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APRIL 5
“What does this parable mean?” 16 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it
10 And He said, “To you it has been given to with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it
know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, on a lampstand, that those who enter may see
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but to the rest it is given in parables, that the light. For nothing is secret that will not be
revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be
‘Seeing they may not see, known and come to light. Therefore take heed
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And hearing they may not understand.’
how you hear. For whoever has, to him more
11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the will be given; and whoever does not have, even
word of God. Those by the wayside are the what he seems to have will be taken from him.”
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ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes 19 Then His mother and brothers came to
away the word out of their hearts, lest they Him, and could not approach Him because of
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should believe and be saved. But the ones on the crowd. And it was told Him by some, who
the rock are those who, when they hear, receive said, “Your mother and Your brothers are
the word with joy; and these have no root, who standing outside, desiring to see You.”
believe for a while and in time of temptation fall 21 But He answered and said to them, “My
away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are mother and My brothers are these who hear
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those who, when they have heard, go out and the word of God and do it.”
are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of 22 Now it happened, on a certain day, that He
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life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the got into a boat with His disciples. And He said
ones that fell on the good ground are those to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of
who, having heard the word with a noble and the lake.” And they launched out. But as they
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good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came
down on the lake, and they were filling with
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water, and were in jeopardy. And they came
to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master,
8:18 take heed how you hear. One’s Master, we are perishing!”
response to the light in this life is crucial, Then He arose and rebuked the wind and
because at the throne of judgment there will the raging of the water. And they ceased, and
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be no opportunity to embrace truth that was there was a calm. But He said to them,
formerly spurned (Rev. 20:11–15). Those who “Where is your faith?”
scorn the light of the gospel now will have all And they were afraid, and marveled, saying
light removed from them in eternity. See to one another, “Who can this be? For He com-
19:26; Matthew 25:29. mands even the winds and water, and they
obey Him!”
DAY 5: How is Moses described at the end of his life?
He is called “the man of God” in Deuteronomy 33:1. This is the first use of this phrase in
Scripture. Subsequently, some 70 times in the Old Testament, messengers of God (especially
prophets) are called “a man of God “ (1 Sam.2:27;9:6;1 Kin.13:1;17:18;2 Kin.4:7).The New Testament
uses this title for Timothy (1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 3:17). Moses was viewed among such prophets in this
conclusion to the book (see 34:10).
In Deuteronomy 34:1–4, he went to the top of Pisgah where “the LORD showed him” the
panorama of the land the Lord had promised to give (the land of Canaan) to the patriarchs and
their seed in Genesis 12:7; 13:15; 15:18–21; 26:4; 28:13,14. Remarkably, it adds that “He buried him”
(v.6).The context indicates that the Lord is the One who buried Moses,and man did not have a part
in it. See Jude 9, which recounts Michael’s and Satan’s dispute over Moses’body.
At the end, Moses’physical vision and physical health were “not dim...diminished”(v. 7). It was
not death by natural causes that kept Moses from leading Israel into the Promised Land. It was his
unfaithfulness to the Lord at Meribah (see Num.20:12).Before he passed on,Moses “laid his hands”
on Joshua (v.9),which was a confirmation of the military and administrative ability necessary to the
task the Lord had given Joshua. It also confirmed that Joshua had the spiritual wisdom to rely on
and to be committed to the Lord.
Moses was the greatest of all the Old Testament prophets (v. 10), one whom the Lord knew
intimately. Not until John the Baptist was there another prophet greater than Moses (see Matt.
11:11). After John, the Prophet came of whom Moses wrote (see John 1:21,25; 6:14 with Deut.
18:15,18; Acts 3:22; 7:37). Moses next appeared on the Mt. of Transfiguration together with Elijah
and Jesus Christ (Matt. 17:3; Mark 9:4; Luke 9:30,31).

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