So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day. (Deuteronomy 34:5-6)

When Moses lived, he was referred to as a “man of God.” At the time of his death, he is called “servant of the LORD.” The Hebrew word translated as “servant” is עבד eved, also rendered bondservant, thus hinting that Moses was committed to obeying the Almighty unto death. Also notice it says that he died “according to the word of the LORD” — literally “at the mouth of the LORD.” Rabbinical commentators understood this to mean God took his breath away with a “kiss.” It’s not too far fetched really when you consider that man was given life when God breathed into his nostrils. At the end of Moses’ life, He took that breath from him in a similar manner.

In short, Moses is an example of a life well-lived because, until the end, he served his Master. Moreover, Moses’ dedication to God hints at the greater demonstration of the bondservant, the Messiah. In turn, His example to us serves to teach that we are all called to be a bondservant unto death –- that is, dying to ourselves in order to overcome the world. If we are faithful to do this — to endure to the end — our identity, like Moses, will be determined by our Master, the Creator. May it be that, at the end of our days, He will call us “servant of the LORD.”

In closing, I thought it would be appropriate to share Josephus’ record of Moses’ last day:

“Amidst the tears of the people, the women beating their breasts and the children giving way to uncontrolled wailing, he withdrew. At a certain point in his ascent he made a sign to the weeping multitude to advance no further, taking with him only the elders, the high priest Eleazar and the general Joshua. At the top of the mountain, he dismissed the elders, and then, as he was embracing Eleazar and Joshua, and still speaking to them, a cloud suddenly stood over him, and he vanished in a deep valley.” (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book IV, Chapter 8)

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

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