Promoted to Servanthood

And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said.

He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is.

Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.

The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.


Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him.

So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD commanded Moses.

Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt -- to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land.

For no one has ever shown the mighty power and the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
                                                     -- Deuteronomy 34:5-12

This is the only passage where Moses is called "the servant of the LORD."

Just a few verses before, in Chapter 33:1, he is called "the man of God."

Being called a "man of God" is a high calling -- reflecting exacting standards and lofty position.

But is being titled "servant of God" an even greater
distinction?

In the Chumash (a traditional Jewish commentary)
the sages write:

     When he was alive he was called man of God,
     but in death he is called servant for the first time,
     to allude to a new and higher status, for a  
       servant is permitted, as it were, to enter the
     chamber of the king.

     So, too, once the impediment of his body was
     removed from him, Moses' soul was able to
     perceive even more than before.

     A servant, literally a slave, is unique in that
     he is the property of his master and has no
     independent identity or legal status, for he
     lives totally for his owner.

     In receiving this title, Moses was given the
     highest possible compliment: he lived
     completely and solely for the sake of God.