Deuteronomy 33: Moses gives a blessing to each of the 12 tribes.

Deuteronomy 34: The death of Moses. In Deuteronomy 32 Moses was told to go up on Mt Nebo to die, but here he goes to the top of Pisgah. Mount Pisgah and Mount Nebo are closely connected in the Bible, but scholars debate whether they are the exact same peak or two different peaks on the same ridge. Either way, it would have been high enough to see much of the Promised Land since Mt Nebo has an elevation of 3300 feet. 34:1 Now Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land,⁵ So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. ⁶ And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows his burial place to this day.” AI: “Known locally by its Arabic name, Siyagha, Mt. Nebo began attracting Christian worshipers in the early fourth century, when Christianity was acknowledged in the Roman Empire as a lawful religion. Its connection to Moses and the Exodus narrative brought in Christian monks, who wanted to live and pray near where Moses was buried, as well as pilgrims, who wished to commemorate the prophet and contemplate God’s promises to his people.” (Biblical Archaeology Society article).

An interessting verse in Jude 1:⁹ But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” We don’t know why the devil wanted the body of Moses. AI: “Many scholars suggest that Satan wanted to reveal the location of Moses’ grave so the Israelites would turn his remains into an object of worship or an idolatrous shrine. Another view, supported by scholars like Richard Bauckham, is that Satan laid a legal claim to Moses because Moses was a sinner and a murderer (having killed an Egyptian in Exodus 2:12). Under this theory, Satan argued that Moses stood condemned under the law, giving the devil a rightful claim over his body and soul.” We don’t know why the devil wanted the body of Moses. But Michael rebuked him. Moses was the only man God spoke face to face with. He had his weaknesses, but he ended up serving God for 120 years. The grace of God that saved Abraham and David (Romans 4) would save Moses in spite of his sin at Meribah. He would appear with Elijah on the Mt of Transfiguration making it even clearer that he was in a good place after he died and was not with the devil.

What a great complement is paid to Moses. 34:¹⁰ Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, ¹¹ for all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land, ¹² and for all the mighty power and for all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.” He was also the great lawgiver. John 1:¹⁷ For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” He was the great deliverer of God’s people from slavery, a type of Jesu, the even greater deliverer of God’s people from spiritual slavery (Hebrews 3:1-4).

THE CONQUEST OF CANAAN PERIOD. The 6th period of Old Testament history.

THE BOOK OF JOSHUA

Joshua 1: Still camped on the plains of Moab 3 days before entering Canaan, God tells Joshua 3 times “Be strong and courageous”. He has faith that God will give Israel victory over the fortified cities and stron armies of the Canaanite nations, but he will need courage. He and his Israelires army will be fighting for 7 1/2 years, conquering 31 Canaanite kings.

Joshua 2: Jericho sent 2 spies out “secretly” to spy out Canaan, especially Jericho. That was pretty smart. I’m sure he wanted to avoid what happened when the 12 spies went out 40 years ago and caused a rebellion against Moses and God. Most of us know the story of Rahab hiding the 2 spies and then helping them escape the city through a window in her house which was on the outer wall. I want to focus on what made her decide to start following Yahweh, the God of the Israelites. Joshua 1: ⁹ and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. ¹⁰ For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. ¹¹ When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. ” The spies came back to Joshua with a different report than the 10 spies did 40 years ago when they spied out the same land. “They said to Joshua, “Surely the Lord has given all the land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us.”

Observation: Not just Rahab but all the inhabitants of the land of Canaan heard about the 10 plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the defeat of Og and Sihon. They all could have converted to follow Yahweh just like Rahab did. So don’t feel like God is being too harsh in commanding the Israelites to totally destroy all the Canaanite pagan nations. They worshipped other gods for a long time. They had heard of the God of Israel back in the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God even sent Melchizadek as a priest and king of Salem (later Jerusalem) to try to convert some of them but we don’t know if he had any success. An interesting verse, God told Abraham in Genesis 15:¹⁶ Then in the fourth generation (of being slaves in Egypt) they (Israel) will return here (to Canaan), for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.” God was patient with pagan nations up to a certain point. When He decided that a nation was “past the point of no return” He would destroy that nation. “The cup of God’s wrath” would become full and He would exercise justice, which He the just judge of the world has the right and obligation to do.

Joshua 3: The crossing of the Jordan was an important step in showing that God had chosen Joshua to lead the people in the conquest of Canaan. It was what the parting of the Red Sea was to confirm Moses as God’s leader. This of course was not a “parting of the Jordan” but the backing up of a river since it was a river and not a sea. The ark, carried by the priests, would remain in the bed of the Jordan until everyone had crossed over, which would take a long time since there were probably over 1 1/2 million Israelites. As each person crossed over and saw the ark standing by the waters held back, it would have reminded them tht their God Yahweh was all powerful. 3:¹⁰ Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite.”