In the last two posts I began typing up a series of posts based off of the sermon I preached on the 12th. This will be the last of those entries. The first part basically examined Number 36:1-4, the second 5-9, this part will examine 10-12. Verse 13 I did not preach on as it is a summation of the whole book, and basically a sermon in and of itself.
In Numbers 36:10-12 we see the results of the complaint of the sons of Manasseh, and Moses response to them. The sons of Manasseh came to Moses to have their needs addressed as it concerned the inheritance of their brother, Zelophehad. Moses then responded according to the word of the Lord, and told them what should be done in this case. The issue developed due to the inheritance of Zelophehad which passed on to his daughters, as he had no sons. The concern was that the inheritance that God had promised to the clan of Manasseh would be lost due to the marriage of their daughters to another tribe. God responded by giving a command to the people of Israel that would ensure the inheritance of every tribe, eternally.
So, we have been challenged to be a people of faith, and a people of hope, what shall we do with this last section of Scripture? What we see here is how a people of faith and love live. Those who have faith in the promises, the victory, and the commands of God must live in accordance with those promises, victories, and commands. And that is what the 5 daughters of Zelophehad do. These are women of faith, just as those who brought the complaint were men of faith.
The obedience of these women is according to the faith they had in the word of God. God had given these women permission to marry anyone they wanted, so long as they married in the clan of their father. Remember, these women had not yet received the land they were anticipating as an inheritance. Just as the men of the clan believed that God would grant this land, so also these women trusted that God would do what he had said. These women were not just obedient due to social pressures, they were obedient because of their faith.
Faith requires obedience. Another way of looking at this would be that obedience is a result of faith. We see this idea discussed explicitly in James as he notes that Abraham was saved by his works and not just his faith. James here seems to be contradicting Paul, but the reality is that Paul and James are in agreement. James notes that Abraham acted in response to what he believed, this was the proof of his faith. Without works, faith is dead, so if we claim to have faith, but have no works, what good is that faith to us?
Just as obedience is a result of faith, obedience also anticipates the result of faith, an inheritance given by God. Consider that this passage does not tell us that the daughters of Zelophehad waited until after they received their inheritance to marry, but rather that they did as they were commanded, and married within their clan. These women anticipated that they would receive the inheritance promised, their faith was active in the fact that they were not passively waiting, but actively anticipating the inheritance to come. Our faith must also lead to an obedience that anticipates the inheritance that is to come.
But, it is also our obedience to the word of God that secures our inheritance. Once again we are brought back to James and we see that he tells us that if we are not living lives in obedience to the word of God, then our faith is dead, and of no use to us. If our faith is dead, if it is of no use to us, then it cannot save us and give us reason to expect the inheritance that has been prepared for us. So, while we cannot earn our salvation by work, we secure it by our works, understanding that our faith is demonstrated in our works. Hence why Paul says that we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, as this is our spiritual worship.
We walk a fine line here. It is a fine line because some might say that they are saved by their works, meaning what Paul means by salvation. These people think that because they do good works, God will look on them with mercy and allow them into heaven. That position is simply false, and is not condoned in Scripture at all. Rather, what we see is that those who seek to earn their way to salvation are challenged with their imperfections, called hypocrites, and rejected.
However, those who come to God humbly, having faith in Jesus Christ, they are saved. James notes this as he says to us that we must come to God in humility, that we must love God and not the world. Our love of God requires us to have faith in Christ, and thereby we are saved. But, this is also informative for us because we see that if we love the world we are enemies of God. That means that James is reminding us of our inheritance. He is reminding us that we who love God and draw near to him are securing our inheritance through works done as a confirmation of the faith that lives within us.
Obedience is necessary in order to be called the children of God. We are not being obedient to the law though, but to the love of God, and for God, that has been placed within us. Our obedience is not what causes faith, but is in response to the faith we have. Obedience anticipates the inheritance we will have, in that we are always reminded that we are obedient expecting God to reward us who seek him. Our obedience also secures our inheritance though, as we demonstrate our faith and are assured of our salvation by the things we do.
Where have you been disobedient in this last week, day, or even hour? Have you known what is good and right to do, and not done it? Have you resisted the law of love in any way? Have you refused to trust in God, holding on to your own problems and trying to fix things yourself? Consider these things and be challenged today to be more obedient to what you know you should be doing.
For the non-Christian, the act of obedience is simple: believe in Christ. This is what God has commanded for all people. Believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, and was raised again on the third day. Believe in the gospel as it has been handed down faithfully to us.
For the Christian, obedience is equally simple: take up your cross daily and follow Christ. Have this same mind in you as was in Christ, who, for the joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) To not be ashamed of Christ, and do not despise the discipline of the Lord. Rejoice, anticipate your inheritance that is coming, be obedient and look forward, hopeful because you have faith in Christ, you who are a child of God, who Christ is not ashamed to call his own.
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