Time to pass the baton on……

So today we find ourselves back in familiar and seemingly uninspired territory. Chapter 26 starts with the Israelites’ second census, where every male over 20 in each tribe is counted. This time Eleazar son of Aaron is to help Moses, as Aaron has passed away. In each tribe, the descendants of the sons of Jacob have now formed into clans and each clan is counted separately. The only aside of any note is in the section about the descendants of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel (Jacob) –

The son of Pallu was Eliab, and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. The same Dathan and Abiram were the community officials who rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were among Korah’s followers when they rebelled against the Lord. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire devoured the 250 men. And they served as a warning sign. The line of Korah, however, did not die out.  Numbers 26:8-11

Stories such as this must not be allowed to die out. God’s anger against rebellion must serve as a warning sign to the people not to do the same thing again. That is the importance of history, surely – to learn from the mistakes of the past.

When the census is complete, it is used by Moses to decide how to divide up the land fairly. Nothing else is to be taken into account – wealth, standing, role, popularity – except the number of people –

The Lord said to Moses, “The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names.”  Numbers 26:52-53

The Levite clan are not included in this division of inheritance as they have always been set apart to serve the Lord in the temple. We see a little more detail of Moses’ family tree here and are again reminded of the fate of those who rebel against the Lord –

(Kohath was the forefather of Amram; the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, who was born to the Levites in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses and their sister Miriam. Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu died when they made an offering before the Lord with unauthorized fire.)  Numbers 26:58-61

This is the most fascinating bit coming right up. This is why the stories of the past are important. Because this is the next generation –

These are the ones counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. Not one of them was among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. For the Lord had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness, and not one of them was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.  Numbers 26:63-65

None of the originals were left. No one except Moses, Joshua and Caleb had been through the exodus and was still alive to tell the tale. God had said the Israelites would surely die in the wilderness – and they had. So the memory of what God had rescued them from and all that He had done for them along the way was now secondhand. The stores had to stay alive. They had to be told and passed down from generation to generation to have the full effect that God intended – to act as a reminder and a warning.

And that’s exactly what we are doing here.

There hasn’t been much mention of daughters in the census and talk of inheritance. That is just the way it was. The Israelite men were clear about their responsibility to provide for their sisters and daughters. However, chapter 27 starts with an interesting request from the daughters of Zelophehad (a descendant of Joseph) –

“Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the Lord, but he died for his own sin and left no sons. Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”  Numbers 27:3-4

A good point well made. Perfectly understandable, I’d say. But rules are rules, right? Bend them for one person and then what would happen?

Not at all. God hears their request and agrees with them.

“What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.”  Numbers 27:6-7

God gives them a fair hearing. Even though they are women. In fact, he goes one step further. He listens, responds to their request and delivers a new set of instructions to Moses as a result –

If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it.  Numbers 27:8-11

The Law is evolving along the way. And this time, it is in response to a point made by women. A massive thing at that time. How cool is that?!?

So now we reach a climactic moment in our journey. Imagine the scene in an epic movie….the music, the majestic countryside, an old, old man coming to the end of his life (I’m guessing I won’t have to imagine this for much longer as our family film outing this Christmas is to see the new film EXODUS and I’m guessing this scene will be in it! I can’t wait!) –

“Go up this mountain in the Abarim Range and see the land I have given the Israelites. After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin, both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy before their eyes.”  Numbers 27:12-14

There’s that reminder again. Remember how things can go badly wrong. Remember how there are always consequences for what we do.

Go up and look out over the land I am giving to my people. The land that you will never enter. See what you are missing out on. Seems a little harsh, but a fitting way to end a life.

I must admit I’m feeling a little emotional here. I’ve journeyed with Moses for quite a few weeks now and I’m more than a bit worried about how the Israelites will cope without him. I’m going to miss him. Yes, it’s time to pass on the baton and Joshua seems to fit the bill nicely. But we don’t know a lot about him, do we? We haven’t traveled with him through the ups and downs of the journey. Moses was flawed but his heart was in the right place and God spoke to him and through him to achieve something truly remarkable.

I guess we feel like this when someone leaves. When a boss retires or a colleague moves on to another job; when a vicar moves on and we’re not sure who will take over; when our favourite teacher is on the long-term sick and we’re unsure of the replacement; when a grandparent or parent dies and we have no idea how to fill the void……..

It’s at times like this we talk about the circle of life. We know it. We understand it. We may even understand that it will probably turn out OK in the end. But we don’t like the process. We don’t like this sort of change. It unsettles us and causes us to grieve.

Thank you, Moses. We’ve enjoyed traveling with you on this journey. Let’s just finish with the words direct from the Bible today. No comment required. God has everything under control. –

MOSES: May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.

GOD: Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership, and lay your hand on him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.

Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed through Moses.  Numbers 27:15-23