(11) Death. This finished, he went up to the top of Pisgah, where God strengthened his sight to take a clear view of the whole of the western Canaan. His natural strength was no way abated, but, perhaps, in a trance of wonder at the good ness of God, he breathed out his last. To in timate the future burial of his ceremonial law, and to hinder the Hebrews from idolizing his relics, the Lord buried him in the valley over against Bcthpeor ; but his grave could never be found.
As Thomas Fuller quaintly says, "God buried also his grave." The familiar lines of Mrs. C. F. Alexander's ode, "The Burial of Moses," may be appropriately quoted here: "And had he not high honor? The hillside for his pall, To lie in state while angels wait, With stars for tapers tall; And the dark rock-pines, like tossing plumes, Over his bier to wave; And God's own hand, in that lonely land, To lay him in his grave." 4. Character. Three qualities give him im mortal interest and prominence.
(1) Faith. By faith he esteemed "the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt" Mel). xi :26). "Never more alluring prospects opened up before any man than those which the world held out to him. The throne of the greatest monarchy of his age was within his reach. All that wealth could procure, or pleasure bestow, or the greatest earthly power command, was easily at his call. But the glory of these things paled in his view before the more excel lent character of those invisible honors which God set before him. This faith sustained him in the solitudes of Midian and animated him amidst all the conflicts attendant on the Exodus and all the difficulties that confronted him in the wilderness. This faith gave him courage in the hour of dan ger and calmness in the time of trial." (2) Prayerfulness. "In every time of emer gency his immediate resort was to Jehovah. He was not speaking to a stranger, but was like a son making application to his father, and so he never pleaded in vain." His was the prayer of faith.
(3) Humility. "He coveted no distinction and sought no prominence; his greatness came to him, he did not go after it. And his humility was allied with or flowed naturally out into two other qualities, disinterestedness and meekness. (See
Num. xi:29 and xii :3 for striking illustrations). He gave up his own ease and comfort to secure the emancipation of his people; and while labor ing night and day for them, he had no thought whatever of his own interests. His office brought him no emolument." In this he was like Ne hemiah. He was free from all charge of nepot ism. His meekness was shown in silently listen ing to complaints against himself. He appealed unto God for vindication and approval.
In addition must be mentioned his eminent serv ices as lawgiver. It is indeed a vexed qu,stion how much credit should be given to him as the publisher of a code marked throughout by "Thus saith the Lord." We are safe in saying that the Law, as we have it recorded in the Scriptures, was divinely inspired, and that Moses made the record as directed of the Lord. The Decalogue is a moral miracle in ancient legislation, and re tains its power to this day in all Christian lands. (See Law.) The only blot upon this beautiful character is a lack of patience or self-control, but this was more evident in the earlier portion of his life, nor was it prominent enough to belie his eulogy.
Dr. 'Wm. W. Taylor. 5. Writings. To Moses we owe that impor tant portion of Holy Scripture, the Pentateuch, which makes us acquainted with the creation of the world, the entrance of sin and death, the first promises of redemption, the flood, the peopling of the postdiluvian earth, and the origin of nations, the call of Abraham, and the giving of the law. We have, indeed, in it the early history of religion, and a key to all the subsequent dispensations of God to man. The genuineness and authenticity of these most venerable and important books have been established by various writers; but the fol lowing remarks upon the veracity of the writings of Moses have the merit of compressing much ar gument into few words: (1) Minuteness of Detail. There is a mi nuteness in the details of the Mosaic writings, which bespeaks their truth; for it often bespeaks the eye-witness, as in the adventures of the wilder ness; and often seems intended to supply direc tions to the artificer, as in the construction of the tabernacle.