The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 384

L THAT MOSES MUST NOT I.EAD THE PEOPLE INTO THE PROMISED LAND DEOAUBm OJ' TBE PROVED IMPERFECTION OF BIS CHARACTER. It can hardly indeed be supposed that Joshua was in himself more perfect, or on the whole more dear to God, than Moses: but Joshua was not known to have failed distinctly and publicly as Moses was at Meribah; therefore he seemed to answer to the Divine ideal, to the require- ment of perfect holiness, better than Moses. Even so the lnw made nothing per- fect, accomplished nothing fully, because it was known and.felt to be imperfect. As applied to the guidance and training of human life for a better world it broke down. Therefore it must be set a.side in favour of something more perfect: its glory must be done away before the glory that excelleth (2 Cor, iii. 10; Heh. vii. 18, 19 ; x. 1, &c.). II. THAT MosES WAS NOT PERMITTED TO CROSS THE JORDAN: 80 much of the inheritance of Israel as lay on the wilderness side o{ Jordan, he might enter and settle, but he must not cross the river. Even so it was not possible for the law to enter in any wise upon the life to come, the land which is very far off, beyond the stream of Death. This was its limitation imposed upon it by God, by reason of its weakness, that it dealt only with this life, and with such religious sanctions, joys, and consolations, as lie upon this side the .grave exclusively. Immortal life was without the province of the law, and could only be entered in Jesus (John i. 17; x:i. 25 ; 2 Tim. i. 10). Ill. THAT MOSES WAS PERMITTED TO SEE THE LAND ERE .HE DEPARTED. Even BO the law, which brought men to the very confines of the kingdom of heaven, but. could not bring them in (cf. Matt. xi. 11), had yet within itself a clear vision of the fulfilment of its own hopes. The Song of Simeon and the Voice of the Baptist are the dying testimc,ny of the law, seeing the salvation of G.od to which it had led through many a weary year, and so content to pass away without enjoying it (Luke ii 29, 30; John iii 29-31, and cf. Heh. xi. 13; John viii. 56), IV. THAT MOSES CRAVED OF Goo A BUOCESSOB TO ,BIMBll:LII' WHO SHOULD DO-WHAT EE COULD NOT DO. Even so the law through all its voices craved for one, and demanded one of God, who should really save, who should indeed open that king- dom of heaven to which itself pointed, yet was too feeble to enter. V. THAT Goo DESIGNATED JOSHUA ('h10-oiic) TO TAKE UP AND TO FULFIL THE WORK Oil' MosEB. Even so, what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, that hath God accomplished by his Loly servant Jesus (Acts xiii. 39; Rom. viii. 3). VI. TluT MosES INSTITUTED JOSHUA TO BIB OFFICE BEFORE TBE PEOPLE, AND DECLARED EIS WORK TO HIM. Even so was Jesus proclaimed beforehand to all the faithful by the law which pointed him out as the Captain of our salvation; and our Lord himself, in his human nature, learnt from the law what himself should be and do and suffer (Luke :u:iv. 26, 27; John xix. 28; cf. Matt. :u:vi. 54; Acts xiii, 27 i xvii. 3 ; xxvi. 23; miii. 22). Consider again, with respect to the cow:luct of Moses at this time, wherein he is not a foil to one greater, but a pattern to all the servants of God - I. THAT HIS PUNISHMENT SEEMED VERY BITTER AT THIS TIME: much more BO surely than when first announced, because then the land was far off, now it wae very nigh ; then there was yet hope that the Lord would repent him of his sternness, now tbe decree was palpably final and irrevocable. After so many additional toils, ~nd after so many happy anticipations of victory, to find that the sentence of exclusion still held good must have been bitter indeed I !I. THAT BIS PUNISHMENT WAS IN FACT INEXPLICABLE TO HIMSELF', AND TO ALL, AT THAT TIME-FOR THE EXPLANATION WAS NOT TO COME l"OR MANY CENTURIES, It is only in the glory of the Mount of Transfiguration that we can understand or justify the apparent severity with which Moses was treated. Hie sentence was " exem- plary," for the sake of the people, in order to show; in the most stri½ing instance that God requireth a perfect holmess, and a sinless Mediator. But for himself, as ( on the whole) a most faithful servant, the sentence was in fact reversed ; the wrath was swallowed up in mercy. Moses died outside the promised land, but his body woe preserved from corruption by the power of God (e,,£. Deut. x:u:iv. 6 with Jude ?), and in that body he did actually stand within the inheritlLilce of lernel o.nd to.lk witli -CH. XXVII. 12-23.] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 371