The Last Chapter

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Deuteronomy 34:1-9

TO CHEW ON: "And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said." Deuteronomy 34:5

God had told Moses he would die soon. So Moses did some last things. He gave his last talk to the people. He chose a new leader, Joshua. Then one day God told him to climb Mount Nebo.

When he got to the top he was treated to an amazing view. Before him was the whole land of Canaan, the land that would soon be home to the Israelites. Though God didn’t allow him to lead the people into it, he gave Moses a last wish by showing him what beautiful Canaan was like.

Moses views the promised land - James Tissot

And then Moses died.

When the Israelites realized that he was never coming back, they cried. They spent 30 days (a whole month) thinking about him, missing him and crying for him. But then life had to go on – even though they were without him

Has someone close to you died? How did it happen? How did you feel?

Death is always a sad time for those of us who are left here without someone we loved. We miss the person. We cry.

But like the Israelites, life goes on for us too. Though the passing of time slowly helps us feel better, we know we will never totally forget the people who were once a part of our lives. And we look forward to the time we will be with them again in heaven.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me feel Your comfort and hope when death touches my life. Amen.

MORE: A death "celebration"
Doctors tell us that looking at death squarely is healthier than ignoring it and pretending it never happened. To do this, people celebrate or honor the person who has died in different ways. The Israelites did it by setting aside thirty days to mourn and feel sad. Our customs are different.


1. If someone close to you has died, what things did you, your family and friends do to remember that person and grieve for them?

2. If you haven’t experienced the death of someone close to you, what are some things you’ve heard about and seen people do to grieve someone’s death?

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


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