Go up . . . to Mount Nebo in Moab . . . There on the mountain . . . you will die (Deut. 32:49, 50).

So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eye was not dim, nor his strength abated (Deut. 34:5, 7).

Strange doings of the Lord!

Moses must die. Here is a man with a world of experience, with tremendous love and devotion for the cause and work of the Lord. He is still a strong man, at 120 years of age. His eye sight was still normal. Even if they had been available, he would not have needed eye glasses to read. He can still do a full day’s work. But he must die.

And Moses is obedient. He ascends the mountain and dies. Wonder how he died? Just dropped dead? Did he have a heart arrest? We don’t know. But the point is that there is no physical reason for any ailment. He isn’t weak or feeble. He isn’t even sick. But die he must. Why? There’s only one answer, his work is finished.

Time and again Moses is called the servant of the Lord. And that he was. What a beautiful description of a man, of his work and life. Religion with him was not a part-time affair, or something he did or had on Sunday alone. The service of the Lord required all his time and efforts.

Isn‘t this the way all Christians should view their lives? In catechism our children learn the three parts of the Heidelberg Catechism: sin, salvation, and service. Shouldn’t therefore everyone who knows the first two parts also know what Christian service is, and that this is our main calling as saved sinners? Naturally this is true of the people in a special office, in special work, such as pastors, missionaries, Christian teachers, and others. But surely it is also, or should also be true for all Christians, parents, husbands and wives, yes, every Christian. Someone once said, “To serve as a Christian is to live, everything else is dying.”

There is always so much work to be done in the kingdom, in the home, school and church, and also in the community and for our neighbor, who may be a widow, or poor, or have some other need. How sad that so much we live for ourselves, and that retirement is considered to be a constant vacation, whether we spend it at home or half of the year in the sunny south. Only too often older people retire from spiritual service. After all, they have done enough, let the younger generation take over. That’s how they often talk. Is it perhaps because they know so little of the need and also the joy of Christian service? Even when we become old and feeble we are called to Christian service. Perhaps we can do no more than witness, but this is a tremendous task. Don’t underestimate it. Never, never should the older people think or say, there’s nothing left for us to do. Many, many sick beds have become tremendous “pulpits.”

Well, Moses was a servant of the Lord. So he lived and so he died. Now the Lord is calling him to better and perfect service above. And as with Moses, so with us. He didn‘t die because he was sick. No, he died because his work was finished. God naturally always uses means with us, some die because of an accident, another one has cancer, a third one a heart attack. But these are all means in God‘s hand. Christians die because their life and work is finished. Such people the angels usher into the perfect service of heaven, with and for the Lord.

But Moses is called to die. He must be willing to die, and submit to this call of the Lord. What a call! Throughout his life he had been called in a hundred and one ways. Called, then here, then there. And when God calls we have to give an answer. And who wants to die?

Sometimes He calls us to die in a special way, when for example we have an incurable disease and we have exploited every possible means for recovery. To such people the Lord says, “I am calling you to die.” He wants us to go willingly in such circumstances. But this call to die comes to all people gradually as they grow older. The usual way is that people retire at a given age of life. So many people look forward to this. Usually most people still feel quite well when they have reached retirement age, and everybody wishes them a long and happy retirement. Wonderful. But as time goes on and their lives are spared, infirmities of the body become more apparent, and weaknesses become more pronounced. What all this really means also, is that the Lord is gradually calling them to die. He wants us to grow old graciously, willing, and to be willing to get ready to die. And that’s not all bad. In fact it is not bad at all. Death will be gain for such Christians. In heaven we will have the joy of serving Him perfectly.

But it makes all the difference how we have lived and are living. Remember, Moses is called a servant of the Lord. It is for those who know by experience and make it their goal to live a life of service and love for their Lord, to be able to view their death as a call to better service above. On the other hand, for people whose life has been a pursuit for worldly gains and material possessions and a living for self, that death will be the greatest catastrophe that will ever overtake them.

Moses is called to die. So are we. At first it was difficult for Moses to give heed to this call. This giant of faith wrestled with it. Later, Lord, not now yet. So he reasoned, and talked. How much be would want to enter the land of Canaan with the Israelites. He prayed and prayed. Finally t he Lord told him not to pray for this anymore. And he became submissive. What kind of answer will you give, or are you giving to this call now?

In faith Moses went, obedient to the call. Wonder how that went? Did he perhaps say goodbye, bid farewell to his hosts of friends? If so, they no doubt asked him, “Where are you going Moses?” And he replied, “I’m going up Mount Nebo and die.” That kind of answer must have been astounding. Did he then just leave them and walk towards the mountain? Quite likely. And thousands possibly watched him go, with much sadness and teary eyes. Finally they can see him no more, that great man of God, who is obedient to the final call in life. Marvelous faith!

Of course in all this Moses is only a shadow of the great Son of God. And a shadow is not much. It really has no substance at all. So Christ is everything compared with the shadows, even the giants in faith. What a great Savior He is, the very Son of God. If Moses’ obedience to this call was great, consider that the obedience of our Lord was infinitely greater. His whole life was one of perfect service, the service of love for His people. He was called to die the death of the cross, the death of hell. And obedient He was.

On the mountain Moses is given special vision to see the whole land of promise. What a land it is. No, he may not enter, but he may see it. Even though he surely went to heaven, at this stage he is forbidden entrance into the earthy Canaan. He, too, has sinned. He must remain outside, that rebels like those Israelites may enter in. Again do we see Christ, who was cast out, that we may enter in, forever.

But Moses may see it. And we sing, “By faith we can see it afar.” Many Christians on their death beds have been given the faith to see the other side of the “Jordan,” the inexpressible glories of heaven. They are those who in life knew the Lord and what it means to live in Christian service in the different phases of the life of the kingdom.

O God, give us grace t hat we may give heed to the call now, and know what it really means to lose ourselves in love for our Lord.