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Numbers 27:12-23
God tells Moses to head up the mountain so he can get a good view of the land he won't inherit. After he sees it, God will gather him up. God reminds him that he can't go in because he and Aaron didn't treat Him as holy back with that whole water from the rock thing. At first glance this seems pretty harsh. Here, smell this dessert that everyone but you will get to eat. But this might be a way to show him what all the walking was for. You aren't quite getting to the finish line- but without you, these people might not be here. Look at the reward and picture them in it.
It's interesting too that his punishment is the afterlife. Is going to "heaven" less of a reward than Canaan? No, no mansion of gold for me, I'd prefer war with giants. To be fair, as little as we understand about what is to come, these people likely knew even less. Perhaps this punishment was a reward in hindsight.
Moses, though, is concerned about the future of his people. Look- without me they're going to be wandering aimlessly, falling into pits, losing their sandals, bumping into each other- they'll need a new shepherd. God tells him to take Joshua, pus his hands on him before Eleazar and the whole community and give him some of his authority. Joshua is to stand before Eleazar who will give God's decisions using the Urim. The people will move on his command.
OK- makes sense except for the whole Urim thing. A quick google search indicates that the Urim (as opposed to the Thummim) was a special rock that indicated a yes/no response. So, if after talking to God about an issue, one rock on the priest's breastplate lit up (like a lightbulb) it indicated God's response- like a divinely inspired magic 8 ball.
So Moses followed through and Joshua was commissioned.
Two things really strike me here.
First, even Moses didn't really get what happens after you die. At least it sure seems that way. And if Moses, the closest thing the Israelites have to Jesus- in fact a figure who in many ways foreshadows Jesus- didn't get it, we aren't likely going to figure it out either. And so it becomes a lesson of trust. Follow and trust.
Second, Moses worries about what he leaves behind. It's great to be heaven-focused (yes, even essential) but it shouldn't make us less concerned about people who are still around. Moses wanted to make sure that their well being was taken care of before he left for the real promised land. And while Moses seems a bit full of himself (to me) at times- this is a great example of his selflessness.
Numbers 27:12-23
God tells Moses to head up the mountain so he can get a good view of the land he won't inherit. After he sees it, God will gather him up. God reminds him that he can't go in because he and Aaron didn't treat Him as holy back with that whole water from the rock thing. At first glance this seems pretty harsh. Here, smell this dessert that everyone but you will get to eat. But this might be a way to show him what all the walking was for. You aren't quite getting to the finish line- but without you, these people might not be here. Look at the reward and picture them in it.
It's interesting too that his punishment is the afterlife. Is going to "heaven" less of a reward than Canaan? No, no mansion of gold for me, I'd prefer war with giants. To be fair, as little as we understand about what is to come, these people likely knew even less. Perhaps this punishment was a reward in hindsight.
Moses, though, is concerned about the future of his people. Look- without me they're going to be wandering aimlessly, falling into pits, losing their sandals, bumping into each other- they'll need a new shepherd. God tells him to take Joshua, pus his hands on him before Eleazar and the whole community and give him some of his authority. Joshua is to stand before Eleazar who will give God's decisions using the Urim. The people will move on his command.
OK- makes sense except for the whole Urim thing. A quick google search indicates that the Urim (as opposed to the Thummim) was a special rock that indicated a yes/no response. So, if after talking to God about an issue, one rock on the priest's breastplate lit up (like a lightbulb) it indicated God's response- like a divinely inspired magic 8 ball.
So Moses followed through and Joshua was commissioned.
Two things really strike me here.
First, even Moses didn't really get what happens after you die. At least it sure seems that way. And if Moses, the closest thing the Israelites have to Jesus- in fact a figure who in many ways foreshadows Jesus- didn't get it, we aren't likely going to figure it out either. And so it becomes a lesson of trust. Follow and trust.
Second, Moses worries about what he leaves behind. It's great to be heaven-focused (yes, even essential) but it shouldn't make us less concerned about people who are still around. Moses wanted to make sure that their well being was taken care of before he left for the real promised land. And while Moses seems a bit full of himself (to me) at times- this is a great example of his selflessness.
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