Then Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. And he said to them: “I am one hundred and twenty years old today. I can no longer go out and come in. Also the Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross over this Jordan.’ ” (Deuteronomy 31:2)
One hundred and twenty years is a long time to walk this earth, and it was at this age that Moses’ tenure came to a close. This is not to say that he was old and feeble, in fact, the Bible says just the opposite: “His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished” (Deuteronomy 34:7). It is to say that, in accordance with what God had spoken previously, he was not permitted to go with Israel into the land of Canaan. Thus we are to understand that, though everyone has a purpose in this life, that purpose is for a season.
We can see this same principle conveyed in the words of John the Baptist who, recognizing the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). John understood that his mission, to prepare the way of the LORD, had been fulfilled and thus his purpose and season had come to an end. Likewise, Moses understood that his tenure had come to end so that Joshua, the son of Nun, could assume his role in the Kingdom of God.
In the words of Solomon, everything (and everyone) has a purpose and a season; every season has a reason. Furthermore, when one season has served its purpose and comes to an end, another season that serves another purpose begins. All of us have come into this world to serve a purpose for a season that the Creator has already determined. When our time to depart comes that simply means, hopefully anyway, that our purpose has been fulfilled. Even then, that doesn’t mean it is the end of us — it’s the end of what God called us to do in this life — but there is more to come in eternity. My point is, then, in preparation for our role in the world to come, let’s make certain that we serve our purpose in this season we have been given by our Creator that we may all hear Him say, “Well done.”
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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