Tag: inheritance

Posted on

Planning Ahead

be wise

Prov 13:22a Inheritances

A good person leaves an inheritance for his grandchildren, so says the Proverbs writer. In Prov 17:6, the Proverbs writer says that grandchildren are like a crown to the elderly. A crown is something that adorns the head as a symbol of honor and respect. Grandchildren are our crown that we wear proudly to show the world and others of our love for them and our joy at being their grandparent.

What am I leaving for my grandchild? Is it riches? Is it honor? What is it? Today’s children have so much materially but what about the spiritual riches we are leaving them? Are we leaving them with wisdom about God and His love for them? Are we leaving them the gift of discernment that will guide them step by step?

Today stop and ponder what gift you are planning for your children’s children. Then plan and follow through on that plan so that you are being a wise executor of your will for when God calls you home.

Posted on

Honor Our Parents

Numbers 36 “A Stickey-Wicket Problem or Not?

Zelophehad had been a devoted father who had five daughters but no sons! We know he was faithful because the daughters eulogized him in chapter 27 “Our father died in the wilderness, although he was not part of the company of those that gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah, but he died for his own sin, and he had no sons.” Because the tribal lineage and legacy went through the male line, these daughters learned that their father’s name would be lost from among his family because of this law. Boldly, they asked Moses to rule that they receive  Zelophehad’s inheritance, and God agreed. Fast forward to chapter 36, and we find that the heads of their tribe came to Moses and reminded him that if they married out of their tribe, their dowry would be given to the new husband, the new tribe, along with their land.

 The girls agreed they should only marry in their tribe so that there would not be a problem with the land inheritance in the year of the Jubilee. God placed this long tale to remind us how to honor one’s legacy. These daughters are role models for obedience, decisions, and choices. They are mentioned in 3 chapters of Numbers and Joshua—and consistently named in their birth order.

Posted on

Last Words

Share

Genesis 48 to 50 The covenantal blessing precedes the deaths of Jacob and Joseph, as well as their last words. Abraham blessed Isaac and Ishmael, and now Jacob follows that tradition by blessing his 12 sons. In forward sight, Jacob blessed Judah, noting that the Lion of Judah/the Messiah would come from his line. Judah’s is the longest, followed by Joseph’s. Moses continued that tradition in Deut 33 for all the tribes of Israel,

As Jacob was nearing death, he blessed Joseph’s sons by placing his hands on their heads and symbolically passed on the gifts of heritage and inheritance. Jacob blessed the younger over the eldest, just as it has been seen throughout the book of Genesis: Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, Joseph over Reuben, and Ephraim over Manasseh. Later Moses would continue that. Jacob thus passed on the privileges and blessings of land and people to Joseph’s sons just as he had received.

Jacob’s and Joseph’s last words are like the finishing threads of a tapestry. The underside threads may be scattered, but the top reveals God’s hand upon their life. Truly “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them,” [Eph 2:10]. What will your tapestry reveal? What are you passing on to your children and your children’s children?

Posted on

The Right of Inheritance

The daughters of Zelophehad were wise and cunning

Numbers 26 & 27 Louis May Alcott wrote a classic called Little Women and later Little Men. All have captivated audiences and still do today. But here, in an obscure passage, we read about not four but five little women and the problem they faced. As Moses recorded the male inheritances of Israel’s children, he listed the names of men—not women–from 20 yrs. old and up. In the middle, we read: Zelophehad had no sons, only five daughters. He had stood firm against those who had tested the Lord and was found faithful. But, male hierarchy and the law said only males could inherit the land. So these five daughters wondered what happens to our father’s inheritance. What about us? They wanted their faithful father’s legacy to continue.

Bravely but graciously, these five women entered the men’s arena to seek a change in the rules. They entered a patriarchal society to claim their father’s inheritance rights. Moses was in a quandary! Wisely Moses went straight to God and heard they were right, teaching us that God honors courage and humility. These five little women gained the right to inheritance and preservation of their father’s legacy!  Women of today take heart! You, too, can be wise, tenacious, brave, and courageous.

Zelophehad raised five courageous women, and fathers can do the same today. These five little women sought to honor their deceased father, and God honored their request.   

Posted on

A Sticky-Wicket Problem or Not?

 

Numbers 36 god honors our obedience2qNumbers 36  Zelophehad had been a devoted father but his dear wife, who is not mentioned, bore him only daughters and no sons. In fact, she gave birth to five daughters! We know he was faithful because the daughters eulogized him in chapter 27 ““Our father died in the wilderness, although he was not part of the company of those that gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah, but he died for his own sin, and he had no sons.” Because the tribal lineage and legacy went through the male line, these daughters learned that their father’s name would be lost from among his family because of this rule of law. So they asked Moses to rule that they would be given them Zelophehad’s inheritance. God agreed with them. Fast forward to chapter 36 and we find that the heads of their tribe came to Moses with a “stickey-wicket” problem of marriage. If these daughters married out of the tribe then their inheritance would be given to the new husband and the new tribe and the land to the new husband. What to do!
Moses concurred with the men that these girls should only marry in their tribe so that in the year of the Jubilee there would not be a problem with the land inheritance. The girls agreed and they went on to marry men of their tribe.

 

God placed this long tale to remind us of how to honor our leaders. These daughters are a role model for obedience, decisions, and choices. They are mentioned in 3 chapters of Numbers and in Joshua—and always named in their birth order.

 

 

Posted on

The Aristocracy of Believers

psalm 16 aristocracy2This year Queen Elizabeth will turn 90. She has boldly claimed that she is a believer in God and His Son Jesus Christ. One of these days her earthly crown will be changed to an eternal crown for she is not just of earthly aristocracy but is of the heavenly aristocracy. Peter reminded the believers who were undergoing persecution to not lose heart for their inheritance was and is imperishable for they were the chosen; the true aristocracy. Like Ruth they had made a claim looking towards their inheritance in eternity: “your people

Peter reminded the believers who were undergoing persecution to not lose heart for their inheritance was and is imperishable for they were the chosen; the true aristocracy. Like Ruth they had made a claim looking towards their inheritance in eternity: “your people

Peter reminded the believers who were undergoing persecution to not lose heart for they too have theirs in heaven. Their inheritance was imperishable for they were the chosen; the true aristocracy. Like Ruth they had made a claim looking towards their inheritance in eternity: “your people

Peter reminded the believers who were undergoing persecution to not lose heart for their inheritance was imperishable for they were the chosen; the true aristocracy. Like Ruth they had made a claim looking towards their inheritance in eternity: “your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” They chose to take refuge in the Lord under His everlasting arms where they find solace, peace and quietness—even in times of persecution.

It is because of those facts we too can boldly come before the Father and say: “Preserve me…for I take refuge in you.”  It is the chosen who are the ones in whom God takes great delight. As the psalmist looked about he saw the choice of those who had rejected God. Their life was full of sorrow and it was because they were choosing to serve other gods as Daniel reminded Belshazzar: “You have chosen to praise the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, hear or understand.” [Dan 5]

We who are of the aristocracy, the majestic ones, the chosen can claim that the Lord will counsel us, instruct us, and make known to us the path of life. God will do that because His ways are higher than ours, His plan is infinitely wiser and more detailed than ours for he can see from the beginning to the end. In his presence there is fullness of joy!

Which crown do you wear now and which crown will you wear in eternity?

Optimized by Optimole