In the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome sits a breathtaking sculpture of Moses, created by Michelangelo over the years of 1513-1515. With the tablets of the Ten Commandments in hand, Moses glares at the people of Israel who’ve chosen a golden calf over the Lord God. Indeed, Moses glares at all of us tourists who clamor in, a bit unnerving if you look long enough (FYI, the “horns” on the head of Moses arise from a translation error in the Latin Vulgate).

I recently visited this church while on a mission trip in Italy. At the same time I was reading about the death of Moses in Deuteronomy. Here’s the line that popped in my head when I saw this statue: Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated.

In this statue by Michelangelo, Moses is muscular, intense, and powerful—in others words, totally ripped. During his time leading Israel, Moses spent days and days with the Lord, from the experience of the burning bush to two separate 40 day periods on Mount Sinai. Along with the daily workouts of living in the wilderness, did so much time alone with God influence his physical body? Did sitting in the presence of God create robust health and unmatched energy?

Why not? Jesus, God in the flesh, healed with ease. The Lord created the universe in perfect form, only now corrupted by sin. What if the time Moses spent in the clouds covering Mount Sinai exposed him to the creative forces swirling around Yahweh? Like radiation but with the opposite effect, Moses grew stronger and healthier the more he was exposed.

Should we be surprised? The God who spoke our world into existence also spoke face to face with Moses. During those conversations massive amounts of divine energy flowed through Moses. As a result his body healed, his eyesight sharpened, and his mind clarified.

Here’s a foreshadowing for all who follow the Lord. On moving from this world to the next, those who enter His presence will grow wiser than any genius, stronger than any olympian, and able to leap tall buildings with a single bound.

Deuteronomy 34:5-7

Photo by Jason Steele