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The Beginning of the End
Moses Previews Israel’s History
Moses saw the chosen people in Canaan, each of the tribes in its
own territory. He had a view of their history—the long, sad story of
their apostasy and its punishment. He saw them dispersed among
the nations, the glory departed from Israel, her beautiful city in ruins,
and her people captives in strange lands. He saw them restored to
the land of their heritage, and at last brought under the dominion of
Rome.
He was permitted to behold the first advent of our Savior. He
saw Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem. He heard the voices of the angel
choir burst out in the glad song of praise to God and peace on earth.
In the night sky he saw the star guiding the Wise Men of the east
to Jesus, and a great light flooded his mind as he recalled those
prophetic words, “A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall
rise out of Israel” (
Numbers 24:17
). He witnessed Christ’s humble
life in Nazareth, His ministry of love and sympathy and healing.
He saw Him rejected by a proud, unbelieving nation. Amazed, he
listened to their boastful exaltation of the law of God, while they
despised and rejected Him by whom the law was given. He saw
Jesus on the Mount of Olives as with tears He said goodbye to the
city of His love.
As Moses watched the final rejection of that people for whom he
had worked, prayed, and sacrificed, for whom he had been willing
to have his own name blotted from the book of life, as he listened
to those fearful words, “See! Your house is left to you desolate”
(
Matthew 23:38
), his heart was torn with anguish. Bitter tears fell
from his eyes in sympathy with the sorrow of the Son of God.
Moses Sees the Crucifixion and the Earth Made New
He followed the Savior to Gethsemane and saw the agony in the
garden, the betrayal, the mockery and scourging, the crucifixion.
Moses saw that as he had lifted up the bronze serpent in the wilder-
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ness, so the Son of God must be lifted up, so “that whoever believes
in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (
John 3:15
). Grief,
indignation, and horror filled the heart of Moses as he viewed the