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‘Behold, thy days approach that thou must die.’
Deu_31:14
II. Death does not occupy that place in the Word of God which it does occupy in that religion of ours which professes to be derived from the Word of God.—In the New Testament, death is simply treated as an abolished thing. The second coming of Christ is always, in the exhortations of the New Testament, substituted for death. Death, in the eye of faith, is not the end, but the beginning, of all; it is the commencement of the ‘life that knows no ending.’
III. If Christ has robbed death of its sting, it does not behove us to look at death as if He had not done so.—Let us view the approach of death as something which He means should bring us nearer to Him. We must pray Him, since the days approach in which we must die, that death may not find us unprepared. And as we look forward to the future, we must commit our way and ourselves into His keeping.
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Rev. F. E. Paget.
Illustration(1) ‘The life of Moses breaks into three forties: the first in Egypt; the second in the wilderness; the third as leader of the Exodus. His natural force was not abated; but his career was closed by the Divine decree. He, however, comforts the people by saying that though he could not go with them into the promised land, yet Israel would have the presence and care of God, with the assurance that He would precede them, destroy before them, and give their enemies into their hands. Does not God always treat His people thus? Expect it to-day!’
(2) ‘Unrealised hopes, frequent disappointments, unfulfilled purposes, often characterise human life, and to the affections and to the philosophy of life are so mysterious and painful. Mark the conditions under which death came to Moses. (1) He died while as yet his physical strength was undiminished. “His eye was not dim, and his natural force unabated.” (2) Moses died while as yet there seemed a great work for him to do—the Jordan to be passed, Jericho to be conquered, the Canaanites driven out, the tribes led to their inheritance, the social, legislative, and religious organisation of the people to be completed. (3) Moses died just when bright prospects of realisation filled his eye; when all the hope of his life was about to be fulfilled the cup was dashed from his lips, just as it was lifted that he might drink.’
(3) ‘There is a thing Moses will do for the people before he leaves them, which may help to fix the words of God in their memory. He is to write a song and teach it to them. Sometimes the words of a song linger in the memory longer than do the words of a sermon; and Israel was to have a song setting forth the same things as Moses’ sermon. God leaves nothing undone to fortify Israel at every point against turning unto other gods.’