We often wrestle with failure, either present or past. Failure, whether actual or apparent, when viewed through the lens of faith, isn’t failure at all if done as unto the Lord, in faith (Ro. 14:23).

Moses failed. He failed as a prince of Egypt. He failed as a fledgling Hebrew leader, killing an Egyptian and fleeing for his life. He failed as a father and husband, “truly you are a bridegroom of blood to me” (Ex. 4:25).

He wrestled as a shepherd. He wrestled with calling. He wrestled as a leader. He wrestled with obedience. He wrestled with death. He wrestled with promise.

Failure seems final. It is not. Wrestling seems disobedient. It is not. Death seems an end. It is not.

When Moses failed, the failure was due to the direction of his intent. Himself. When he wrestled, it was with the object of his faith. God.

God recorded Moses’ failures to show his humanity; He revealed his wrestling to show his heart.

In the end, Moses did not fail (Ro. 8:28). No, he finished (II Tim. 4:7). Moses, as Jacob before him, wrestled with many failures and with God, and he was delivered.

When Yeshua/Jesus stood face to face with Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-8) the entire flow of his life came to fruition in the face of Yeshua, finally seeing the face he longed to see (Ex. 33:18-20), and perhaps there he heard, “Well done, good and faithful servant, before you is the delight of your Lord” (Ps. 37:4; Matt. 3:17).

Unfortunately, Moses in Christian theology finds his finish, his end, in Deuteronomy 34. His finish, the end of his race, his “well done” moment, was in the presence and face of Yeshua in Matthew 17.

Could there be any better finish?

Abide in Yeshua, and He will abide in you (Jn. 15:4-11). There the crooked ways will be straightened, the wrongs righted, all things worked together for our good, to His glory.

Be well. Shalom.