A future and an inheritance

Text Numbers 36 Time 09/06/13 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church

So we come at last to the final chapter of Numbers. We began looking at Numbers back in January 2012 and with a few gaps have continued to look at it over the last 18 months or so. I trust that those of you who have heard all or at least many of these sermons will have come to the conclusion that although Numbers is clearly not an easy book to read it does contain many valuable lessons for us and like the other books of the Bible is to be valued.

Now when we come to the final chapter, it is, perhaps a little bit of a surprise. The very last verse, perhaps, seems appropriate These are the commands and regulations the LORD gave through Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. But why this story of Zelophehad's daughters, which had already been broached back in Chapter 27?

The first answer to that is to remember that Numbers is part of a larger context – the first five or really the first six books of the Bible. Deuteronomy is a bit different to what goes before but over all Numbers fits very well as the matching parallel to much of Exodus, first describing the scene at Sinai that begins in Exodus 19 and then the wanderings in the desert that are much like Exodus 15:22-18:27.

There is also the overall structure of Numbers itself that has teaching about the Tabernacle at its centre and is surrounded by alternating sections of narrative and law. Having had law in 33:50-35:54 we end, as we began, with narrative. There is also the fact that Chapter 27 and this final chapter deal with similar material and so bind in all the material between which focuses very much on the future and the inheritance that lies ahead for Israel.

They were looking forward to a real and tangible inheritance in the Promised Land. The inheritance that can be ours in Christ is just as real but less tangible in some ways in that it is a spiritual inheritance not a physical one. There are lessons for us here, therefore.

1. Be aware of the danger of losing your inheritance

The problem is raised in verses 1-4. We read there how

The family heads of the clan of Gilead son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, who were from the clans of the descendants of Joseph, came and spoke before Moses and the leaders, the heads of the Israelite families. They said, When the LORD commanded my lord to give the land as an inheritance to the Israelites by lot, he ordered you to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters.

This is a reference back to Chapter 27, which had already established their right to inherit. Now they say

Now suppose they marry men from other Israelite tribes; then their inheritance will be taken from our ancestral inheritance and added to that of the tribe they marry into. And so part of the inheritance allotted to us will be taken away. When the Year of Jubilee for the Israelites comes, their inheritance will be added to that of the tribe into which they marry, and their property will be taken from the tribal inheritance of our forefathers.

This was the danger then – that if Zelophehad's daughters married men from other tribes, the inheritance would pass to those tribes. It is not entirely clear what their reference to the Jubilee or fiftieth year might mean.

Now we too as Christians need to be aware of the danger of losing our inheritance. In Hebrews 12:16, 17 the writer says to believers

See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.

If we fall into sexual immorality or godlessness we are in danger of selling our birthright and losing our inheritance. We should be as concerned not to lose our inheritance as The family heads of the clan of Gilead were.

Another example would be on the lines of what is said in Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Peter 4:11, 12.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

2. Understand how God will enable you not to lose your inheritance

Then in verses 5-9 we read how at the LORD's command Moses gave this order to the Israelites: What the tribe of the descendants of Joseph is saying is right. This case was a just one. This is what the LORD commands for Zelophehad's daughters: They may marry anyone they please marriage is to be a free choice, not by coercion as long as they marry within the tribal clan of their father. It is said that 10% of marriages are between first and second cousins. Such people share at least one grandparent. In certain Middle Eastern countries half the marriages are of this sort. In the west such marriages were common (in the Royal family especially) until the mid-twentieth century when they became less popular. One of the concerns is genetic disorders which are more common where the relationship is close. Biblically, cousin marriage is not encouraged but is permissible as here because

No inheritance in Israel is to pass from tribe to tribe, for every Israelite shall keep the tribal land inherited from his forefathers.

The law is then universalised

Every daughter who inherits land in any Israelite tribe must marry someone in her father's tribal clan, so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of his fathers. No inheritance may pass from tribe to tribe, for each Israelite tribe is to keep the land it inherits.

And so God makes provision so that his people do not lose their inheritance. In a similar way he helps us as Christians not to lose our inheritance. An obvious way in which he does that is by forbidding Christians to marry, as it were, outside the tribe. Every believer must marry a fellow believer. 1 Corinthians 7:39 says clearly that A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. More generally, Paul says very clearly in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial ? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

This is one obvious way in which we can avoid the danger of losing the inheritance that is ours in Christ.

3. Consider what you need to do to make sure you don't lose your inheritance

Finally in verses 10-12 we read

So Zelophehad's daughters did as the LORD commanded Moses. Zelophehad's daughters - Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah and Noah - married their cousins on their father's side. They married within the clans of the descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in their father's clan and tribe.

The daughters actually did what was required of them. There is another example of such a thing in 1 Chronicles 23:22, which says that

Eleazar died without having sons: he had only daughters. Their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them.

Again, for us who are believers we have to do what is in accord with what we have been saying. We have to get out there and do what needs to be done.

In 1 Timothy 4:14, 15 Paul says to Timothy

Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.

2 Timothy 1:4-6 is similar where Paul says

Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

Don't neglect the gift, fan it into flame.

The final verse of the book is verse 13

These are the commands and regulations the LORD gave through Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.

This could be a reference to what is in this chapter or back to 22 or the whole book, which seems most likely. The ending us similar to the end of Leviticus (27:34) These are the commands the LORD gave Moses at Mount Sinai for the Israelites. The very last word in the book is Jericho and the next thing really is the conquest of Jericho in Joshua. Here is a final call then to live the Christian life. It involves many battles. It is not easy but this is the way forward under the leadership of Christ.