I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.
The verse is Moses's earnest and anguished plea to cross the Jordan and see the good land beyond it, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon, longing to enter and share in Israel's inheritance. God refused him permission to cross and enter, telling him to stop asking, to view the land from Pisgah, and to strengthen Joshua to lead Israel into it. The refusal was for his sin at Meribah at Kadesh, where provoked by the people's murmuring he disobeyed the command to speak to the rock by striking it instead and failed to give God the glory for the water. Even touching pleading does not cancel the consequence of sin or remit the sentence, and greater responsibility makes guilt more serious and punishment more certain, requiring exact obedience. Though he died without entering the earthly inheritance, his prayer was fulfilled when he stood with Christ on the mount of transfiguration within the heritage of his people, raised from the grave as a representative of the righteous who will be raised.
Moses's Request and Refusal
The prayer is an earnest, anguished plea to be allowed to go over the Jordan and look upon the good land on the other side, that good mountain country and Lebanon, born of a deep longing to enter and have part in Israel's inheritance. It was made after his fault at Meribah, and though he grieved greatly over being shut out he humbly accepted the punishment without complaint. Because of that sin he was denied entry and denied the joy of leading Israel into its inheritance, and after forty years of wilderness hardship he died without entering the land.
He uttered it while standing above the Jordan, after God had shown him His greatness and mighty power. God had told him that Israel's time to enter Canaan was near and that he himself would not enter, and Moses pleaded in hope that the sentence laid upon him for his sin at Kadesh might be revoked.
God refused him permission to cross over, to enter, and to lead Israel in. He was told to cease asking, to view the land from Pisgah instead, and to prepare and strengthen Joshua to lead Israel into it.
Sin and Divine Justice
The refusal was for his fault and sin at Meribah at Kadesh, and the plea in the verse followed that fault and was denied because of it. Provoked by the people's continual murmuring, he became impatient and did not give God the glory for the miracle of water from the rock. He disobeyed the command to speak to the rock by striking it instead. That trial had been meant to lead the people to call on God, who would answer by showing His power and strengthening their trust in Him. His exclusion also made clear that God, not Moses, had led the people.
His disobedience was public, open, and serious, done before all Israel. After a lifetime of faithful service he had forfeited the right to enter and must suffer the penalty of his sin and could not enter the land. Allowing him to enter would have made Israel think lightly of God's word and treat his disobedience as though he had obeyed. His example thus showed Israel the seriousness of disregarding God's command, even after a lifetime of faithful service. God requires exact obedience, and even a faithful leader's disobedience has serious consequences.
Even earnest, touching pleading does not cancel the consequence of sin or remit the sentence that he would not lead Israel in. Greater responsibility makes an offender's guilt more serious and the punishment more certain. Though he greatly grieved the loss, he humbly accepted God's punishment without complaint. He repented, humbled himself, and openly told Israel that his sin had brought this consequence.
Fulfillment and Future Hope
After forty years of wilderness hardship Moses died without entering the land and without the joy of leading Israel into its inheritance. Though the earthly inheritance was not granted, the prayer to see the good land and the goodly mountain was fulfilled when he stood on the mountain at the transfiguration, within the heritage of his people and bearing witness to Christ in whom Israel's promises centered, so that the goodly mountain points to his eventual presence in the promised inheritance. That later appearance on the mount shows death was not his final end, for Christ raised him from the grave and made him a representative of the righteous who will be raised. His earnest plea to cross the Jordan and share in the inheritance shows he did not believe a good person enters eternal bliss immediately at death, and to him Canaan was not merely a dim picture of a better land after death.
The verse is Moses's earnest and anguished plea to cross the Jordan and see the good land beyond it, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon, longing to enter and share in Israel's inheritance. God refused him permission to cross and enter, telling him to stop asking, to view the land from Pisgah, and to strengthen Joshua to lead Israel into it. The refusal was for his sin at Meribah at Kadesh, where provoked by the people's murmuring he disobeyed the command to speak to the rock by striking it instead and failed to give God the glory for the water. Even touching pleading does not cancel the consequence of sin or remit the sentence, and greater responsibility makes guilt more serious and punishment more certain, requiring exact obedience. Though he died without entering the earthly inheritance, his prayer was fulfilled when he stood with Christ on the mount of transfiguration within the heritage of his people, raised from the grave as a representative of the righteous who will be raised.
Moses's Request and Refusal
The prayer is an earnest, anguished plea to be allowed to go over the Jordan and look upon the good land on the other side, that good mountain country and Lebanon, born of a deep longing to enter and have part in Israel's inheritance. It was made after his fault at Meribah, and though he grieved greatly over being shut out he humbly accepted the punishment without complaint. Because of that sin he was denied entry and denied the joy of leading Israel into its inheritance, and after forty years of wilderness hardship he died without entering the land.
He uttered it while standing above the Jordan, after God had shown him His greatness and mighty power. God had told him that Israel's time to enter Canaan was near and that he himself would not enter, and Moses pleaded in hope that the sentence laid upon him for his sin at Kadesh might be revoked.
God refused him permission to cross over, to enter, and to lead Israel in. He was told to cease asking, to view the land from Pisgah instead, and to prepare and strengthen Joshua to lead Israel into it.
Sin and Divine Justice
The refusal was for his fault and sin at Meribah at Kadesh, and the plea in the verse followed that fault and was denied because of it. Provoked by the people's continual murmuring, he became impatient and did not give God the glory for the miracle of water from the rock. He disobeyed the command to speak to the rock by striking it instead. That trial had been meant to lead the people to call on God, who would answer by showing His power and strengthening their trust in Him. His exclusion also made clear that God, not Moses, had led the people.
His disobedience was public, open, and serious, done before all Israel. After a lifetime of faithful service he had forfeited the right to enter and must suffer the penalty of his sin and could not enter the land. Allowing him to enter would have made Israel think lightly of God's word and treat his disobedience as though he had obeyed. His example thus showed Israel the seriousness of disregarding God's command, even after a lifetime of faithful service. God requires exact obedience, and even a faithful leader's disobedience has serious consequences.
Even earnest, touching pleading does not cancel the consequence of sin or remit the sentence that he would not lead Israel in. Greater responsibility makes an offender's guilt more serious and the punishment more certain. Though he greatly grieved the loss, he humbly accepted God's punishment without complaint. He repented, humbled himself, and openly told Israel that his sin had brought this consequence.
Fulfillment and Future Hope
After forty years of wilderness hardship Moses died without entering the land and without the joy of leading Israel into its inheritance. Though the earthly inheritance was not granted, the prayer to see the good land and the goodly mountain was fulfilled when he stood on the mountain at the transfiguration, within the heritage of his people and bearing witness to Christ in whom Israel's promises centered, so that the goodly mountain points to his eventual presence in the promised inheritance. That later appearance on the mount shows death was not his final end, for Christ raised him from the grave and made him a representative of the righteous who will be raised. His earnest plea to cross the Jordan and share in the inheritance shows he did not believe a good person enters eternal bliss immediately at death, and to him Canaan was not merely a dim picture of a better land after death.