Numbers

Numbers 27:1-4

Land was being determined by the 20-year-old male population.  Land would be redeemed by a male relative if the man died without a male heir.  The daughters descended from Joseph and were making a special request for their clan.  They made their request officially, before Moses, the High Priest and all the congregation at the Tabernacle doorway (before the Lord). 

Zelophehad, their father, died in the Wilderness.  He wasn’t part of the rebellion.  He had not incited others to sin.  But died with that generation, judgment for his own sin.  There was no punishment against him that his line would receive no inheritance or be cut off.  For the line to disappear would indicate a divine judgment to the people.  These daughters requested an inheritance consistent with what their brothers would have gotten in order to sustain the family name. 

Numbers 27:5-11

Only the most difficult cases made it before Moses.  This suggest these ladies had already worked through the lower channels of elders and leaders.  The Lord said this was ‘right’ that they be granted their request.  They would receive inheritance consistent with what their father would have received. 

To all of Israel, the Lord displayed the importance of the land staying within the family it was allotted to.  The Lord provided a sequence of inheritance rules.  He would later give rules pertaining to marriage and the land (Deut 25).  An example of the nearest relative (kinsman redeemer) is seen in the book of Ruth.

Numbers 27:12-22

Mount Abarim is a range NE of the Dead Sea.  The peak of this range is Mt. Nebo as detailed in Deuteronomy 32:49.  Moses would be able to view the Promised Land from there, then his life would come to an end.  His mission would be complete.  Like the law, he delivered them to the edge of the promise but had no power or authority to deliver them in.  Another would lead them across the Jordan. 

Moses was reminded why he would not enter in.  In 20:12 at the waters of Meribah he did not hallow God.   Moses misrepresented God, approaching the children in anger.  He took credit for being able to deliver water to them.  He struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it.  (The rock was struck once for all time, for all men – from that time on, one need only to speak to the rock.)

Moses requested a leader for the people who would be filled with God’s Spirit – so the people wouldn’t be as sheep without a shepherd.  This leader is described as one who would ‘go out’ and ‘go in’ as a military leader.

The Lord indicated Joshua was that new leader.  Moses would lay hands on him as a transfer of authority over the people.  He would shepherd them into the Promised Land.  Moses was to give ‘some’ of his authority to him.  This is giving of the same which he had – the authority and power of the Lord.  It is of endless supply.  Moses had no less, and Joshua had all he needed. 

Joshua was inaugurated into the leadership position.  What a bittersweet moment for Moses.  It was probably a great relief of a tremendous burden, but also a sense of not completing the mission.  The land was in site.  Yet, Moses was going to a better promise.

© 2023 Doug Ford, Calvary Chapel Sweetwater