Moses was a great man of God who led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. He is also known for his work in writing the first five books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch. But what does the Bible say about Moses after he died? Did he go to heaven?
Today we will take a look at what the Bible says about Moses and if he eventually made it to heaven.
Who Was Moses?
Moses is one of the most well-known figures in the Old Testament. He was born into a Hebrew family at a time when the Hebrews were slaves in Egypt. Moses was chosen by God to lead the Hebrews out of slavery and into the Promised Land.
The Book of Exodus tells the story of how Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt and across the Red Sea. Once they arrived in the Promised Land, Moses gave them the Ten Commandments.
These laws were meant to guide them as they built their new lives in their new homeland. For Christians, Moses is an important figure because he was the one who received God’s laws. These laws would later be used by Jesus to teach his followers how to live.
He was a great leader and a righteous man. The Bible says that Moses spoke with God face-to-face, which is something that no other human being has ever done.
The Story of Moses
Before we answer the question of whether or not Moses went to heaven, we need to understand the story of his life and why God chose him.
In the books of Leviticus, Exodus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers, we see Moses as a great leader who was chosen by God to guide his people.
God chose Moses because of his willingness to help other people and spread the word of God among his fellow Hebrews.
Moses: A Man of Faith
Moses was also a man of great faith. He had complete trust in God and His plan for the Hebrew people. This is why Moses is often seen as an example of what it means to have faith in God.
He met God at Mount Sinai, where he was given the Ten Commandments to lead the Hebrews in their journey toward the Promised Land.
In Exodus chapter 33, Moses even pleads with God, asking to see His glory.
And God responds graciously, saying, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim my name ‘The LORD’ before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
So based on these passages, we see that Moses was a man who had a special relationship with God. He was someone to who God spoke directly and someone privy to His glory.
The story of Moses ends in Deuteronomy Chapter 34.
When Moses climbed Mount Nebo to get a glimpse of the Promised Land, God told him that he would not be able to enter it because of his disobedience at Meribah. When he eventually died, his body was buried in an unknown location by God Himself.
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What We Know From The New Testament About Moses
Now that we’ve looked at Moses’ life in the Old Testament, let’s see what the New Testament has to say about him.
In Matthew 17:1:3, we see that Moses was there on the mount with Elijah and Jesus when the transfiguration happened.
This event happened after Jesus had been teaching his disciples about his upcoming death and resurrection (The Last Supper). Peter, James, and John were with Jesus when he was transfigured, and they saw his glory.
Moses Speaking With Jesus
During the Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with Jesus. This shows that Jesus was the successor of Moses and Elijah and has fulfilled them both. This event was a foreshadowing of the glory that Jesus would receive after his death and resurrection.
After the Transfiguration, a cloud overshadowed them, and God spoke from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him”. When the disciples looked up, they saw only Jesus. This event was a confirmation that Jesus is the Son of God.
In Luke 16:14-31, we see another instance where Moses is mentioned in the New Testament. In this passage, Jesus is telling a parable about a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus.
In the parable, the rich man goes to Hades (the place of the dead) and is in Torment. He looks up and sees Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. The rich man cries out to Abraham to have Lazarus dip his finger in water and cool his tongue because he is in Torment.
But Abraham says that there is a great gulf fixed between them so that those in Torment cannot cross over to those in Abraham’s bosom. The rich man then asks Abraham to send Lazarus to his father’s house to warn his five brothers, so they will not come to this place of Torment.
Abraham says that they have Moses and the prophets, and if they don’t listen to them, they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead.
This passage shows us that Moses was known in Hades and that he was with Abraham. This confirms what we see in the Old Testament, that Moses was a righteous man who pleased God.
Moses Prophesied The Messiah
The New Testament also tells us that Moses wrote about Jesus. In John 5:45-47, we see that the Jews were trying to kill Jesus because he was claiming to be the Son of God.
In response, Jesus says to them, “Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
Here, Jesus is telling the Jews that they should believe Moses because he wrote about Him. This shows us that the New Testament confirms that Moses was a prophet who wrote about the Messiah.
These are some of the things that the New Testament has to say about Moses. As we can see, Moses was someone who was greatly respected by Jesus and the apostles.
Read Also: Did Judas Go to Heaven?
Did Moses Go to Heaven?
So, what does all of this mean for the question of whether or not Moses went to heaven? There are a few things that we can see from the Bible that gives us some clues:
First, we know that when Moses died, he was buried by the Lord Himself (Deuteronomy 34:6). This is significant because it shows us that even though Moses was a great man of God, he was still subject to the same physical death as everyone else.
Second, we know that after Moses died, he appeared with Elijah and Jesus on the mount of transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-3). This shows us that Moses was in Abraham’s bosom in Hades, the place of comfort waiting for Jesus’s resurrection.
Third, when Jesus was teaching about the rich man and Lazarus, he specifically mentioned Moses as being in Hades (Luke 16:14-31). This shows us that at the time of Jesus, Moses was still in Hades.
So, what can we conclude from all of this?
We know that after Jesus died and rose from the dead, he descended into Hades to set the captives free (Ephesians 4:8-10). This means that he went to the place of the dead and brought all of the righteous people out with him.
This means that after Jesus died, Moses was brought out of Hades and taken to heaven. We don’t know exactly when this happened, but we can be sure that it did happen.
This is what the Bible has to say about Moses and whether or not he went to heaven. As we can see, Moses was a great man of God who was respected by Jesus and the Apostles. Moses’ death was not the end for him but was only the beginning of his eternal life in heaven.
Related Read: Are Adam and Eve in Heaven?
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Moses Ascend to Heaven?
No, Moses died at the age of 120 and was buried by God on Mount Nebo. In the Old Testament days after Moses died, he went to Hades. When Jesus died on the cross he went to Hades and led captivity captive and took the Old Testament prophets with him to heaven.
Who Was Taken Directly to Heaven?
Enoch was the first man to be taken directly to heaven. The Bible says that “Enoch walked with God, and then he was no more because God took him away” (Genesis 5:24). Enoch’s close relationship with God allowed him to avoid death and experience the fullness of life in heaven.
Elijah was another man who was taken directly to heaven. After defeating the false prophets of Baal, Elijah was carried off by a whirlwind into heaven (2 Kings 2:11-12). Elijah’s reward for his faithfulness was an eternity in paradise.
The Theotokos, or Virgin Mary, is also included among those who were taken directly to heaven. Although she died like everyone else, Mary was assumed into heaven, body, and soul at the end of her earthly life. It said that Jesus came to take her home himself.
Her assumption is commemorated by the Church on August 15.
Final Thoughts
So after all this, we can see that Moses eventually joined Jesus and the other righteous people in heaven. Although we can’t understand everything about this event, due to our human nature, we can trust that God knows what He’s doing and that Moses is in a good place.
And who knows, maybe one day we’ll be able to ask Moses ourselves what it was like to go to heaven! Wouldn’t that be something?
In the meantime, we can learn from Moses’ example and strive to live righteous lives, being faithful to God even when things are tough!
Charalampos
Charalampos is an Orthodox Christian who wants to help others learn about Christianity. His main goal is to help people understand the Bible and how to apply its teachings in their everyday lives. He also enjoys spending time with his family, playing sports, and hiking.
Connecting with God is essential to praying effectively and receiving answers. Our FREE cheat sheet will help you build a strong relationship with God and create an effective prayer life.
