ADULT STS LESSON 118 THE LAW OF INHERITANCE AND THE APPOINTMENT OF JOSHUA
MEMORY VERSE: “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation… that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.” (Numbers 27:16,17).
TEXT: Numbers 27:1-23; 36:1-13
God guides His redeemed people in the path of righteousness. As the omniscient God, He has answers to all human puzzles and dilemmas. Thus, He wants all His children to seek to know His will and do them so they can live a peaceful life, serve Him acceptably and fulfil their destinies. God’s response to the requests of the daughters of Zelophehad, the children of Gilead, and Moses in this lesson teaches believers the indispensability of seeking and doing His will. The daughters of Zelophehad sought to possess their father’s inheritance in order to preserve his name among his people, the Gileadites sought the preservation of their God-given inheritance within their family and Moses sought God’s will concerning a worthy successor that would take Israel to the Promised Land. Though these requests are not the same, they all accord with God’s will and underscore the need to align our pursuits and prayers with “…what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).
1.GENUINE AND SCRIPTURAL REQUEST OF THE DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD
Numbers 27:1-11; 36:1-13; Joshua 17:3-6; James 4:1-3; Galatians 3:26- 29
The daughters of Zelophehad were not happy at the exclusion of their father’s household from the census and inheritance to be allocated in Canaan. They felt that their father should not be disinherited on account of the status of his children, which he lacked the power to determine. Though the census covered only male children, but the inheritance was to be allocated based on the family unit and Zelophehad had a family. Thus, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah channeled their request appropriately and courteously to Moses in the presence of Eleazar the priest, the princes and the congregation. “Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin and had no sons. Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father” (Numbers 27:3,4). The sincerity and humility with which they presented their request is worthy of emulation.
They did not make this request in the guise of feminism but for the preservation of their father’s name and posterity. It is obvious that the children watched and knew their parent’s lifestyle from the account they gave of their father – that he “died in his own sin”. It is awful and damnable to die in any sin. God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). He has promised to save everyone who truly repents, prays for salvation and believes in Christ’s sacrifice for forgiveness and cleansing. Moses had no immediate solution to the request of the daughters of Zelophehad as there had been no precept concerning the issue at hand. Thus, “Moses brought their cause before the LORD”. Á similar incident played out when a young man whose mother was a Jew but fathered by an Egyptian blasphemed the name of the Lord (Leviticus 24:10,16,23). Moses instructed that they “put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them”. God is pleased with His children who seek to know and do His will. Christ reveals that such are His brothers, sisters and mothers, aside the fact that they will gain the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 12:50; Mark 3:35). In response to the request of the women through Moses, the Lord gave the law of inheritance among the children of Israel. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, inheritance to pass unto his daughter. And if he have If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren. And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father’s brethren. And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses” (Numbers 27:6-11). This divine response teaches believers to avoid gender bias against the girl-child and women as was the custom of ancient Greeks, Romans and people from the Far East. The Lord set aside this tradition that demeans women by relating with them and making that a pattern for us today. He allowed women to minister to Him. Christ visited and ministered to women in their homes; He sent women to relay the resurrection news to male disciples; and He anointed women with the Holy Ghost and power to be His witnesses. The early Christians also continued with the new way of treating women – the male assembled together with women in worship without segregation; women served as deacons and evangelists.
Thus, Paul said: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus… There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26-29). However, the elders of the families of the children of Gilead highlighted the likely consequence of this law as regards the preservation of inheritance within each tribe as prescribed earlier by God. If these daughters of Zelophehad were to marry to other tribes, their inheritance would be transferred to their husband’s tribe. To the clarification they sought from their leader, God instructed that: “Let them marry to whom they think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry. So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers” (Numbers 36:6,7). Note that the second answer did not set aside the former answer. God cannot make a mistake and does not grant new revelations that invalidate Christ’s teachings in the Scriptures (Hebrews 1:1,2). There are no complexities in human life and experiences that can upturn His eternally settled Word. The attitude of the women and elders who accepted the word of the Lord through Moses is worthy of emulation by believers.
Believers are free to marry to members of the family of God (Ephesians 3:14,15; 1 Corinthians 7:39). This restriction is for the preservation of our faith, usefulness in God’s kingdom and eternal inheritance. God forbids a believer from marrying a sinner as it amounts to unequal yoke with deadly present and eternal consequences. This was the undoing of Samson. It was in line with God’s word that these women came to Joshua for the promised blessing and inheritance when they reached the land of Canaan (Joshua 17:3,4).
2.GOD NOTIFIES MOSES OF HIS DEPARTURE
Numbers 27:12-23; Psalm 116:15
Precious in the sight of God is the death of His saints. Therefore, He notified Moses of his imminent demise. Many times, He serves His servants notice of their departure (2 Kings 2:1-3; 20:1,2; 1 Timothy 4:6-8; 2 Peter 1:12-15). Thus, Moses, without any grudges against Israel that provoked him to sin against God, prayed God to appoint a successor that will take Israel to the Promised Land. It takes holiness of heart to respond the way Moses did. Close to death, his heart was void of offence towards God and man. Like Moses, believers should always be ready to meet God. It is obvious we have different dates of death but salvation and holiness of heart will make us arrive at the same place, the abode of God, after death. Before death comes, the rapture can take place and the redeemed will go to their heavenly home. The state of everyone’s life and relationship with the Lord will determine their eternal abode. Every sinner must repent and receive Jesus as Saviour and Lord and believers should walk, work and watch in holiness till the end.
3.GOD APPOINTS A SUCCESSOR FOR MOSES
Numbers 27:15-23; Acts 1:16-26; 1 Timothy 3:1-12;Titus 1:5-8; Hebrews 5:4
Moses, God’s great general and friend, was not spared. He had to go up and die. Before going to the appointed place, he nursed no fear that God will lack men and women who will take the “church” (then in the wilderness) to the Promised Land. Founders of God- ordained ministries and churches need fear nothing. Elijah feared nothing of such; rather, he looked to God and He raised another person (Elisha) with double- portion of his power who accomplished double-fold of his exploits for the Lord. God will never leave His flock in the hands of weaklings, having used His pioneering sons and daughters to start His work on earth. The Great Shepherd cares for His sheep and will not relent to raise another under shepherd that will take His flock to the Promised Land. As Moses did, so must we do, whether as founders or members of churches. We should look up to God and say, “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation”. It is instructive that the successor’s case was settled by God before the departure of Moses. He, at the instance of the Lord, set Joshua before the congregation before leaving so that the priests and the congregation I would not be in doubt of the leader that would take over from him. The Lord Jesus did not leave the Church bereft of godly leadership before His ascension. He left the Church in the hands of the twelve apostles who took the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth, “…the Lord working with them”. For Moses to pray the way he did in verses 16 and 17 shows he had no idol in his heart.
His closeness to Joshua and Caleb did not feature in his prayer. He was free in his heart to look up to God and leave the matter to Him alone. It is also instructive that we did not read of interest groups visiting Moses to lobby for their candidates. What a model! When the church of God conducts itself as the true bride of Christ, worldly methods and schemes will have no place in their choice of leaders. They know and believe that, “no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron” (Hebrews 5:4). It is interesting to learn that the matter was between Moses and God. And as Moses heard from Him so he did. In the New Testament, we should not bring worldly politics that breeds bad blood, litigation to the shame of the church. For lesser leaders, the church may follow the principle in 1 Timothy and Titus. However, the final decision has to be taken by the overall leader who will seek the face of God on the recommendations of the elders in the congregation. And the leader’s selection and appointment must be accepted and supported for the work to progress just as the children of Israel did. Thus, Moses took Joshua in accordance to the appointment of God and presented him to the priest, Eleazar and before all the congregation (verse 22). Laying his hands on Joshua, Moses gave him a charge as the Lord commanded him. This arrangement closed the door against murmuring and struggling about who should succeed Moses. Also, it prepared the children of Israel to be obedient and supportive to the leadership of Joshua before the exit of Moses.
We see this pattern in the way Elijah handed over to Elisha and David to his son, Solomon. The handing over was done before they passed on to be with the Lord. Above all, we learnt that the choice is entirely God’s without the will of any person or interest group. As the priest and the people did not question the choice of Joshua, New Testament believers should not struggle to accept the choice of the Lord through His servant. After James, the leader of the church at Jerusalem, spoke during the question of admittance of Gentile believers, the believers accepted his verdict and supported his declaration (Acts 15:13-35). These chapters enjoin us to seek God’s will in all matters and be ready to do that which will work for our good and the preservation of what God has given to us. When we seek to do His will in all things, then shall it be well with us and our children.
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW:
- Mention some areas that believers and churches must seek to know and do the will of God.
- Distinguish between how some modern feminist fight for their rights and how godly women should present their legitimate requests.
- What do we learn about praying and receiving answers according to Joshua 17:3,4 and 1 John 5:14,15?
- What should be our primary preparation as we await our transformation from the earth to heaven?
- What do we learn from the prayers of Moses for the appointment of his successor?
- How should leaders be appointed in the New Testament church today?
- Describe the response of the children of Israel to the appointment of Joshua and what the church can learn from it.
