Laws of Inheritance

INTRO

We are almost done with the Book of Numbers. Although we didn’t discuss Numbers 26, this chapter really is about numbers, specifically, the second census. The Israelites needed to count everyone older than 20 years old.

The end of chapter 26 designated inheritance of land by tribe: “The LORD spoke to Moses, ‘The land is to be divided among them as an inheritance based on the number of names. Increase the inheritance for a large tribe and decrease it for a small one. Each is to be given its inheritance according to those who were registered in it. The land must be divided by lot; they will receive an inheritance according to the names of their ancestral tribes. Each inheritance will be divided by lot among the larger and smaller tribes’” (Numbers 26:52–56).

The Levites’ inheritance was different from the rest of the clans. They would be scattered and would not get land: “These were the Levites registered by their clans: the Gershonite clan from Gershon; the Kohathite clan from Kohath; the Merarite clan from Merari. These were the Levite family groups: the Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, and the Korahite clan” (Numbers 26:57–58)

TEACHING

Numbers 27:1–2: The daughters of Zelophehad approached Moses. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and the entire community at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

Numbers 27:3: They told Moses their father, Zelophehad, died in the wilderness but wasn’t among Korah’s followers. He wasn’t a part of the rebellion but died due to his own sin.

Zelophedad could have died several ways:

• Numbers 11:33: “While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the LORD’s anger burned against the people, and the LORD struck them with a very severe plague.”
• Numbers 21:6: “Then the LORD sent poisonous snakes among the people, and they bit them so that many Israelites died.”
• Numbers 25:1: “The people began to have sexual relations with the women of Moab.”
• Numbers 25:9: “But those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.” It is important to note that Zelophedad had no sons.

Numbers 27:4: Zelophedad’s daughters asked why they shouldn’t get land because their father had no sons. They wanted property among their father’s brothers. These five women believed in the promises of God. They were bold. The Old Testament describes several other bold women:

Zipporah: “On the trip, at an overnight campsite, it happened that the LORD confronted him [Moses] and sought to put him to death. So Zipporah took a flint, cut off her son’s foreskin, and threw it at Moses’ feet. Then she said, ‘You are a bridegroom of blood to me!’” (Exodus 4:24–25)

Deborah: “She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, ‘Hasn’t the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you: “Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor, and take with you 10,000 men from the Naphtalites and Zebulunites? Then I will lure Sisera commander of Jabin’s forces, his chariots, and his army at the Wadi Kishon to fight against you, and I will hand him over to you.’” (Judges 4:6–7)

More bold women: Ruth, Hannah, Abigail, and Esther.

Numbers 27:5–6: Moses brought the case before the Lord like he had done previously in Leviticus 24:1–11. Moses had to bring situations before the Lord nearly every single day.

Numbers 27:7–8: The Lord told Moses to give the daughters of Zelophedad hereditary property among their father’s brothers. The Lord also said that when a man died without sons, they transferred his inheritance to his daughter. Daughters were not included in inheritances until this moment.

Numbers 27:9–10: If a man had no daughter, his inheritance went to his brothers. If a man had no brothers, his inheritance went to his father’s brothers.

Numbers 27:11: If a man’s father had no brothers, his inheritance went to the nearest relative of his clan. The Bible speaks about inheritance a lot:

“We have also received an inheritance in Him, predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will.” (Ephesians 1:11)

“Knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:24)

“Therefore, He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” (Hebrews 9:15)

“And into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” (1 Peter 1:4)

“And the Israelites would see that Moses’ face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil over his face again until he went to speak with the LORD.” (Exodus 34:35)

Eternal inheritance in Christ won’t fade. This eternal inheritance that we are given is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading.

Numbers 27:12–4: Moses was told to go up to the mountain and look at the land the Israelites would be given. The Lord told Moses that after he saw the land, he would die. The Lord reminded Moses that when the community quarreled in the Wilderness of Zin, both he and Aaron rebelled against the Lord’s command. Moses would never receive the land he was promised.

Numbers 27:18–23: The Lord told Moses that Joshua had been picked to replace him. Moses put his hands on Joshua and commissioned him.

CLOSING

We will get to the inheritance that we have been promised. Even though Moses didn’t make it to his inheritance here on earth, I promise he will be in heaven with us. All of this points to the eternal picture.