Woman power
Numbers 27: Give us an inheritance among our fatherās relatives.
In preparation for entry into the Promised Land a census has been taken and the method for division of the land is made public. A group of sisters, all daughters of the late Zelophehad appear before Moses to seek justice. The division of land is by families and itās sons who are to inherit from their fathers. These women explain that their father died without any sons and because of that his descendants are being left out of the plans for property ownership in Canaan. Moses takes the issue to the Lord and the Lord agrees. The plan is rewritten to take into account men who die with no sons to inherit their property. This is a historical decision that elevates the status of women in Israel. I find the circumstances quite interesting. What would have happened had these women not come forward with their petition? My guess is that their unique situation would have been overlooked. As individuals, they would have been okay because when they married they would have shared in their husbandās inheritance. Because of their bold request, though, the Lord listened, agreed, and responded. This then, becomes an example of prayer having a direct influence on the Lord. He willingly listens to us and allows us to have influence in what he does in this world. Had they not stepped forward things would have been okay; but because they did, things happened as they desired. To think that the Almighty welcomes my petitions, considers them, and is willing to respond to them amazes me. This is quite a powerful lesson to find buried here between the report of the census and more instructions concerning burnt offerings in the book of Numbers!
Take Away: As surprising as it is, the Lord welcomes my petitions and is willing to consider them and to grant them.
Tag: Book of Numbers
Devotional on Numbers
Transition of leadership
Numbers 27: Set a man over this community to lead them.
The twenty-seventh chapter of Numbers feels a bit out of place. After it we get back to the details of the law and descriptions of battles fought by the Israelites on their wilderness journey. This chapter, though, is about dividing up the land once they arrive in Canaan and here in this passage we read of the mantle of leadership being passed from Moses to Joshua. This doesnāt diminish the story any, but itās interesting that it feels as though weāre peeking ahead a bit. The Lord tells Aaron and Moses that the sun is setting on their lives. Because of their behavior at Meribeth they wonāt enter into the Promised Land. The primary concern of Moses at this point is not that heāll not set foot in Canaan but is rather that a new leader will have to be chosen. The natural selection for this job is the one the Lord makes. Joshua, an assistant of Moses will take up the responsibility of, and be granted the gifts for, leadership. A new generation will possess Canaan and their leader will be from that generation. This transition of power is one of the things that work right for the people of Israel. Thereās no stubborn holding on by Moses (something Iām impressed with, considering heās been in charge for forty years) and thereās no coop from Joshua. The people accept the change without dividing up into the āMoses did it betterā and the āJoshuaās our guyā camps. Iām convinced that this is how things are supposed to work in the Kingdom of God. I also understand that itās harder than it looks. It takes careful, intentional, grace-filled effort for one leader to step down and another to step up. When it works, as it does in this passage, itās a beautiful thing.
Take Away: During times of transition we need a double portion of Godās grace.
Devotional on Numbers
Celebrate God!
Numbers 29: Celebrate a Festival to God for seven days.
Sometimes I have the impression that the Law is all about ādonāt do thisā and ādonāt do that.ā While I understand that there are plenty of rules like that itās good to be reminded that the Lord specifically orders his people to take days and even weeks off from work and during those times to celebrate all heās doing for them. Iāve just read two whole chapters about such events. Thereās the weekly Sabbath plus several annual celebrations. These festivals always include making sacrifices that the Lord gives back to the people. In other words, a lamb is given as a sacrifice, but part of it is given back to the one making the sacrifice. In this, we see the Lord joining them in the celebration! I think this is very neat! God says, āOkay, I have another rule for you: on the first day of the seventh month each year, take a vacation, bring offerings to the Temple and letās enjoy one anotherās company for a week.ā This is an element of my relationship with the Lord that I need to remember. Serving the Lord isnāt all ādos and donāts.ā Heās good to me and he invites me to take time away from everyday life to celebrate that goodness.
Take Away: Followers of the Lord have good reason to celebrate.
Devotional on Numbers
Settling for Godās second best
Numbers 32: Donāt make us go across the Jordan
After the failure of the Israelites to cross into Canaan the Lord gives them temporary possession of the land to the east. They defeat the inhabitants and take over their territory. Now, itās time for the next generation to make preparations for the campaign to take Canaan. Two of the tribes come to Moses requesting that they be allowed to forfeit their portion of the Promised Land and settle right where they are. Moses is livid. He sees this as the prelude of another failure on the part of the Israelites to obey the Lord and to move forward to the land they were promised long ago. The people of Ruben and Gad respond that theyāll join the fight and help their fellow Israelites take the land but that theyāll be happy with right where they are. Moses agrees but warns them that theyāll have to keep their part of the bargain. As good as that land east of Canaan might have been, I think Ruben and Gad made a huge error. They settled for āalmost Canaanā instead of Canaan, itself. No matter how good that area was it wasnāt what the Lord had for them. It was good, but it wasnāt the best. This kind of compromise is always a temptation for us. We shouldnāt let so called human wisdom serve as a substitute to Godās call and promise on our lives.
Take Away: Donāt settle for merely good when the Lord offers us the very best.
Devotional on Numbers
Purifying the land
Numbers 33: Everyone you let stay there will become a cinder in your eye and a splinter in your foot.
In preparation for entering the Promised Land the Lord gives Moses instructions on how to divide the land between the tribes. He also tells Moses that the current inhabitants are to be driven out. No one currently living there is to remain. One way or another, they have to go. If the people of Israel fail in this mission the Canaanites will become thorns in their sides; the source of downfall and destruction. I wonder if the spiritual failures I sometimes see in peopleās lives parallel this. The Lord calls me to full surrender to himself. Iām to give him my past, present, and future placing it all in his hands. My habits and wants, my plans and dreams must be handed over to the Lord. As long as I hold things in reserve, I havenāt yet purified the āCanaanā of my heart. If I keep some things locked away in some dark corner of my life the day will come when they will become a ācinderā in my eye and a āsplinterā in my foot. The old hymn of invitation that’s actually a prayer beautifully speaks to this: āAll to Jesus I surrender, I surrender all.ā
Take Away: I surrender my all and in return, the Lord fills me with himself ā itās a very good deal for me.
Devotional on Numbers
āCome into my heart, Lord Jesusā
Numbers 35: Don’t desecrate the land in which you live. I live here tooā¦.
Iāve now worked my way through the “numbers” of the book of Numbers. Numbers of people and cattle and cities; who lives where and how many days between various worship events. It isn’t exactly riveting reading. In fact, it would have been easy to miss the pure gold at the end of chapter 35. The issue here is how the people are to deal with murder. Due to the fact that the laws God gives the Israelites are foundational to our own legal system it seems to be pretty common stuff. Actually though, itās groundbreaking material, reshaping human society. God insists on justice, and adds that if society takes murder lightly the whole land will be polluted. Then he adds, “don’t desecrate the land where you live — after all, I live here too.” In spite of the dreary subject, this is a wonderful phrase of hope. Their Creator, the Sovereign of the Universe, God Almighty says his address is on their street. These days, because of the Gift of the Holy Spirit, things are even more personal. God lives, not just “in the land” but “in my heart.” If God’s presence in the land emphasized the importance of purity there, how much more does his presence in my life call for purity of heart?
Take Away: Itās a wonderful blessing to have the Lord call our lives āhomeā ā at the same time it carries with it a real sense of responsibility.