424
Patriarchs and Prophets
from professedly Christian teachers the cry, “Away with the law!”
He saw the Sabbath trodden under foot, and a spurious institution
established in its place. Again Moses was filled with astonishment and
horror. How could those who believed in Christ reject the law spoken
by His own voice upon the sacred mount? How could any that feared
God set aside the law which is the foundation of His government in
heaven and earth? With joy Moses saw the law of God still honored
and exalted by a faithful few. He saw the last great struggle of earthly
powers to destroy those who keep God’s law. He looked forward to
the time when God shall arise to punish the inhabitants of the earth for
their iniquity, and those who have feared His name shall be covered
and hid in the day of His anger. He heard God’s covenant of peace
with those who have kept His law, as He utters His voice from His
holy habitation and the heavens and the earth do shake. He saw the
second coming of Christ in glory, the righteous dead raised to immortal
life, and the living saints translated without seeing death, and together
ascending with songs of gladness to the City of God.
Still another scene opens to his view—the earth freed from the
curse, lovelier than the fair Land of Promise so lately spread out before
him. There is no sin, and death cannot enter. There the nations of
the saved find their eternal home. With joy unutterable Moses looks
upon the scene—the fulfillment of a more glorious deliverance than his
brightest hopes have ever pictured. Their earthly wanderings forever
past, the Israel of God have at last entered the goodly land.
Again the vision faded, and his eyes rested upon the land of Canaan
as it spread out in the distance. Then, like a tired warrior, he lay down
to rest. “So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of
Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And He buried him in
a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man
knoweth of his sepulcher.” Many who had been unwilling to heed the
counsels of Moses while he was with them would have been in danger
of committing idolatry over his dead body had they known the place
[478]
of his burial. For this reason it was concealed from men. But angels
of God buried the body of His faithful servant and watched over the
lonely grave.
“There arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom
Jehovah knew face to face, in all the signs and the wonders which