain? Difficult. But you notice one thing, not only is he 120, he also have strength. His strength is still very, it's still there, still strong. And his eyes is still undimmed. That means he's got perfect eyesight. So when he so is it possible? I believe it's possible, that we can live up to 120, our strength can be still strong, our eyes can still be cleared. Even as I read this verse, there are a few versions about this. He says, Moses was 120 when he when he died, yet his eyes was not weak, nor his strength gone. His eyes was not dimmed, nor his natural uh force abated. His eyes was undimmed, but yet vigor was unabated. Okay, he's as strong as ever. His perfect eyesight is still good. And even as I read this verse so many times, in so many versions, I just felt a prompting this morning that those people who have problems with moving, moving, those people have problems with legs, hands, whatever it is, and even with eyes problem. May I just suggest to you right now, let's close our eyes and let's pray right now. Let's pray right now. Hallelujah. That's the power in the word of God. Lord, right now, according to your word, we know it is possible. We know whatever you say in the word is truth and life. So right now I speak life upon my the your people here right now. Those people with leg problems, with knee problems, with eye problems, and whatever problems right now. Lord, you are with your people right now. Do that work right now. Send your word. Send your word, Lord. Everything is possible. Everything is possible. Hallelujah. We thank you right now. Let your words be sent forth, let it accomplish what's been sent forth and heal your people. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Hallelujah. God is good. Hallelujah. And so he has great strength. He's still as strong. Then the other thing is not only did he wanna, but he saw what did Moses saw as God showed him. He saw the whole promised land which Yahweh promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That's in verse 4. Okay, he saw. He saw as far north. Okay, I show you this map. I don't know whether you can see. This map, uh, the one on the left is present, present Israel. They are fighting over there right now. It's present Israel. The one on the right is what we call probably in the past. Past may not be a correct word to use, but it is the promised land. Both Ezekiel and uh Jeremiah, is it? Ezekiel and the other prophets prophesy that this is the border of Israel. So we can see these two maps side by side. We can see that the promised land is much bigger than the present Israel. It's much, much uh bigger. It's right all the way to the north. Okay? And the thing is, you see the X there? The X? The X is uh Mount Nabor. Mount Nabor. It's actually very present, very close to a place called Maadaba, at the top of the Dead Sea. Okay? So that's where Moses was viewing the promised land. He was viewing the promised land from the north as far as Dan, as far as Gilvert and uh Gilet, and Natalie, and then westwards towards Ephraim, Manasseh, and all the land of Judah. And to the wet all the way to the Western Sea, which is the Mediterranean Sea. And to Negev. Negev is the triangle there, right? On the south, Egypt, very near between Egypt and uh Jordan. Okay, and that's where he says that's all the promise. Moses was going anti-clockwise. Moses was going anti-clockwise from the north right up to the south. Right up to the south. And so that is the promised land that Moses saw. Okay? Abraham, on the other hand, didn't see from Mount Nebor. Abraham in Genesis chapter 13, verse 14 to 17, he saw the promised land too, but he was watching it from the bottom, between Egypt and Jordan, the triangle there, right below. So somewhere near the wilderness of Zin, he was watching the promised land from there. So they are watching the same thing, the promised land. Okay, so because in the ancient uh Near East at that time, such viewing from the mountain amounts to the formal act of taking possession. That means as far as you can see, it's yours. That's the way you see. That's why somebody says if Abraham have got a helicopter, he goes up, he will see even further. He will maybe even see the oil that's around. But unfortunately, he was on the land and he saw what he could see. And so this uh this is the actual Mount Nabor, the one with the with the direction there. Okay, if you go to Israel over in Jordan's side, you can climb, can you can reach this mountain and you will see all this view, and they will show you where it uh Israel, uh Jerusalem is, uh Bethlehem is, and and and uh yeah, this is from Mount Nabo. But if on a clear day, this is very cloudy, but if on a clear day you will probably see uh the city of Jerusalem. Okay, so is it is we are looking towards the Mediterranean Sea, okay? So that's what uh Moses saw. And so Moses climbed up, went up, Moses saw, and Moses died. Okay, he died and was buried by Yahweh in a place that nobody knows in verse 5 and 6. Nobody knows. This is a case of uh somebody who went up, nobody knows how he died, nobody knows where he is, nobody knows where he's buried, only God knows. Okay, he is not like uh Enoch who walked with God and didn't come back. Or he is not like Elijah who was taken by the whirlwind in a chariot right up to heaven. He is not like that. He really died because the Bible says he died. You know why? Because God buried him. God will not bury somebody who didn't die, because that would be killing. God, he died. And in Joshua chapter 1, verse 1 and 2, it stated very clearly, after the death of Moses. Joshua chapter 1, huh? And also in verse 2 it says, uh, my servant Moses is dead. So it's very clear, God said it again, Moses is dead. However, there are also and also we know that Moses is really dead, he has a body that died. In the sense that because in Jude verse 9, Jude 9, there's no verse, Jude 9, we see Archangel Michael and Satan fighting over the body of Moses. So definitely Moses is dead. Okay, I I I don't want to go into the speculation uh into it, but there's a possibility that uh it's just my own thinking. The Satan was fighting over the use of his body. Okay? Uh a dead body. Dead body is also still useful to the devil. Okay, so he died, and so he really died, and but we are we are not giving the we are not given the text of how exactly the mood and cause of his death. We are not given. We know he died. You just just gonna take by faith what God said, he died, he was buried by him. And then we we this is where we I want I'm going to an area of speculation, okay? This is what some people say. Uh according to to uh Jewish tradition, uh Rabbi, rabbinic tradition, they said Moses died according to the word of God. Some say according to the mouth of God. According to the mouth of God. Okay? And this is where the rabbi says Moses died by the keys of Yahweh. Kiss of Yahweh. Okay? There may be some truth there. Let me just illustrate. Because the verse 10 is there will there will never ever be a prophet who sees God face to face. The word face to face is Paniam El Paniam, means face to face. This face to face is not just I look at you, you look me, look at it look at me, but it's a very intimate uh term, a very close term, uh like between a husband and a wife, or Adam knew Eve, that kind of uh term. So it's very close, very close. So there is a possibility because of this closeness, it could be the kiss of Yahweh, it could be the kiss of Yahweh, because in Exodus 33, Moses, verse 18, Moses says, Show me your glory, show me your glory, and God says, No, you cannot see my glory. Anybody who sees my glory will die. But he says, But I'll let you see. But the way God did it is he pressed him into the cliff of the rock. Uh some people say they pressed him into Christ, the rock. Okay? But whatever it is, the hand of the Lord was over Moses so that God passed by with his glory, and Moses could only see the back of Yahweh. That is Exodus 33. Okay, because Moses had not finished his job. That's why he will not, God would want him to be still alive, to lead the Israelites from the wilderness uh to the promised land. Okay, that could be the reason. But in Deuteronomy uh 34, by Deuteronomy 34, Moses have completed his task, has completed his task. That's why I believe God cooperated, granting Moses' wish, allowing Moses to see him face to face, knowing that Moses had to obey his command to die. Probably he saw the face of God. Okay, that's just my own interpretation, I may be wrong, but it's a good explanation. The keys of Yahweh. The other person who saw God and didn't die. Anyone know? Who saw God's face but didn't die? It is Jacob. Jacob, the the the the the the scruplus, Jacob. When he went to this place called, he named it Panel, the face of God, he said, I saw the face of God, but my life was preserved. Genesis chapter 32, verse 20. Okay, it's unusual, only that man. And he he attribute his survival to divine miracle. Okay, what can we learn from Moses? His life and his death. What can we learn from Moses? I believe Moses, disobedience, firstly, we can learn from him. Not the bad part, but we can learn lessons from his disobedience. We can learn the consequence of his disobedience. Because half obedience is disobedience. Compromise obedience is disobedience. Imagine if Moses has had obeyed, what will the story ending be? It will be totally different if he have obeyed. How many of us here? Are we sabotaging our full potential in God because we want immediate gratification of our wants and desires now? Or are we profiting those potential and purpose of God for momentary satisfaction, convenience, and security? Are there, or how many conquests and adventure God will want us to have of joy have we profited because of our disobedience? So from his disobedience, let us not disobey, but let's obey. Because God has promised, Jesus Himself promised that you will have life and life abundantly. Life abundantly means life that is of full potential. That's why non-Christians need to come to know Jesus. Because when we come to Jesus, we can live the full potential. What you are doing right now is great, but are you living to the full potential? That's God's heart desire. And the other thing is, even as we disobeyed, thank God we are under the grace of God right now. Even though we fail, God can still forgive us. If we confess our sin, He's faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us. We shouldn't be holding guilt, we shouldn't be holding condemnation because God is a God of second chance, third chance, and I don't know how many chances, but He will give us that chance to turn back so that we can continue, can start now, and begin to walk towards the end, living our full potential. Are you living your full potential? God wants to stretch you. All the difficult times and experience you have right now, God is stretching you so that you can accommodate the full capacity of the possibility and dream of God. Hallelujah. So start living in the full potential, continue into the right direction. The other thing is about Moses. Firstly, Moses is obedient, we can learn. Secondly, we can learn the good side. Secondly, is Moses' submission. Okay, after after Numbers 20, after the incident where he was disallowed to enter the promised land, in Numbers 31, verse 1 to 7 is very interesting. God is no respecter of anybody. How would Moses be feeling at this time? Because in Numbers 31, verse 1 to 7, God commanded Moses, Moses, gather your people, go and attack the land of Midians. 1,000 men from each tribe, altogether 12,000, to attack the land of Midian, to take revenge for God. That's what God told him. What would you do if you are Moses? I just cannot go promised land. Maybe just sit down and protest. I don't feel good. What's the point? I'm not going to promised land. Why should I obey? You know, I can sabotage Joshua. I can sabotage, uh, make sure things don't go out well. I will weep or maybe groan and suck and be bitter. What did Moses did? Moses carried out that order. He failed in Numbers 20. But this time in Numbers 31, he carried out that order. That is Moses. His submission. It's not depending on how you feel. It's not depending whether I like it or not. But Moses carried out the order. Would you carry out God's order if you are displeased with God not answering your prayer? Not healing you? Are you still all game to go all the way? Knowing we are serving the Lord. Moses' submission. And he submitted and he served the Lord well until the very end. Even though he had a mistake, somebody will be saying, Why is God so harsh to Moses? I believe this is the price you pay for being a leader. Okay? If you are a leader, your small mistake is very big. If you are just an ordinary member, it's okay. You know, you don't need the consequence is not so great. But because he is God have to be right with him because of his holiness, because of his reverence of the people. The third thing is that Moses' consolation. After all that, after his failures, disobedience, after his submission, in the end, he didn't go to the promised land. But guess what? He had consolation. The consolation is that he appeared in the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus. He did cross the promised land. He did when he appeared with Elijah and Jesus. And the disciples recognize him. I don't know how they recognize him. Maybe they wear a tag. I don't think so. But they know they can recognize it's Moses. They recognize it is Elijah. And uh so that that is the the whole thing we can learn from Moses. Firstly, we can learn from his disobedience. Don't disobey. Have long obedience right up to the end, in the same direction, in the right direction towards God. Life and blessings is waiting for you. And that you will live your full potential. Continue to summit even though you don't feel like it. Then the thing is there will always be mercy and consolation. Let's pray.