May the mumbling commence!
Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah were the five daughters of Zelophehad. Zelophehad had no sons when he died. How would his name live on after him? How would he be included in the division of the Promised Land? These five women approached Moses, Eleazar, the leaders, and all the community with these questions in Numbers chapter 27. These women asked for property to continue their father’s name.
And Moses brought these questions to the Lord. God told him that what these women asked for was rightfully theirs. In fact, Zelophehad’s daughters set a precedent. “If a man dies and leaves no son, turn his inheritance to his daughter.” (Verse nine) Then, if the man left no children, the inheritance would go to his brothers or his father’s brothers – whoever was the closest relative in his clan.
What an innovation! Women in a patristic society were rarely, if ever, allowed to own anything. To allow women to own land was a break from tradition in most of the societies that surrounded Israel. (In fact, later, we will see that this award of property to Zelophehad’s daughters brought up other questions – particularly if these women were to get married, which was a high likelihood.)
After this episode in chapter 27, Moses is called once again to the mountaintop. Moses got to see the Promised Land with his own eyes, but he would not get to enter it. Moses would join his brother Aaron and be gathered to his people. God reminded Moses that both he and Aaron disobeyed His command to honor Him as holy before the eyes of Israel.
Knowing what it took to lead Israel, Moses called for the Lord to appoint a successor. The Lord called forth Joshua and asked Moses to lay hands on Joshua. Some of the power that Moses wielded would pass to Joshua. This laying on of hands would happen before Eleazar and the entire community. The torch of the priesthood had been passed from Aaron to Eleazar, and now the torch of leadership was being passed from Moses to Joshua.
And the passing of the leadership torch was passed just as the Lord commanded.
In Numbers chapters 28 and 29, the prescriptions for daily, monthly, and yearly giving to the Lord are laid out. Each day had the sacrifice of two lambs, one at dawn and the other at dusk. With each of these offerings, the people would give about two quarts of fine flour mixed with olive oil and about two quarts of wine. Everything else described in these two chapters were in addition to these daily offerings.
So, Israel was to add another two lambs, with their grain and drink offerings, to the total on Sabbath days. On the first of every month, Israel was to add two bulls, one ram, seven lambs, and a goat. The same sacrifice was to be given on the fifteenth day of the first month (the Lord’s Passover). The same would happen on the Feast of Weeks. On the first day of the seventh month, Israel would add a bull, a ram, seven lambs, and a goat.
And, on the tenth day of this month, the Feast of Trumpets would call for a great outpouring of sacrifice. The first of the sacrifices would match the ones on the first day. Then, on the fifteenth day, a series of eight sacrifices would happen in eight days. The number of bulls sacrificed on the first day would be thirteen. Then, each day afterward, one less bull would be sacrificed until the eighth day, when only one bull would be given. For the first seven days two rams, fourteen lambs, and a goat would be given. On the eighth day, only half the amount of rams and lambs would be given along with the one goat. In the totality of the process, 71 bulls would be sacrificed, 15 rams, 98 lambs, and 8 goats.
All of this sacrifice was given on top of the regular daily and Sabbath offerings – and on top of the tithe and the freewill offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings, and fellowship offerings. I am sure all this sacrificing hurt a bit to those who offered their animals, grain, and wine.
Do we honestly give until it hurts today? Do we ever cut back on other expenditures like for pleasure or even for putting food on our tables, clothes on our backs, and shoes on our feet? May I give thanks to God for the provisions that He gives me. May I trust in His future provision. May I give generously to the church and to those people who are vulnerable and in great need.
Enough mumbling for today…
Peace Out
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