Moses Ascends

The last chapter of Deuteronomy is something of a tear jerker. Moses, the man of God, who has represented the coming Messiah to the nation of Israel in so many ways, (promise, picture and person), who saved them out of bondage in Egypt, who had averted the wrath of God from destroying them for their rebellion, who even had beheld the back of the Father as well as the face of the pre-incarnate Christ, is finally leaving them.

They watch as he departs from the midst of the nation and ascends up the mountain alone. They mourn and wait for the word from the nation's new leader - Joshua, who will lead them in conquest.

Fast forward to the New Testament and Jesus goes up from his people in a not dissimilar way. OK, he flies, Moses had to walk up a mountain, but the (symbolic) parallels are there. And after a set time, new leader, the Holy Spirit, heads up the charge of the church into the world - to transform it with Heavenly love.