Deuteronomy 33:26-27 "There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. (27) The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them."
God had told Moses that it is time for him to go into the mountain where he
will be able to look across into the Promised Land. We remember he was
not allowed to cross Jordan into Canaan, but God allowed his eyes to behold the
beauty of the land as it lay before him. In the Smokey Mountains, there
is a place where you can pull to the side and look out over the valley of
Blount County. As a boy, I loved to go there and try to pick out the places
where I was familiar. I could see the plant where my father worked. I
could pick out the hospital. I could see the town of Maryville. Then I would begin
to trace a familiar road. I could find the little church where we would go on
Sundays. I could imagine that I could see my grandparents' home and then the
home where we lived. I'm not sure my eyes were that sharp, but in my mind
I knew that's where it was. I still love to go to that place to look out
over the countryside, though it has been quite some time since I have been able
to do it. As beautiful and awesome as that view is, I cannot even begin
to imagine the view Moses was about to have when God took him to Mount Nebo, to
the top of Pisgah where he would look across the river. But then I cannot
begin to imagine how it felt for him to see that beautiful land and not be able
to live there. (Again, let me repeat that I do not believe Canaan
represents heaven; rather, I believe it is the kingdom of heaven here on earth
wherein we experience righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. See
Romans 14:17)
I keep thinking back to the statement that was made concerning Moses in Numbers
12:3, "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were
upon the face of the earth." Even though he knows he is not going to
be able to enjoy the land, he spends his last moments instructing the people
and then pronouncing blessings upon each tribe. Some of his final words
to the people are concerning the greatness of God. "There is none
like unto God of Jeshurun." What a simple, yet wonderful, truth is
stated in those few words. We cannot begin to compare anyone or anything
to our God. Any person is brought down by the Lord when he attempts to exalt
himself to be God. And actually bowing down to a piece of wood or even an
idol made of gold and silver is ridiculous. No inanimate object can
deliver. I think of the Psalmist in Psalm 115. They have eyes but cannot
see, ears, but cannot hear, nose but cannot smell. They have mouths but cannot
speak and hands, but cannot handle. Why would anyone think something like that
could deliver them in their time of trouble. There is none like unto our
God.
He is our refuge and He holds us in His everlasting arms. Why would we turn
away from the God of all power and the One Who is filled with unmerited love
for us? Why would we turn away from the One Who loves us so much that He
gave His only begotten Son to die for our sins. And may I say just now that
even the "smallest insignificant" sin (if there is such a thing) is
enough to keep us out of heaven unless atonement is made through the blood of
Christ Jesus. All our sin, not in part but the whole, was nailed to the
cross and that debt was perfectly paid by the shed blood of the very Son of
God, Jesus the Christ. All glory belongs unto Him! Those
everlasting arms are stretched out and I hear the words of my Saviour,
"Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden. I will give you
rest." May we all return to our Lord!