The Assumption of Moses Reader

The action in the original Assumption was probably as follows. Michael is commissioned to bury Moses. Satan opposes his burial, and that on two grounds: first, he claims to be the lord of matter, hence the body rightfully should be handed over to him. To this claim Michael rejoins: "The Lord rebuke thee, for it was God's Spirit that created the world and all mankind." Hence not Satan, but God was the lord of matter. Secondly, Satan brings the charge of murder against Moses. Having rebutted Satan's accusations, Michael then proceeds to charge Satan with having inspired the serpent to tempt Adam and Eve. Finally, all opposition having been overcome, the assumption takes place in the presence of Joshua and Caleb.

He called to him Joshua the son of Nun, a man approved of the Lord, that he might be the minister of the people and of the tabernacle of the testimony with all its holy things, and that he might bring the people into the land given to their fathers, that it should be given to them according to the covenant and the oath, which He spake in the tabernacle to give it by Joshua: saying to Joshua these words: "Be strong and of a good courage according to thy might so as to do what has been commanded that thou mayst be blameless unto God."

And He created and devised me, and He prepared me before the foundation of the world, that I should be the mediator of His covenant. And now I declare unto thee that the time of the years of my life is fulfilled and I am passing away to sleep with my fathers even in the presence of all the people. Know how to preserve the books which I shall deliver unto thee: and thou shalt set these in order and anoint them with oil of cedar and put them away in earthen vessels in the place which He made from the beginning of the creation of the earth.

And then His kingdom will appear throughout all His creation, and then Satan will be no more, and sorrow will depart with him. Then the hands of the angel will be filled who has been appointed chief, and he will forthwith avenge them of their enemies.

For the Heavenly One will arise from His royal throne, and He will go forth from His holy habitation with indignation and wrath on account of His sons. And the earth will tremble: to its confines will it be shaken: and the high mountains will be made low and the hills will be shaken and fall. And the horns of the sun will be broken and he will be turned into darkness; and the moon will not give her light, and be turned wholly into blood. And the circle of the stars will be disturbed. And the sea will retire into the abyss, and the fountains of waters will fail, and the rivers will dry up.

For the Most High will arise, the Eternal God alone, and He will appear to punish the Gentiles, and He will destroy all their idols. Then thou, O Israel, wilt be happy, and thou wilt mount upon the neck and wings of the eagle, and the days of thy mourning will be ended. And God will exalt thee, and He will cause thee to approach to the heaven of the stars, and He will establish thy habitation among them. And thou wilt look from on high and wilt see thy enemies in Gehenna, and thou wilt recognise them and rejoice, and thou wilt give thanks and confess thy Creator.

And when Joshua had heard the words of Moses that were written in his writing as well as all that he had before said, he rent his clothes and cast himself at Moses' feet. And Moses comforted him and wept with him. And Joshua answered him and said: "What place will receive thee? Or what will be the sign that marks thy sepulchre? Or who will dare to move thy body from thence as a man from place to place? For all men when they die have according to their age their sepulchres on earth; but thy sepulchre is from the rising to the setting sun, and from the south to the confines of the north: all the world is thy sepulchre."

If the enemy have but once wrought impiously against their Lord, they have no advocate to offer prayers on their behalf to the Lord, as did Moses the great messenger, who every hour day and night had his knees fixed to the earth, praying and looking for help to Him that ruleth all the world with compassion and righteousness, calling to mind the covenant of the fathers and propitiating the Lord with the oath.