Mt. Nebo - Let the Will of God be Done!

Before writing any of my travel blogs I usually do some research about the place so that my facts are correct even though layered in my own essence of writing.

When it came to writing this one, my brain could not entirely wrap around the facts that were spewed at me from every link that I opened on Google. I knew that this place had a connection with the Bible but the more I read the more baffled I was left. So, let's jump into the story to start with.

Standing on top of Mt. Nebo, the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.” (ref. Deuteronomy 34:6)

Who were these words spoken to?

He was one through whom God delivered His people. He is the chosen one. He is the most important prophet in Judaism as well as in Christianity and Islam. He is the one to receive the Ten Commandments. He is Moses. And he saw the entire Promised Land before him.

Next, you may wonder what is this Promised Land! It is the land provided by the Lord himself to his children on earth as a safe haven which in current days encompasses Israel and Palestine.

Alas! Moses saw it all, all of the Promised Land lying right before him. But he was denied entry. It was the price of his disobedience, pride, and misrepresentation of the Lord’s sacrifice. And he knew his time to rest eternally had arrived. It is said that the Lord buried him somewhere here at Mt. Nebo in an unknown grave. Where? We shall never know!

Strange as it may seem according to Jude 1:9 Mt. Nebo is also the likely site of the conflict between Satan and the archangel Michael over the body of Moses, which is a whole different story altogether.

Now baffled just like me? I won't be surprised if you are.

Delving into the history of Mt. Nebo was necessary to understand where you actually arrived. Overlooking the Jordan River valley and Jerusalem, Mt. Nebo continues to protect what remains of the Memorial Church for Moses and the monastery built way back in the 4th century.

Today standing in the 21st century it is hard to believe or rather absorb the fact that by visiting this Holy Land you too have become a part of it. What remains of the church and monastery gives a constant reminder that it is here that history comes alive. Mt. Nebo is the cradle of all the truths and folklore that have been carried over for centuries. With miles and miles of undulating terrain racing to meet the horizon, Mt. Nebo has attracted tourists and pilgrims alike. But whoever you may be, a tourist, a pilgrim or even both you cannot avoid feeling that centuries of prayers and dreams float in the air here. With the poignant surroundings and hushed voices in the background, Mt. Nebo is a place to ‘feel’ and not just visit.

So, close your eyes dwell upon your own prayers and open them again to see the Promised Land that Moses saw and now you see. Let your prayers soar with the ancient ones to become a single strong force and let the will of God be done.