Leaving a Legacy… by the Real Travis Clark

Today’s Passage – Numbers 27 – 29 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Romans 9 – 12Proverbs 25Psalms 126 – 130

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 51

Read previous posts from this passage – “Bring Your Cause Before The Lord;” and “A Pastor’s Heart.

Read the “0225 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“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. 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, 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. And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.” (Numbers 27:1-5)

Here the daughters of Zelophehad come to talk to Moses. They were making their case to Moses saying there father Zelophehad, was a good man who loved the Lord. They continued to explain that he had no sons, and that the daughters should be able to have his inheritance. In 2020 this may not seem like a crazy request, but in that time women never received an inheritance. The first born male would receive a double portion, then if there were more sons they would divide up the rest. As you may remember with Jacob And Esau in Genesis 25, Jacob stole Esau’s birthright which eventually led to Jacob stealing the blessing. So for the times, this request the daughters made was a very bold request.  I want to focus on the reason why they made the request. They felt comfortable to make this request, because of their dad’s testimony. Their father with someone who walked with the Lord, and loved the Lord. They took that petition to Moses to tell him their father was a good man, therefore he should have an opportunity for his name to continue  through this inheritance.  This made me think:  would someone be able to make a bold request and the premise of their argument be my walk with God? Now back to the text-Moses did not have an answer for their request, so he decided to go to the Lord, and ask him.

“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, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter. And if he have 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)

The Lord’s response was that the daughters were right! They deserved the inheritance of their father. Not only were they able to receive an inheritance, but God made it where families in this situation or something similar would be able to receive an inheritance. God changed the law because of a request. Not just a request, but also because of the life their father lived by loving the Lord. Let this be a challenge to us. We need to love and serve the Lord not only for us, but for the people behind us.

 “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. And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. 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. And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying, Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 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. 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; And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. 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. And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation: And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.” (Numbers 27:12-23)

I don’t find it a Coincidence, but after God recognized the legacy of a man, He addresses Moses’ legacy. Moses unfortunately  was not able to enter the promised land because of his disobedience:

 “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. … And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.” (Numbers 20:7-8, 11-12)

Moses loved the Lord, and his “inheritance” which would be the promised land is going to be passed on to Joshua. I thank God that even when we mess up God still will do His will, even if the person he chooses doesn’t cooperate. Jonah ran from Gods will, but God still made a way!

 “Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” (Jonah 1:17)

God now gives Moses’ “inheritance”  to Joshua, and Joshua becomes one of the greatest leaders of all time! This is also a great reminder to make your past exactly that your past! Even though Moses fell he got back up, kept serving God, and also was a huge mentor to and influence on Joshua. The Devil would love to take your impact by reminding you of your past, don’t let him!!

Numbers 28 And 29 talked a lot about offerings. And you may not think that chapters 27, 28, and 29 should go together, but they go together perfectly. Chapter 27 talks about a good heritage- having a good godly role model or father or mother in your life. Chapters 28 and 29 talk about personal offerings and sacrificial giving. Some of us have a legacy that was left behind by a parent, grandparent, or maybe a spiritual parent in our lives. We need to be thankful for our goodly heritage (the inheritance), but we cannot rely on it. We have to make it personal through sacrificial living.

Travis, Chaniece, and Ember

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Ted Stahl
Ted Stahl
4 years ago

Amen! Great post.

Issan
Issan
4 years ago

Great thoughts on here Brother! I Appreciate your testimony and praying for Gods continual hand on your family’s life.

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