Numbers 27:1-23

The generation of people who refused to enter the Promised Land has now died and God has brought the nation back to the place where they are ready to enter the land once again.  Prior to invading the land there are a few things that still must be done in order to the will of God to be known and accomplished.  God is in control of the history of this world and His will is always going to prevail in the end.  It may be delayed by the sins of men, but God is not very concerned with the time factor.  He is very patient and never seems to be in a hurry; rather, He wants to be sure that His children are rightly related to Him and that His Word will be fulfilled.

GOD’S WILL WAS TO BE DONE IN THE DIVISION OF THE LAND: God is concerned about each individual family within the nation of Israel.  He wants to make sure that each family has its rightful inheritance of the land.  One particular family was left without a son to inherit the land, so the daughters of this man were to be given the portion that was to fall to him.  The rights to the land were to stay within the family as closely as possible.  God is a protector of the weak.  A family that had few or no children might easily become swallowed up by a powerful family with many children.  God did not want this to happen with His people.  He wants those who have been hurt in some way to be protected and provided for by the leaders of the nation.  This is yet another way in which God demonstrates His mercy, grace and justice for His children.  We must praise Him for His abundant provisions in our lives.

GOD’S WILL WAS TO BE DONE IN THE DEATH OF MOSES: Moses had disobeyed God by striking the rock during the wilderness wanderings.  The consequence of this sin was that Moses was not going to be allowed to lead the people into the Promised Land.  God had made this very clear, and although almost forty years has passed since this act of disobedience; God is not forgetful.  Moses is called to go up on the mountain where he will be able to look into the Promised Land that he will not be able enter and then God is going to take his life.  Moses has been a faithful servant, and has been given a place of honor in the history of mankind that I am sure will continue throughout eternity.  However, his sin did cost him dearly.  Moses was the friend of God, and we see that He knows very well that God will keep His word.  Moses does not plead with God to change his mind.  Moses is aware of what he has done and has accepted that which God has determined.  Moses demonstrates that his greatest concern is for the people and not for himself which is yet another clear demonstration of the humility of Moses.

GOD’S WILL WAS TO BE DONE IN THE DEDICATION OF JOSHUA: Moses was concerned that the Lord provide the people with a leader who would be able to unite the people and lead them forward into the land that God had promised them.  Moses had been faithfully preparing this man from almost the beginning of his ministry and God demonstrates his approval of Joshua by having him confirmed be for the priest.  Leadership has always been a vital part of God’s plan for His people and it continues to be to this day.  Mentoring the next generation of leaders is an important part of every person’s responsibility.  All of us must recognize that we are only a heartbeat away from eternity and that we must have people prepared to take over that which we are accomplishing within the kingdom.  Each of us must ask ourselves who knows how to do what we are doing for the kingdom of God?  We must faithfully be preparing and qualifying others to do the things that we are doing.  Unfortunately, many people are not doing much of anything that requires them to train their replacements and those who are serving actively rarely are faithfully preparing other to take their place.  God leaders are always reproducing themselves in the lives of those around them.