The Main Character

(by Lorie Codispoti)

I may be among the minority here, but I welcome spoilers when it comes to stories. In fact, most of the time I receive a book or movie recommendation the first thing I want to know is how it ends. I’ve been known to START with the last chapter of a book and the last scene in a movie. Perhaps it’s my distain for lousy endings and love for happy ones that motivates this behavior. Or, maybe it’s my curious nature that compels such impatience. The bottom line is I simply must know what happens last, first.

Take the life of Moses, for example. My favorite part of what the Bible tells us about his story occurs at the end of his life. In his last hours Moses charges and commissions Joshua as Israel’s new leader. (Deut.31) Then he composed a song about God’s faithfulness and the consequences of sin, and taught it to the Israelites. (Deut.32) And in his last public act, Moses calls the tribes together and pronounces a blessing over each one. (Deut.33)

As if all of those things aren’t impressive enough, what happens next is nothing short of extraordinary. The Lord instructed Moses to climb a mountain, where God presented him with a panoramic view of the Promised Land. (Deut.34:1-7) In verse seven it says, “Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated.” (Deut.34:7)

Good night, y’all! The man climbed a mountain at 120 years old, with the strength of a young man. And, when he reached the summit, his clear, cataract-less vision beheld a spectacular view of what God had long since promised his people. Is that a wow moment, or what?

Because the Book is complete, we have the advantage of being able to read “the end” of many stories. But, do you know what the real advantage is - the thing that should captivate our hearts from beginning to end? It’s God! It’s everything that God reveals to us about Himself in every single moment of every person’s life throughout the entire book of the Bible.

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deut.29:29)

The story of Moses is not so much the story of a great man, as much as it is the story of a great God. Moses had no way of knowing how prophetic his life would be, or how God would use every detail as a means to deliver an entire nation and foreshadow the promised Deliverer. He had no way of knowing how closely God planned for his story to parallel Jesus’ earthly life. But God knew! And because of His great love for us, He makes sure we know by giving us His Word. “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.” (Romans 1:19)

Look again at the actions performed at end of Moses’ life - only this time let’s shine the spotlight on the central Figure:

~ “The Lord your God Himself crosses over before you…” (Deut.31:3)

God assures Moses that He will go before them. Sin may have prevented Moses from entering into the Promise Land, but it didn’t shut him out of being assured that his life mattered and that God’s plan would prevail. Likewise, God assures us that not even our sin can hinder Him from making our lives count for His purpose.

~ “For the Lord your God, He is the one who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” (Deut31:6b)

God not only went before His people, but He went with them and stayed with them. Is there any greater gift than God’s very presence? Jesus went to the cross and was forsaken so that we never have to be. We can be “strong and courageous” (31:6a) because of His ever present presence.

~ “For I will proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He.” (Deut.32:3-4)

In the same way that Moses was compelled to sing of God’s greatness in his last hours, our lives proclaim His never-ending perfection and faithfulness. At the end of our story, may our lives also sing of the magnitude of His greatness, and may the sound echo through all generations.

~ “The Lord came… and dawned upon us; He shone forth…; He came… Yes, He loved his people…so they followed in Your steps, receiving direction from you.” (Deut.33:2-3)

Moses introduced his blessing over each tribe with reminders of how God’s great love compelled Him to come to their aid. It is that same love that rescues us from the bondage of sin. Because He "first loved us" we can love.(1Jn.4:19) He came, dawned, & shone forth His Light that we might follow Him.

Moses, God did something marvelous in your last hours on Earth. Despite the sin that prohibited you from entering into the Promised Land, God summoned you to the top of a mountain, so He could show it to you. This amazing display of God’s grace in your life speaks to the depths of His forgiveness and the fullness of His restorative work in our hearts. May we, like you, reach the end of our days with a clear vision to see the beauty of our Promised Land. Because of the One who is both Beginning and End, the last part of our story will be the best part too!