The Model of the Generation of Faith: The Bold Daughters of Zelophehad
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Surprising order of things, announcing new stage, signal first thing after announce stage 2 and before details of get a hair cut or facials allowed, before economic development and finance minister = faith so important in these times - places of worship… churches open… what’s first thing of reordering of God’s people not so much as army for desert life with q. of how live with God in centre of camp. but now distributions of promised land, open, poised… same theme will we avoid unbelief, grumbling, rebellion, UNBELIEF.. in test we face or … who first appears before MOSES in part 1 , now part 2; New type of leadership..
This book of Numbers should have had only two parts to it. Wouldn’t it have been nice, Part 1 Numbers 1-10 - perfect organization of the camp - called numbers census of those who will live with a holy God, all the provisions, protection and then short 2 week trip take the Land. Then part II would have been entering the Promised Land.
God gave promises, Joshua and Caleb seized on them pleaded them before the people, but no. And so we have a very different part II - just like your life and mine. Desert Wandering full of testing, suffering, temptation - and for that first generation from Numbers 14 a lived out curse on disobedience, with temporal price paid - if not eternal price. That’s the unfortunate middle part that was so unnecessary and could have been avoided. Dare say we all have that hard middle par tin our lives, but the NT after Christ messiah comes - fulfilled atonement, fulfilled dwelling of God in the camp, that Part II is there for you and me to learn and not fall, not get stuck. And how do you do that learning? What is the way to avoid unfaithfulness to God in your life and mine? What is the secret to the 2nd generation with whom the LORD was pleased and brought into the land?
In so many ways it is like a new start with two new leaders, Joshua and Eleazar commissioned empowered and people actually following the LORD with them. New laws, direction for how to live in the land, and the biggest thing new promised blessing of the land, which as Walter Kaiser puts it, the promised land, the seed, and the blessings is the central theme of the OT! Sin has delayed God’s plan, but it can’t stop it, not if you live as the second generation. And I dare say that we have gone through a bit of wilderness isolation, testing, and we have a new beginning today as we gather together for the first time again as Covenant CRC.
KEY TRUTH: Seek life & guidance with the bold faith of the daughters of Zelophehed, under the delegated leadership of our new Joshua.
A. Recognize with Thanksgiving that Grace Wins for the Generation of Faith.
While the action is the 5 unmarried daughter of Zelophehad, the point of our text is embedded in bigger story of the census of the second generation. This is the definitive pillar of the book. Census 1, Refusal of Land, Census II. And look how it begins:
Grace: Numbers 26:1 After the plague, the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron, the priest,
After the plague, the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron, the priest,
On Mount Peor the LORD overcame the curses against His people - do you believe Christ in becoming the curse has done so for you - that nothing happens in this life to you because of God’s punishment of your sin, discipline sure, but you are not a cursed person, but forever and always blessed? There is no plague for you. You remember the plagues, God’s punishment after grumbling, complaining, unbelief for provision. most RECENT OF THEM, FROM LAST WEEK, YOU remember Baal Peor - idolatry and the adultery and fornication. The religious alliance - the wanton sin. And maybe episodes of your life thought life come up, and Satan holds them before you.
But remember Phineas with Zimri and Cozbi - the punishment exacted and God’s wrath on sin, on the wanton deliberate in your face, - I chose sin over you and your plan God - that wrath was stopped by the pleading and atonement and justice Phineas worked. And do you recognize that Christ, taking the spear you and I deserve, taking the nails of the Cross, satisfied God’s wrath - no punishment, no curse, no disapproval remains. That is actually the worse feeling, experience in a relationship, - you have someone disapproval - disdain - God in Christ dealt with that nothing but love!
And that is how the census of the new generation begins - after the plague. Look at it.
Wrath: Numbers 26:64 But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.
But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.
There was real temporal judgment of sin and that is completely done. That is the sad story after sin, death, barrenness, suffering destruction. But you think after the wilderness is there any hope? Look at it at the end of the census - there is someone standing from that generation - Numbers 26:65
For the Lord had said of them, “They shall die in the wilderness.” Not one of them was left, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.
There is the point you, if you stand by faith believe the promises, you will stand forever and to the end. There is grace through faith. That’s the message of the second census too - Simeon from whom Zimri came - the opposite of faith presumption - Reuben from whom the rebels Dathan Abiram and Korah - all tribes with catastrophic losses.
But Judah from whom star would come now the largest. And speaking of that terrible rebellion of Korah a Levite, who thought we too should be Levites allowed to burn incense offerings sacrifices not just the Aaronic priests, but all of us are just as holy - not content to keep station, not wiling to follow God’s plan, not trusting in the appointed mediator and sacrifices. We’ll do religion our way, with our needs and wants and wishes at the center. But listen the second census records again that Numbers 26:10
and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured 250 men, and they became a warning.
But even in the darkest palaces there is such grace. God doesn’t leave sin unpunished, but he delights to show mercy to thousands! This is grace: Numbers 26:11
But the sons of Korah did not die.
Now that’s an understatement, in God’s grace those sons, those descendants by faith took up their place a protectors of the threshold of God, spiritual cleansing of God’s people at the temple court of Solomon. By God’s grace, they wrote songs of grace - yes 250 die in unbelief, but thousands live by grace!
And that brings us to the main application of our text in the action of the five daughters of Zelophehad who set the tone of the next generation, the generation of faith. This third part on the plain s of Moab begin and end with stories of the daughters of Zelophehad and Moses is calling to this generation on the threshold - are you like them?
B. Seek God’s Promised Blessing with Boldness, yet by His Word
Now you have to feel the spirit of both boldness, yet respectful and purposeful following of these young women. By custom the nations and Israel included had a
i. patrilineal system of inheritance.
The clan was more important than the individual, wealth was built not just for you, but for the generations that would follow you, so sons inherited the property of the deceased. And God even gave a law though these customs would change, that the eldest son - with the responsibility for taking up leadership and provision of the clan the household in the next generation would get a double portion. But this custom of the nations, and the law of God for Israeli inheritance in the promised land, in this broken world came into conflict with another law that God revealed and filled these women with such courage. What was that law or principle for the Promised Land?
While the first census repeated the word s about numbering and organizing as an army, “that were able to go to war” that is said only once in the second census. More than a focus on the campaign to take Canaan, which was assumed by faith, the focus of this census is given in the repeated words: these are the clans and levels of subdivision are given and then these words from the LORD:
ii. Numbers 26:54 To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; every tribe shall be given its inheritance in proportion to its list.
To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; every tribe shall be given its inheritance in proportion to its list.
Numbers 26:52-56
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Among these the land shall be divided for inheritance according to the number of names. To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; every tribe shall be given its inheritance in proportion to its list. But the land shall be divided by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. Their inheritance shall be divided according to lot between the larger and the smaller.”
So proportionately every man and woman would have enough land and property to subsists and thrive and produce and benefits and this was guaranteed for every single member of every tribe, for generations to come. Women if marry would leave that tribe and clan, bringing everything she is to form new household in the clan of her husband. And she would receive a dowry saved for the occasion - including lands even cities. While the sons on death of father would receive the inheritance of the land that must be passed on. And by the father’s name that land, even if someone became poor suffered misfortune had to sell it,every fifty years the land had to be given back - so all God’s people had their share and stake in the Promised Land and Gods’ Kingdom. And it is remarkable that already in the census list that a woman is mentioned.
But like Ford surprising us with church at the top of the list. Moses surprises us in the description of the new generation with the story of these five women and the question of their inheritance.
Now you can understand they wanted land, property, and not married they wouldn’t be included in another clan’s inheritance, and their father’s would just go to a living brother. And their concern is not a selfish one, but one for the community, the family, the clan! And here is the model of how to pursue God’s promised blessing:
Three Steps to Seeking Blessing:
i. stand before God’s delegated leadership with respect and boldness. v.2
ii. state your case with honesty, confessing sin and recalling who you are to God Numbers 27:3
“Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin. And he had no sons.
iii. Comparing law to law, God’s principles with God’s principles bring it to the Lord in prayer. This is what Moses did to when unsure what to do with test for adultery, with those unclean for Passover, not covered by God’s law so far - Numbers 27:5
Moses brought their case before the Lord.
This model of seeking the Lord’s will, not always clear, but sometimes deduce by good and necessary consequence - compare Scripture with Scripture apply the principles. These daughters come to the communities place of discussion, judgment, decision making and speak boldly -. Later became the city gates. Kind of like our fellowship hall, congregation meeting council room. Real deliberation seeking God and His will is needed:
But how different is the attitude with which these women did it. Those words people drawing near to Moses in the Part 2 where all complaining and grumbling. But here with God’s promise, his blessing, his law, with leadership of God’s people.. And look at the result:
Numbers 27:7
“The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them.
The goal is preserved - that each clan, each family each household, have land from God as inheritance. If not marry, if die pass to brother of their deceased father, but . Persevered custom for Promised Land, though customs change in exile, idea of seeking God’s good will endures!
Application: It is a very rare occasion that a church member has come up to me and asked me about how to distribute their inheritance. In fact, when they did this with the Lord Jesus - do you remember His answer? And yet for the promised land generation, it is the action of these five women that is held up as the ;most God=pleasing act of faithfulness! What are the areas in your life that you are seeking God’s promises and blessings? Not an inheritance, but is it your work life, is it your family life, relationships, - do you just demand your want and desire, or do you with God’s people seek to discern God’s will, and pray and work for that? A Bold yet humble desire for God’s goals! For all the weaknesses of the book the Prayer of Jabez, it does get right - that God’s desire is to have you and I flourish in order to be a blessing to others - but the thing it missed was going to the Lord not just with those desires but for His instruction and law and doing that together.
And that brings us to the conclusion, you are going to need a great leader - if you dare to to do what the daughters of Zelophehad did with the goals and plans of your life.
C. You Need Someone Better than Moses or Joshua to Inquire of the LORD for You.
Before turning to the laws Israel needs for entering the land, some so interesting like the City of Refuge. The last action is that of Moses providing for leadership of God’s people. God points out that Moses is inadequate for the task. He failed the test of faith at Meribah - disciplined . But Moses immediately, says, OK - you haven’t said it God, but on my initiative I am asking for your people.
Numbers 27:17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.”
who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.”
You may think he was asking for Joshua, natural choice, apprentice for 40 years. But prophetically, maybe unaware of what he is even asking - I think he is asking for an even greater leader than Joshua. One greater than himself. That was a promise, God would raise up a prophet greater than Moses, That was promise from God to his people later in Jeremiah and in Ezekiel - I myself will shreshepherd them.
Even here at the commissioning orders Joshua isn’t as great as Moses: Numbers 27:20
You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey.
He only gets some of the authority and anointing of the unique OT mediator Moses. Further, though God spoke face to face with Moses as with a friend. Something different happens with the leadership after Moses: Numbers 27:21
And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole congregation.”
Eleazar, with the other priests and Levites, trained to be experts in God’s ways, by mastering the written Word of God. And Joshua must consult with them for revelation from God. And in matters of political decision, the nation state of Israel would make decisions by the lot!
But we read in the NT that one great than Moses has come. That’s not just saying Jesus has more miracle working power and is smarter and stronger and more important than Moses. It is saying that the roles that Moses did for Israel, you and I are to look to Jesus to do those roles in our lives.
And like with Moses, physically leaving Israel, going up from Mount Nebo and no one know where he was buried because God buried him, so to Jesus upon His great Ascension, he goes up, but he doesn’t leave his people without under-shepherds, and in a way we even all share in that role of shepherding - speaking the written word counselling, praying, pleading this world with each other.
Shortly we will lay hands on those being ordained by God to lead us in this ministry of spiritual counsel and in ministry of the mercy of the LORD, and the big deal isn’t that there is some sort of apostolic lineage, an inheritance, but that the Spirit does rest on each candidate, gifted and stewarding the gifts they have -for the good of the households and members here - Stewarding the Word of God, the sacred deposit of God’s grace and God’s will for our lives. So that we press on to the Promised Land - and like this generation of faith like Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Micah, and Tirzah - we with faith and humble respectful obedience, seek God’s will with each other here!
We are at one of the pillars of our story. First Census, Wilderness time - with testing, temptations, time apart, but now the door stands open - an invitation to together inquire of the LORD to claim his blessing, The reopening of church, can become not just a return to same old same old, all thought he staples of Christian worship are so important for us, but to truly seeking God’s blessing in each others lives in a new way!
Though I have only had a few come up to me and ask about inheritance. Many have come up and asked about the way forward with marriage or singleness, with what to do with business opportunity, with hos to navigate hurt ,anger sin forgiveness in family, what to do when trapped with drug alcohol, sexual addiction. Maybe in this time of COVID you are facing decisions, questions, seeking God’s will and his grace and is blessing - as we begin to meet again with brothers and sisters in Christ, may we indeed be like bold, honest, humble - God’s team players.
You may not see a way forward right now, may wonder how can God and His people really respond any different than what I’m stuck in. But listen to how the second generation, the generation of faith begins. Who would have ever expected it? Numbers 27:7
“The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them.
But listen to the Land and blessing: Walter Kaiser maintains that the patriarchal promise of land, seed (descendants), and blessing (cf. Gen. 12:1–3) is the central theme of Old Testament theology. This is why this census is so important… The land promise is merely delayed by sin, not abrogated. God’s plans prevail over human frailties. Despite the sin and rebellion of the first generation leaving Egypt and God’s subsequent wrath, God has preserved the Israelites in large numbers through the forty years of wilderness wanderings and is about to give them Canaan in accord with his promise-plan.
NEED FOR HOPE: Literature: Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan. In this classic seventeenth-century book the protagonist, Christian, foolishly departs from the Main Highway. He has been tempted to take an apparently easier pathway, but this alternate route leads him to the land of Giant Despair, lord of Doubting Castle. The terrible giant captures Christian and begins sowing seeds of doubt about the mission that Christian has been called to pursue. At a certain point, Christian even despairs of life. At this low point, Christian’s travel partner, Hope, reminds him of how God always remains faithful, as evidenced in Christian’s past victories. Through prayer, the hero is encouraged and freed from the prison of doubt
And look a