The Death Of Moses And Aaron

by G. Jarvie, Glasgow | Category: From Egypt To Canaan | Oct 1969

"Moses My servant is dead" (Joshua 1.2). What pathos there is in the words! It was the finish of a great life of service. With undimmed eye, and undiminished strength he had climbed Pisgah to have a look at the land he had longed to enter. He saw it, but did not enter in. "He spake unadvisedly with his lips" (Psalm 106.33). That was the error that cut short his journey. What a lesson for every servant of God! "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one" (Colossians 4.6). If only we could always remember that verse in the stress of life and service, what a difference it would make to us! Perhaps the last lesson from the life of Moses should be one of the first lessons in our lives.

Of the Master we read in Psalm 45.2, "Grace is poured into Thy lips; therefore God hath blessed Thee for ever". And God will bless us too, if we learn the vital lesson of speaking always with grace - at home, in our assemblies, and in our daily walk with men. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, 0 LORD, my Rock, and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19.14). So said David, the sweet psalmist of Israel. Let that be our prayer. It can make a profound difference to our service.

"The man Moses was very meek, above all the men on the face of the earth" (Numbers 12.3). What a testimony to God's servant! He certainly could not have learned this trait in Pharaoh's palace. Everything there would tend to swell his ego; to give him a high opinion of himself. At that time "he was mighty in his words and works" (Acts 7.22). But a strong man, with a strong determination and ready speech, may be ill-equipped for the service of God, even if he means to do what is right. And so Moses had another forty years added to his apprenticeship in the desert of Sinai. This was as necessary a part of his training as the forty years in Pharaoh's palace. How wise the Lord is in dealing with US! Let us praise Him, not for the blessings only, but also for the vexations and disappointments. Disappointments can be His appointments. Paul learned this lesson for he wrote, "I take pleasure in weaknesses ... for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong" (2 Corinthians 12.10).

We cannot forget those few early years of training that Moses had with his own mother. Seeds would be planted then that grew up later. She would help to mould his young mind and heart, we can be sure of that.

And so Moses emerged at last, the "man of God"; a graduate from the school of God at eighty years of age! It takes time, and experience of God to make a man of God, and much of the training is in secret. Are we willing for this? It was possibly Moses who wrote Psalm 91.1, "He that dwelleth (or habitually dwells) in the secret place of the Most High shall abide (or pass the night) under the shadow of the Almighty (the All-sufficient One)".

Moses was like the Master, when He came here, "meek and lowly in heart". There is no substitute for true meekness in the service of God. Mere human ability cannot avail in His work. He must be trained and equipped by God for His service. Hence the vital necessity for prevailing prayer. Is it not just here where so many of us fail? We all pray, of course, but how do we pray? Do we intercede and supplicate God? And how much time do we spend in this vital spiritual exercise? As the roots are to a tree, so is prayer to our spiritual lives and service.

We are thrilled at the work of scientific men in the realm of technology, but behind their work are the many hours spent in patient research. And yet their work is only for time, whereas ours is for eternity. We can be sure that much of our fruitless service has its cause right here, in our all too brief prayer sessions. Let us be frank with ourselves. We cannot do a great work with little power.

"The man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt" (Exodus 11.3). His greatness sprang from the power of God in his life. His word was with power. He was God's man. Those who go into God's presence in meekness to hear His voice, will come out to men with power. Right from the beginning of his forty years' trek in the wilderness, we can see the grace and power of God in the life of Moses, until the day when he climbed the slopes of Pisgah to finish his earthly service with God whom he loved and served.

We seem to have traced his life backward, but this is helpful for us. Time Would fail to tell of the mighty hand, and the great terror, which Moses wrought in the sight of all Israel (Deuteronomy 34.12). When he died, the children of Israel wept for him thirty days. Well they might, for a great man had left them. He was great through the grace and power of God, and that is true greatness.

In contrast to Moses, we think of Aaron "the saint of the LORD" (Psalm 106.16). His days, unlike Moses', were spent among the people. From experience he knew Israel's sorrows in a way that Moses could not have known them, and so he was fitted to be the high priest, as Moses was fitted to be the apostle. He was about eighty-three years of age when he came out to meet Moses at Sinai. Much of his life had probably been spent in the brick-fields of Egypt. Those years would mark his character, and mellow him considerably, and so he was fitted in that way for the work that the LORD called him to.

Aaron stood well with Moses before Pharaoh, and did not flinch; and no doubt he would adorn his office later as high priest. But at his first real test, when Moses had gone up to the Mount to receive the tables of the testimony, Aaron failed (Exodus 32.1-6). In fear of the people he made the golden calf, and but for the intercession of Moses this would have cost him his life (Deuteronomy 9.20). He stood with Miriam also, in their criticism of Moses, though it seems likely that Miriam was the instigator (Numbers 12.1). He stood with Moses too, when he spoke unadvisably with his lips (Numbers 20.10), and this cut short his days, and his entry into the land. And so it seems evident that Aaron was a man who, in times of stress, yielded to those around him, even when they were wrong. We learn from the defeats, as well as the victories of good men. The God who probed Aaron's life, will probe ours also.

How very much we owe to men who have stood for truth, when they seemed to stand almost alone! We thank God for them. Very many, too, have yielded their lives rather than compromise the truth of God. They belong to the line of Stephen and Antipas, and many other faithful witnesses before and since. Faithful witnesses of Christ. Someone has written

"Lord, give us men and women of Thy choosing,

Save us from those who do not know Thy will;

Give us true witnesses who will not falter,

But in the sternest fight, are faithful still.

Lord, give us men and women of discernment,

Who are not spoilt by subtle words of praise;

Those who can lead and yet be ever learning,

Those who have knowledge of the Spirit's ways.

Lord, give us men and women of Thy choosing,

Without these gifts Thy work must suffer shame;

Mighty in prayer-resourceful in Thy Spirit,

Send them, 0 God, oh send them in Thy Name".