By Christopher Dryden
12 The Lord said to Moses, “Go up into this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel. 13 When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, 14 because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) 15 Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, 16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation 17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” 18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. 19 Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. 20 You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey. 21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole congregation.” 22 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and made him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, 23 and he laid his hands on him and commissioned him as the Lord directed through Moses.
Numbers 27:12-23 (ESV)
Isn’t it interesting? After dealing with a matter of legacy with the daughters of Zelophehad, the next episode recorded in the exodus experience of God’s people deals with the matter of legacy where Moses himself is concerned.
The big deal in the movement of the children of Israel from slavery to the brink of the land promised to their forefathers is the relationship between God and Moses. Clearly, Moses was someone God regarded highly as we can tell by their interactions. This is what makes this episode even more poignant. Imagine being told that the task that you’ve devoted yourself to in the prime of your life is to end. You will get to view the success ahead, but you yourself won’t be able to experience it. Under those circumstances, feeling tinges of bitterness and regret would be understandable. The heart of Moses went back to the same concern he had cultivated for the decades he had shepherded God’s people in the desert. He cared for the people, he wanted to know they were going to be looked after well when he left.
That moment had been prepared for, though, as God in His wisdom pointed to the one who would succeed Moses. The one to take over had been there all along. He had exercised faithfulness and diligence in the tasks set for him. Although that had taken place, God still instructed Moses to ensure that the transition of authority was done ensuring that all parties concerned recognised the one to carry on. This pattern can also be seen in how the work of the good news was to be carried on, when Jesus instructed His apostles after His resurrection to carry on the work of sharing the good news of the Kingdom. Those who carried on were prepared and awaited the commissioning.
The mission does not end as one generation passes on or as one season draws to a close. The mission continues, and for that to take place with clarity, it’s good that those who continue have been prepared in advance in matters of service to display faithfulness and diligence, so in the fullness of time they too can be commissioned to the good work.
The relationship between God and man-made clear the mission they were on. That same relationship informed when it started when a chapter would come to an end and how the next chapter would proceed. All from that intimate relationship.
Our challenge today is to recognise what we’re being prepared for and recognise those who are to be prepared. It may not be leadership positions, but following Jesus calls for areas of responsibility to show His character in caring and serving others. Do we recognise the time to see the mantle passed on to those who have been prepared?
Ask – What does it say about Moses that having been told that his end was near, he was concerned about the people?
Seek – Pattern of succession and passing on – are you ready to take the responsibility or are you ready to pass it on?
Knock – Remember those in leadership that they will follow the biblical pattern of seeking the best for those they lead as much in succession as in leading
(Upper Photo by Dan Cook on Unsplash)
(Inner Photo by Matthew Bennett on Unsplash)
