There is a peculiar passage in the book of Jude where “Michael the
archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of
Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The
Lord rebuke thee.” Now, Satan then had power over death in some way
Divinely permitted. Paul says (Heb. ii. 14), speaking of Christ,
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also
Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might
destroy him _that had the power of death_—that is, the devil.” When God
was translating Moses, passing him by death, Satan fought with Michael,
who was God’s messenger, to inflict the sting of death on Moses, and
although Michael carried Moses on by death into the presence of God,
Satan durst not bring a railing accusation against him.
Jude, in his epistle, probably quoted from one of the now lost books of
Revelation, which was entitled, “The Ascension or Assumption of Moses the
servant of God.” The Church father, Origen, makes mention of this work,
but, like the book and prophecies of Enoch, from which Jude makes a
quotation, it has been lost, they having served their purpose. The
fairest and most generous interpretation, then, is, that Moses did not
die the ordinary death, but disappeared, was, in fact, translated,
anointed, and set apart for a special work in connection with his own
people, the Jews, in the days of the coming Anti-Christ. Thus, without
any trouble, he could appear with Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration.
And it is worthy of note that before he disappeared in Horeb—the sacred
writer is mindful to tell us “Moses was an hundred and twenty years old
when he died—_his eye was not dim nor his natural force abated_” (Deut.
xxiv. 7). But, supposing Moses died naturally, there is nothing
unreasonable or irregular in concluding that God resurrected him as a
mortal for future use. True, he will die again as a witness; so there
are in heaven now eight persons who have died twice in this world—namely:
The child raised by Elijah (1 Kings xvii. 21).
The child of Elisha (2 Kings iv. 35).
The Moabite soldier who came to life on touching the bones of Elisha (2
Kings xiii. 21).
The daughter of Jairus (Luke viii. 55).
The widow’s son at Nain (Luke vii. 15).
Lazarus of Bethany (John xi. 44).
Dorcas or Tabitha by Peter (Acts ix. 40).
Eutychus by Paul (Acts xx. 10).
Anti-Christ will be a great electrician; electricity by that time will be
a fearful power in the hands of science. Edison with his genius and
marvellous discoveries, and others of like gifts, will have perfected the
use of this agent in a wonderful degree. Anti-Christ will make use of
this power to cower his enemies and bring them in fear-subjection. He
will bring fire down from heaven. The two witnesses, however, will be
clothed with Divine power; they will be able to bring fire by a simple
command—this they both understood and used when on earth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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