 Key Verse
10 The daughters of Zelophehad did as the Lord commanded Moses… Meditation The gospel gives passion for believers to “press on towards the goal, for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14) by responding to God’s grace in Christ through obeying the word of God. In today’s reading, the daughters of Zelophehad illustrate what it looks like through their hunger to understand covenant inheritance. The word inheritance is mentioned seventeen times in thirteen verses. The women we first met the in Numbers 27, their situation illustrating how grace alone allows us to gain covenant inheritance, now humbly come before leaders with a question of inheritance (vv. 2-5). Their question concerns potential inheritance transfer in the context of marriage. The women’s obedience to God’s Word is held out as an example for Israel at the end of the book. “The daughters of Zelophehad did as the Lord commanded Moses…” (v. 10) is quickly followed by the last verse: “These are the commandments and rules the Lord commanded through Moses…” (v. 13) When God’s people enter their promised land, will they obey as the daughters of Zelophehad did? To press on towards God’s covenant promises is to respond to God’s grace with obedience to God’s word. For the women and the nation of Israel, this meant looking beyond the wilderness to their inheritance in the promised land. For you and me, pressing on towards our prize in Christ is to seek first our King and His kingdom, responding to God’s grace in Christ by obediently living for the eternal rather than settling for the things of this world. Today’s Reading The heads of the fathers' houses of the clan of the people of Gilead the son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of the people of Joseph, came near and spoke before Moses and before the chiefs, the heads of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel. 2 They said, “The Lord commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the people of Israel, and my lord was commanded by the Lord to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters. 3 But if they are married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the people of Israel, then their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of our fathers and added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry. So it will be taken away from the lot of our inheritance. 4 And when the jubilee of the people of Israel comes, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry, and their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.” 5 And Moses commanded the people of Israel according to the word of the Lord, saying, “The tribe of the people of Joseph is right. 6 This is what the Lord commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad: ‘Let them marry whom they think best, only they shall marry within the clan of the tribe of their father. 7 The inheritance of the people of Israel shall not be transferred from one tribe to another, for every one of the people of Israel shall hold on to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. 8 And every daughter who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the people of Israel shall be wife to one of the clan of the tribe of her father, so that every one of the people of Israel may possess the inheritance of his fathers. 9 So no inheritance shall be transferred from one tribe to another, for each of the tribes of the people of Israel shall hold on to its own inheritance.’” 10 The daughters of Zelophehad did as the Lord commanded Moses, 11 for Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married to sons of their father's brothers. 12 They were married into the clans of the people of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of their father's clan. 13 These are the commandments and the rules that the Lord commanded through Moses to the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you in today’s reading, especially the women’s hunger for understanding inheritance and their obedience? -Do you press on toward the upward goal that is yours in Christ Jesus through obedience to His word? Why or why not? -The work of Jesus gives ground on which we can find a new path to walk by faith, moving through the wilderness to enjoy His promised blessings. WHERE do you need to respond to God’s grace by hearing God’s word and obeying, giving security to your steps in wilderness wanderings? Be specific. Key Verse 10 The daughters of Zelophehad did as the Lord commanded Moses…
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