September 26 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Numbers 27:6–11

Devotional

The daughters of Zelophehad received a precious inheritance. They received an inheritance in the land of promise. Their land was in a place of God’s favor yet in the midst of a world cursed by man’s sin. Their land was in a place with the Lord Himself. They were permitted to live with Him and be covered protectively under His wings.

All things are well when we dwell with God. Is this not true, child of the Lord? Even if you were to dwell in the lowest dungeon with Paul and Silas, if you were in God’s favor, it would still be good, for you would be satisfied with the Lord Himself. No good thing can be removed from you and no evil can harm you when you dwell in His inheritance.

What a privilege to receive an answer from God! And how blessed we are when that answer is an answer of grace. How closely this binds us to God and causes us to love Him above all others! The God who promises blessing becomes more precious than the blessing itself. Those who have no rights are made heirs of heaven. Those who are poor are made rich, the hungry are filled with good things, and those who were excluded are included. They are made poor and rich—poor in themselves, and rich in God. They can sing from Psalm 16:6, “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places: yea, I have a goodly heritage.”

God’s answer to the daughters of Zelophehad had significance for others. The Lord said to Moses in verse 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.” So, from then on there was an inheritance even for the daughters when their father died. The prayer of these five daughters had a blessed effect on others. If there were more fatherless daughters at that time, or if there would be others in the future, then they would share in the same promise of God. The Lord gave Moses a new law concerning daughters who no longer had a father. They received a sure pleading ground in God’s Word and from then on could say, “Lord, Thou Thyself hast said it.”

Zelophehad’s daughters could testify in the camp of God’s work in their lives. They could call out to other orphans: “Keep courage, persevere. God can work in your life as well. There is a pleading ground which the Lord Himself has given in His Word.”

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.