Moses held a kind of "Living Funeral" 40 days before he was to pass away. He gathered Israel to speak to them before they would soon cross into the Promised Land. His message was not to get them to sharpen their knives or brush up on their military tactics, but to obey God. He reminds them of God's:
PROVISIONS.
God calls His people to love and obey Him—not to earn His love, but in response to it. His past provision reminds us: we love because He first loved us. The gospel fuels grateful obedience, unlike legalism or self-righteousness, which cannot save or glorify God.
PUNISHMENTS.
Israel’s disobedience brought judgment. God, a consuming fire, warns that unfaithfulness leads to curses, symbolized at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. Today, not all in the church truly belong to Christ—those who remain unrepentant may reveal themselves as hypocrites and face eternal punishment.
PROMISES.
Obedience brings blessings—not as wages earned, but as gifts of grace. The greatest promise is a new heart (Deut. 30:6)—the New Covenant. When we fail, God does not. He will save and transform those who humble themselves and trust in Jesus.
May the words of a dying man (Moses) lead you to life! May Jesus' death lead you to eternal life!
