Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-21
for SUNDAY Scbool8.
STAR LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER a.
6 AMERICAN SOCIETY RELIGIOUS
E;FE 1.-THE DEATH OF MOSES" Deuteronomy
BY Rev. ]. E. Gilbert, DID,,

1NTRODUCTION.-The book Of Deu-
teronomy, from which our last two lessons
were taken. Is really the dying message OF
Moses. 1t was customary in the patri-
archal times for men before passing away
to make some final utterance, longer or
shorter. So 1t was with Jacob Gen, xlix:D
Such deliverances were highly esteemed by
those to whom they were made, as they
came from the accumulated wisdom OF the
years that were gone and the hopes OF the
time to come. Moses in his address re-
capitulated the law of God and made com
ments thereon, after which he gave whole
some advice. The address ended with a
glowing tribute to Jehovah and to lsraei,
found in the last verse OF the thirty-thiro
chapter a passage Of rare beauty ana
strength The chapter now to be studied.
an account Of his death and burial and
some matters connected Herewith, must
have been written by some other hanu'
probably by some scribe at some later time
CLOSING VISION Oversees 1. 2. 3D.
One great privilege was granted to Moses
before his death-he was permitted to see
from a distance the land Of promise, the
land of his hope and endeavors For this
purpose he assembled Mount Nebo, peak
Of the range Abarim. which extended from
north to south east Of the Jordan. The
origin Of the name has been assigned to
the meaning OF the word high or "ele-
waited" but some think it was derived from
the fact that Nebo. a heather deity. was
once worshiped there. Nebo was one or
the several peaks belonging to Pisgah.
There God showed him Canaan. on both
sides of the river. First the eye swept
northward over Gilead to Dan, thence west
to Naphtali. thence southwark to Ephraim
and Manasseh, thence to Judah and the
great sea, the Mediterranean and the in
tervening country, as 1t would be inhab-
tied by Israel Stanley. after visiting the
heights. said: THE whole range Is one
vast Pisgah, from which views may be had
of the hills and the valleys and the entire
land Of promise"
DIVINE RESTRAINT Verse 4).-It
may be readily believed that Moses had a
strong desire to enter Canaan. That had
been the one controlling motive since the
day he left Jethro's flock in NJ dian EEK,
HID. 1t had filled his mind with hope,
courage and patience as he stood before the
obdurate Pharaoh pleading for the release
of his people.
1t had sustained him during the wan
dering of nearly forty years in the wilder
ness, a time of sore trial and great
pense. 1t had been the burden of his long
address in which he sought to prepare
Israel for the new home (Deut., Xviii:9).
Standing upon Pisgah and viewing the land
in the distance, he must have felt a strange
desire to tread its valleys and visit its
cities. But God had ordered otherwise. He
was not permitted so much as to enter.
He had led Israel to the border. but he
before him. Moses knew the reason for
this restraint. and he told the people. He
pleaded, but God refused Deut., iii:25-27.
A sin committed twenty years before
(Num., xx:12) kept him out.
SECRET BURIAL (verses and O.
The patriarchs esteemed their burial places.
Abraham purchased a cave for himself and
Sarah in the land of promise Gen,
xxiii19). There Jacob was laid to rest by
his sons Gen. l:13). The bones of Jo-
seph. the last Of his mortal part were car
ried from Egypt to Canaan lex, xiii:19).
From time immemorial the orentaHsts felt
1t a high honor to sleep the last sleep in
the company of the fathers. But even
this was denied Moses. He must die In
Moab and there his body must remain. and
that because of his conduct at Meribah-
kahish Oeut., xxxii:N-5D. Accordingly
his grave was made near Beth-peor. and
no man knew where. 1t was an unmarked
spot Jude, 81. which no one in after CEN
turtles might visit. a sepulcher appointed by
the Lord himself. a secret resting place far
removed from the habitations of Israel.
God himself performed the funeral rites.
ADVANCED Cverses O.-Longevity is
promised as a reward of Righteousness
psalm. xci:16; Prov, iii:16. 1t came to
the patriarchs In most remarkable way Of
the statements may be received as his
toricaD, probably through simplicity of life,
or physical righteousness Gen., v:20.
Moses at the time Of his death had reached
one hundred and twenty years, fifty-hve
years less than Abraham Gen, xxv:O. and
ten years more than Joseph Gen, l:26).
The life of Moses was divided into three
equal parts-forty years in Egypt, forty
years in indian and forty years in the ex-
odus. 1t Is noted here as a matter of spe-
cial interest that he came to the end with
much vigor. His eye was not dim. nor
his natural force abated." This indicated
that he might have lived longer, but that
he passed away at this time because 1t was
the will OF the Lord that he should go.
His work was done. and another must lead
Israel where he was not permitted.
NATIONAL MOURNING Verse 81
When Jacob died there were three periods
Of mourning. forty days by the Israelites
seventy days by the Egyptians. accord
Ing to their custom to fill religious obli-
cations, and seven days on arrival in
Canaan (Gen.. 1910. But after the death
Of Moses the public expression Of grief
and respect was limited to thirty days.
as it was in the case Of Aaron, who died
in Mount Hor Numb, xx:29). The exer-
cises connected with such occasions were
exceedingly varied, comprising the beat
ing Of the breast or other part of the
body. weeping and screaming In excess
sive degree, wearing sad color garments.