Morning Light – Numbers 27

[Numbers 27] The Appointment of Joshua. In this chapter, Moses is informed that he will not enter Canaan land because of his disobedience in the land of Zin. He went all through the wilderness for forty years and, in one outburst, cost himself the fulfillment of going into the land of promise. His last act was to settle a land allocation matter regarding a man who had several daughters but no son to pass his inheritance to. Again, the Bible, uncharacteristically of ancient times, defends the rights of women. Joshua is chosen by God to be Moses’ successor, and Moses lays his hands upon Joshua before the people to designate Joshua’s new leadership role.

[Num 27:1-23 KJV] 1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these [are] the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, [by] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 3 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. 4 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. 5 And Moses brought their cause before the LORD. 6 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 7 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. 8 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter. 9 And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren. 10 And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his Father’s brethren. 11 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. 12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. 13 And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. 14 For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that [is] the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. 15 And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying, 16 Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd. 18 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom [is] the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; 19 And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. 20 And thou shalt put [some] of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. 21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask [counsel] for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, [both] he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation. 22 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation: 23 And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

When the inheritance of Canaan was divided between the Israelites, there was a family who had no sons but only daughters. The daughters petition Moses to receive their inheritance rather than have their family name penalized merely because there was no male heir. Moses asked the Father, and God goes to great lengths to assure that the women are not disenfranchised merely because of their gender. This is almost unprecedented in the ancient world. Women in ancient cultures were mere possessions without any thought of personal rights or legal standing.

Rabbinic tradition says that these daughters’ Father was the man who gathered wood on the Sabbath in Numbers 15:32 and was executed. If that was the case, this is also another example of the fairness and mercy of God. When Korah rebelled, his extended family was not punished. When this man sinned, his family was not denied their inheritance. To get the daughter’s answer, the text says that Moses went before the Lord, which is according to De. 1:17 “the case that is too hard for you bring it to Me…” God’s wisdom is available. This is also testified to in the New Testament:

[Jas 1:5 KJV] 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

After Moses allocates the inheritance for these women, the Lord interrupts the ordinary course of events. He informs Moses that he will be able to look into the Promised Land but not enter it. This was because he struck the rock to bring water at the wilderness of Zin rather than merely speaking to it as the Father instructed. Moses, when he disobeyed, probably had no idea of the cost of his outburst before the people. In times of pressure and strife, we need to watch ourselves lest we lose out on something precious with God due to rash statements or decisions.

In vs. 15-17, Moses prays that God would choose a successor to lead the people after his demise. Rabbinic sources suggest that Moses expected that one of his sons would be appointed. When Samuel retired, his sons took his place. When the high priests retired, their sons took their place throughout the history of the people of God. This was not to be in Moses’ case. Moses’ authority did not originate in an appointment but an anointing. Where this is no anointing, there is no authority. People miss this many times and submit to the carnal and worldly demands of their religious leaders. A leader has no right to demand or require of you outside the anointing upon his life. In the days of the so-called Shepherding movement, this was a problem when pastors required the people to seek their approval over every single matter in life.

God chooses Joshua, the son of Nun, who was one of only two men left from the first generation that came out of Israel. Aaron is dead, Miriam is dead, and now Moses is informed he will die likewise leaving only Joshua and Caleb from the time of the Exodus. Joshua’s name is the same as Jesus’ Hebrew name. When God instructed Mary to name the child Jesus the inherent message was a prediction of a time of crossing over from one state (the Old Covenant economy) to the New Testament. Old things would pass away, and all things would become new.

The Lord told Moses to “put some of your honor on” Joshua so the people would follow him. He was to accomplish this by laying his hand upon Joshua. This was a type of what Jesus likewise did when He ascended up to heaven. He imparted the “hand of God” in the five-fold ministry of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher. In verse 21, we see Joshua is to stand before Eleazar, the priest, and Eleazar shall ask counsel of the Lord. This was done by the Urim and Thummim. Thus we see in this transaction between Moses and Joshua there was a change of how hearing from God would work. In the past, Moses heard directly from God and took the commands to the people. Regarding Joshua, he would now go to the high priest who would inquire of the Lord by the Urim and the Thummin to receive their instructions.