For the choir director; a psalm by David.

For the choir director; a psalm by David.

Moses’ Death and Burial

34 Then Moses went up on Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab. He went to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. The Lord showed him the whole land. He could see Gilead as far as Dan, ² all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the territory of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, ³ the Negev, and the Jordan Plain—the valley of Jericho (the City of Palms)—as far as Zoar.

⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised with an oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I said I would give it to their descendants. I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you may not go there.”

⁵ As the Lord had predicted, the Lord’s servant Moses died in Moab. ⁶ He was buried in a valley in Moab, near Beth Peor. Even today no one knows where his grave is.

⁷ Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eyesight never became poor, and he never lost his physical strength. ⁸ The Israelites mourned for Moses in the plains of Moab for 30 days. Then the time of mourning for him was over.

⁹ Joshua, son of Nun, was filled with the Spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him. The Israelites obeyed him and did what the Lord had commanded through Moses.

¹⁰ There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord dealt with face to face. ¹¹ He was the one the Lord sent to do all the miraculous signs and amazing things in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials, and to his whole country. ¹² Moses used his mighty hand to do all the spectacular and awe-inspiring deeds that were seen by all the Israelites.

¹⁴ But how can people call on him if they have not believed in him? How can they believe in him if they have not heard his message? How can they hear if no one tells ⌞the Good News⌟? ¹⁵ How can people tell the Good News if no one sends them? As Scripture says, “How beautiful are the feet of the messengers who announce the Good News.” ¹⁶ But not everyone has believed the Good News.

Isaiah asks, “Lord, who has believed our message?” ¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing the message, and the message that is heard is what Christ spoke.

¹⁸ But I ask, “Didn’t they hear that message?” Certainly they did! “The voice of the messengers has gone out into the whole world and their words to the ends of the earth.”

¹⁹ Again I ask, “Didn’t Israel understand ⌞that message⌟?” Moses was the first to say, “I will make you jealous of people who are not a nation. I will make you angry about a nation that doesn’t understand.” ²⁰ Isaiah said very boldly, “I was found by those who weren’t looking for me. I was revealed to those who weren’t asking for me.” ²¹ Then Isaiah said about Israel, “All day long I have stretched out my hands to disobedient and rebellious people.”

³² “Learn from the story of the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and it sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³ In the same way, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the door.

³⁴ “I can guarantee this truth: This generation will not disappear until all these things take place. ³⁵ The earth and the heavens will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

No One Knows When the Son of Man Will Return

³⁶ “No one knows when that day or hour will come. Even the angels in heaven and the Son don’t know. Only the Father knows.

³⁷ “When the Son of Man comes again, it will be exactly like the days of Noah. ³⁸ In the days before the flood, people were eating, drinking, and getting married until the day that Noah went into the ship. ³⁹ They were not aware of what was happening until the flood came and swept all of them away. That is how it will be when the Son of Man comes again.

⁴⁰ “At that time two men will be working in the field. One will be taken, and the other one will be left. ⁴¹ Two women will be working at a mill. One will be taken, and the other one will be left.

⁴² “Therefore, be alert, because you don’t know on what day your Lord will return. ⁴³ You realize that if a homeowner had known at what time of the night a thief was coming, he would have stayed awake. He would not have let the thief break into his house. ⁴⁴ Therefore, you, too, must be ready because the Son of Man will return when you least expect him.

⁴⁵ “Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant? The master will put that person in charge of giving the other servants their food at the right time. ⁴⁶ That servant will be blessed if his master finds him doing this job when he comes. ⁴⁷ I can guarantee this truth: He will put that servant in charge of all his property. ⁴⁸ On the other hand, that servant, if he is wicked, may think that it will be a long time before his master comes. ⁴⁹ The servant may begin to beat the other servants and eat and drink with the drunks. ⁵⁰ His master will return unexpectedly. ⁵¹ Then his master will severely punish him and assign him a place with the hypocrites. People will cry and be in extreme pain there.