The Nation of Israel was very close to the time of walking into The Promised Land.
A final census had been taken, and those numbers were the criteria for determining what people would get what land and how much. The largest clans would get the largest lands and the smaller clans would receive less because they needed less, but basically each man received the lots that were determined to be his inheritance under God and his promises to Abraham.
The land would legally go to the men who were determined to be the heads of each house, and their families would enjoy its abundance.
Joseph’s son Mannasseh had descendants who had gone through five generations of families now; each son producing children until they had come to Zelophehad, who had all daughters and no sons.
Zelophehad had died in the wilderness and now his daughters had been left to fend for themselves.
These five daughters realized if they did not speak up now, there would be no land for them. Only the men of military age had been counted in the census. All five of them got together and went before Moses and Eleazar and asked that they be provided for in the absence of their father.
They asked that they be given property among their father’s relatives so that his clan would not die out.
Moses listened and then took this request to God in prayer.
God declared that the five daughters had a right claim and that they should be given title to land in the absence of a male relative.
God said: “If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law for the Israelites, as the LORD commanded Moses.”
This is the first clear definition we hear in the scriptures of the “kinsman redeemer.”
Numerous women can now be thankful for the fact that these daughters did not sit and sulk, just wringing their hands in worry and wondering what they were going to do.
They were not helpless; God was for them and this gave them the courage to stand before their leaders and to demand the inheritance that they were entitled to. They needed a place to live just as the men did who were being given their rights to the land. The daughters of Zelophehad needed a way to survive and to feed themselves; and that could not happen without their own land in which to grow crops for food and to provide pastures for herds. They needed something of their own that was tangible to be able to work for their own sustenance.
These were very brave and intelligent women who were smart enough to know when to stand up for themselves. Many women of today could take a lesson from them. They did not cower or crouch in the corner or cry or run begging to the other people with their troubles. They strongly stood for who they were and they did it in a timely, legal, decent and righteous way.
I am reminded of the words of a song that Lauren Daigle made popular called “I Will Rescue You.”
The lyrics say: “You are not hidden. There’s never been a moment you were forgotten. You are not hopeless. Though you have been broken, your innocence stolen, I hear you whisper underneath your breath. I hear your SOS; your SOS. I will send out an army to find you, in the middle of the darkest night, it’s true; I will rescue you!
Doesn’t the song just give you a picture of Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah gathering together in prayer, heads bowed earnestly praying for God to show them the way?
Surely they must have been afraid that they would be left behind and forgotten by their people because their father had died and they might now lose their inheritance that they had longed for the whole time they had wandered around in the dark and treacherous desert with the hope of going home and feeling safe and secure.
The words of the song ring out in my ears as I think of how they must have taken God’s guidance and determined to be brave enough to stand up before the door of the tabernacle and speak boldly to Moses and Eleazer; who had not given them one ounce of hope; nor even thought of their plot until they spoke up.
Those words; “There is no distance that cannot be covered, over and over, you’re not defenseless. I’ll be your shelter, I’ll be your armor. I will never stop marching to reach you in the middle of the hardest fight it’s true; I will rescue you.”
Whether intended or not; this song surely paints a picture of the plot of the daughters of Zelophehad.
God gave them the courage they needed to stand.
They put on the full armor of God and faced the obstacle before them.
God rewarded them for this.
Their inheritance was declared safe.
Don’t you know they all sighed a sigh of relief, and don’t you know they must have been so thankful for this great and awesome blessing?
They would not only have lost their land; they would have lost their inheritance with their people; the people of God, the ones who had promised to always follow and obey God, and the one’s that God had given a covenant to multiply and bless forever.
I would like to use their courageous spirits and their amazing faith and intelligence as an example and open door to speak to Christian women of America today.
Our inheritance is being taken from us right and left.
Those who do not believe in our God are seeking to silence our voices.
I’m not speaking about women’s liberation issues here, or feminist issues; I’m speaking of our God-given rights and inheritance as faithful, believing, daughter’s of God.
God long ago delivered his daughter’s from the bondage of Pharaoh. We have never been destined to live in slavery and bondage, though the enemy of God plots day and night and uses others in our culture to try to keep us there. Our chains have been lifted and our spirits have been freed.
There is NO REASON to turn back now.
He brought us to a new place where an inheritance is still waiting for us.
Our forefathers fought for us to be free from bondage too. Our ancestors came into America so that we and they could experience freedom from oppression and an abundance of liberty and justice.
Not to imply replacement theology to our situation; but many of the facts ARE the same. Our nation was established around Godly principles; though many will try to ignore that fact. We have an inheritance in the land. No one should ever make us give that up.
Why do I bring this up?
If you get to the place in our culture that you feel your rights and freedoms as a daughter of God are being taken from you; it is time to stand up and speak up.
Be brave and courageous, like the daughters of Zelophehad, and use good timing and good judgment to solidly defend your rights to worship and live life God’s way.
Also; be persistent in teaching your children what God has shown you.
Seek out those blessings of your inheritance that you know are right before God. Stand for your inheritance and be counted and live as our founders intended; in one nation under God.
Don’t let a bunch of unthinking and greedy bureaucrats tell you what you can and can’t do when it comes to keeping your home and raising your children and making your living.
You are a free child of God.
You do not have to conform to any ways of the world or to any culture that you do not think is godly and right before God.
Take your stand and be firm.
God will do the same for you that He did for these five brave women; He will provide for you and sustain you.
Your needs will be met for as long as you are following your true identity and your inheritance in God’s Kingdom.
Live like a TRUE daughter.
Do NOT deny your inheritance.
The days of God’s Kingdom and The Promised Land are getting nearer and nearer as time goes on.
We must all do our part to make it come together.
Be strong and courageous at all times and stay properly dressed in your armor so that the enemy in all of his ugly forms of today cannot come near you or ever defeat you.
God will always come to your rescue.
Keep walking.
We are almost there!