The Daughters of Zelophehad [Part 2]

Pastor, author, and Bible teacher, Alan Wright. You're engrafted into Christ. You're engrafted into all the blessings that were promised to Abraham. You're engrafted into all the blessings that were promised through the old covenant to Moses.

You're engrafted into Christ and become a co-heir with Christ because he made the covenant, he kept the covenant, and therefore you were taken out of the picture except for your childlike faith wherein you come in and you say, yes, God, to what Jesus has done, and therefore I've become an heir along with Christ himself. That's Pastor Alan Wright. Welcome to another message of good news that will help you see your life in a whole new light. I'm Daniel Britt, excited for you to hear the teaching today in the series titled, God Used Who?

And You May Just Be Surprised, as presented at Reynolda Church in North Carolina. If you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire program, I want to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now. It can be yours for your donation this month to Alan Wright Ministries. As you listen to today's message, go deeper as we send you today's special offer. Contact us at pastoralan.org or call 877-544-4860.

That's 877-544-4860. More on that later in the program. But now let's get started with today's teaching. Here is Alan Wright. There was no assumption that the daughters would receive an inheritance, and so they came out from their place of comfort, and they spoke up, and they said, we believe God wants us to have this.

We would like to take our stand that our name and our Father's name be included, and we receive land. I want to see a beautiful movie, Hidden Figures. If you haven't seen it, it's one I really recommend to you. Three super intelligent mathematicians, three women, African American women at the early part of the 60s, right in the middle of so much racial divide and prejudice and discrimination, who were part of NASA, and they were relegated over to a western part of NASA headquarters where they and other African American ladies would do calculations. This was before the days of computers, so they were the computers, and Hidden Figures tells the story of these three women who rose to a place of great prominence, and boy had me in tears. It's just a beautiful, beautiful inspirational movie. One of the women, Katherine Johnson, really rises up, the true story, rises up to a place of working with some of the most prominent NASA engineers on Project Mercury, and her work of projecting trajectories was absolutely instrumental in our success in getting John Glenn to orbit the world.

Fascinating movie, and it's so inspirational when you see something like this. People against all odds, people who have experienced prejudice, and they stand up, and they did so in a way that was noble and beautiful and courageous, and all the while you're just inspired by this, and I kept thinking of these daughters of Zelophehad who were hidden away in scripture, and there's a part of me who wants to just say, go be like the daughters of Zelophehad. In fact, most of the sermons you would ever read, if you could find some on the daughters of Zelophehad, would say something like, be like these daughters. They were courageous, they were brave, they were noble, they went forward and so forth. In fact, one of the ones that was honestly most stirring that I read of a sermon essentially said three points, that these women, they came out from their place of comfort. They came out and stepped out of that place, and sometimes you have to do that in life, and then it said, and they dared to approach the most sacred place in Israel, the tent of meeting. They came into the place that was most holy, and they dared to do so.

Sometimes you need to step forward in that, and then it said, and they petitioned boldly, and went on very stirring. The only thing about it that wouldn't work very well here, it was a Jewish sermon, and the reason I kind of point that out to you is you know a good way to know whether you're hearing the gospel or not, is just ask yourself, could this same thing just be preached in a Jewish synagogue, or even in a mosque, or somewhere else? And if it could, it's not really a Christian gospel message is it? Because there's lots of good advice for us, and lots of noble things we might aspire to, and some helpful inspirational counsel we might receive, but beloved the gospel is much more than that. The gospel is not a message that says you ought to be more like these daughters, and you ought to assert yourself more, and so forth, although maybe some of these things are true for our lives. The gospel instead is a story about what God has done to redeem a lost humanity, and restore an inheritance that had been forfeited. The gospel is a good news message about the finished work of Jesus Christ. It is a good news message about the Holy Spirit being poured into our hearts, so that we are changed from the inside out. It is a good news message about what God has done through Christ to make us His heirs, so that we will be with Him, and reign with Him forever and forever. And so every bit of the good news hinges not upon us rising up to become something, but recognizing what God has done on our behalf that changes everything in our life. So it leads me to ask the question, where is the gospel in the daughters of Zelophahad, and where does it fit into the whole gospel story? These women who came forward with courage, and these women who asserted themselves, and petitioned for something, and they received so much. How is it a shadow of what happens with the gospel? I'm going to show you three ways.

There could be so many more ways, but just want to show you the beauty and the power of what I've seen. Number one, this is a story of five women whose ancestors were slaves, and who were by every natural thought, not in a position to receive an inheritance in the promised land, but by a deep stirring faith. They believed that God would want them to be heirs along with everyone else.

In other words, they were unlikely candidates to become heirs. They had no personal merit, skill, accomplishment, or personal level of holiness or righteousness that somehow merited them receiving this. Instead, they recognized that God would need to do something on their behalf, and so they believed that it was possible. It is a story, therefore, like the gospel story of people who believe, have faith, that though they are fatherless, they could be treated as though they had a father. That through, by through some amazing deep faith, that they could believe that through their petition a supernatural provision could be made on their behalf.

They had faith that there was a way for them to become heirs, even though they did not in the natural stand in line to become heirs by the existing laws and tradition. Let me tell you what's so good news about the gospel, what's so wonderful, what's so marvelous about the gospel, is that you are not saved by any of your own merit, but whose simple childlike faith that believes that though we are like orphans in this world, that God has done something in Jesus Christ that would make it possible for us who would otherwise be orphans to have God as our father, and if God is our father than to be heirs of God himself. And this is an amazing astounding thing, but it is through simple faith that God moves in your life.

It's not by anything that you would ever accomplish on your own, but by believing what God has accomplished and what God's nature is towards you. God is love, and God is a father, and God is a giver, and God has an inheritance. Number two, this is a story about unlikely daughters receiving a double portion of an inheritance. In other words, please see this, it's a story about people who weren't firstborn sons being treated as though they were.

The story really finds its amazing climax many years later. If you want to look there, it's in Joshua. Just flip over to the right in your Bible from Numbers in Joshua 17, and here it is that these daughters appear. Now, after all these years, they have finally under Joshua's leadership moved into the promised land, and they're now dividing up the land. And here it is in Joshua 17, three. Now, Zelophehad, the son of Hephir, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had no sons but only daughters. And these are the names of the daughters, Malah, Noah, Hagla, Melchiah, Tirzah. They approached Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the leaders and said, the Lord commanded Moses to give an inheritance, give us an inheritance along with our brothers. So according to the mouth of the Lord, he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father.

Don't you love that? According to the mouth of the Lord. I just got an apology. I said, do you see what this is saying? Is it because God had declared this is the way it's going to be? Now, when they make their appeal, they're making their appeal according to the word of God.

That's Alan Wright, and we'll have more teaching in a moment from today's important series. God's love. You've heard about it with your ears.

You've believed it in your mind. Now experience it in your heart with Alan Wright's beloved book, Lover of My Soul. The Bible is a love story from beginning to end. You are the spiritual bride of Christ, the perfect bridegroom. The Bible tells about a God who has gone to unimaginable lengths to woo you, to win you, and to walk with you hand in hand. For any man who has fallen in love with a woman, you've tasted the sweetness of what God's love for you is like. For any woman who has searched for true love, what you long for can only be found fully in God. Gary Chapman, renowned author of the five love languages says, the incredible reality that God pursues us in love comes to life in Lover of My Soul. Ancient biblical accounts explode in the heart. Accept Christ's proposal, enjoy His embrace, revel in His love.

After all, it's a match made in heaven. It's Lover of My Soul by Alan Wright. The gospel is shared when you give to Alan Wright Ministries. This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you give today, we will send you today's special offer. We are happy to send this to you as our thanks from Alan Wright Ministries. Call us at 877-544-4860.

That's 877-544-4860, or come to our website, PastorAlan.org. Today's teaching now continues. Here once again is Alan Wright. Verse five, there fell to Manasseh ten portions, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is on the other side of the Jordan, because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons.

It appears that these five got ten portions. They were like firstborn sons. Everywhere that Paul says, you're not a slave, but a son, he means it's like you're a firstborn son. And he's not speaking to women or men or Greek or Jew. He's speaking metaphorically about who we are, favored firstborn sons with a double portion of inheritance.

And this is the reason that it's possible. Christ is the firstborn of all creation. He is the Father's firstborn son. And He came with this mission in mind that He would take your place on the cross and take your sin and take your punishment and take your shame so that you could take His place as a firstborn son and an heir of God.

It's an unthinkable exchange, but He who knew no sin became sin so that we who were so full of sin become His righteousness. In other words, though it beggars our belief, it surely is the gospel that what blessing should have been reserved only for Christ the firstborn has been extended to us. And thus we're joint heirs with Him. We're heirs of God.

What God has, which is life and joy and peace and goodness and wellbeing, He wants to share with you. The daughters of Zelophahad are so unlikely they get treated like firstborn sons. We, the unlikely ones, get treated like firstborn sons. And then thirdly, there's so many other, you can see the shadows of the gospel in this story, can't you?

There's so many others, but let me just give you one more. This is a story about Moses going to God on behalf of the women. He's a mediator. He meets with people. He meets with God. It's a shadow of Christ, the mediator, our true mediator, who's God and man in one person. But Moses presents their request and God, the creator, who is the arbiter of all things, the judge, the sovereign, the supreme, the ruler. He's the ruler and the rule maker who had never said that forever women will not inherit land. But God Himself who makes the covenant and declares the covenant would need to make a powerful announcement about the breadth of covenantal blessing. So that God would declare that those who once were considered outside of covenantal blessing would be allowed to receive covenantal blessing.

It is a clarification of who is going to be able to receive the inheritance from God. It is a picture to me of what God has done for us in Christ is that though it was misunderstood by many in the old, God was always pointing to a day as He'd spoken through Jeremiah that the day is coming declares the Lord when I'll make a new covenant with my people. It will not be like the old covenant. It'll be a covenant which I put my law inside their heart. It'll be what Ezekiel said.

I'll put my spirit within them. The time is coming and Jesus when He redefines and explains what Passover was all about at the Passover feast on the eve of His crucifixion lifted up a cup and He said this is the cup of the new covenant. It's my blood and it's poured out for the forgiveness of your sins. He was declaring a new covenant that the writer of Hebrews said has come now so fully in Christ that it has made the old covenant obsolete because what has happened is that God having not abolished the law instead has fulfilled it. He has fulfilled all righteousness on our behalf and this new covenant is altogether different than the old because the old was between a God who said to the people if you'll keep my commandments then you'll be blessed and the people said we'll keep all your commandments and they never did and so God instead established a covenant between Himself and the Son. His firstborn son said yes father I'll do everything you say and the father said I'm going to pour out blessing to the people through you and Jesus never disobeyed his father never said yes to the devil never said no to his father and was obedient even unto death on a cross.

He was perfect. He was sinless. The covenant was made in Jesus. The covenant was kept in Jesus. The covenant has been finalized in Jesus and when you accept Jesus Christ you become a child of the covenant. When you accept Jesus Christ you become a child of the covenant.

When you accept Jesus Christ you are born again in Christ. You're engrafted into Christ. You're engrafted into all the blessings that were promised to Abraham. You're engrafted to all the blessings that were promised through the old covenant to Moses. You're engrafted into Christ and become a co-heir with Christ because He made the covenant. He kept the covenant and therefore you were taken out of the picture except for your childlike faith wherein you come in and you say yes God to what Jesus has done and therefore I've become an heir along with Christ himself.

Hallelujah! People just didn't understand in older times they hadn't understood the prophecies that the covenantal blessings were going to be far greater and more broadly extended to all the Gentiles and all who would believe on His name and the daughters of Zalova hand were treated like they were heirs and it was declared it was written this is what God has said. Your inheritance is not yours because you decreed it it is yours because God decreed it and therefore when the devil tempts you and you think that your inheritance has been forfeited and you think that the current adversity that you face is your lot in life and that God has abandoned you and all of hell wars against you to bring you to a place of abject discouragement. You have spiritual warfare to do and it is not with ordinary weapons of war but it is instead that you girded up with the armor of God have a sword in your hand which is the word of God the sword of the spirit sharper than any two-edged sword and you are armed with the gospel of Jesus Christ for our gospel Paul said it's powerful to pull down strongholds and demolish every argument that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. Don't fight in your flesh fight in the gospel don't fight by your strength or your word just fight in the power of all that God has said in his word just like the daughters of Zelophehad who received their inheritance by the mouth of the Lord so do we it's Paul's prayer that the eyes of your heart would be enlightened and you'd be able to see the hope of your calling and the glorious inheritance that is yours and the saints and the comparably great power of God what is your inheritance none less than the spirit himself Jesus himself taking up residence in your life who we are told in the scriptures in an earnest guaranteeing our inheritance that one day will receive in fullness in the heavens what should have been only Christ is yours assurance of eternity with him confidence in this world now of belonging to God and nothing that could ever snatch you away from him the favor of God that should rest only on firstborns rests upon you the fruit of the spirit is part of your inheritance love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness and gentleness and self-control and the gifts of the spirit the gifts that stir within your gifts from God and every single person in the body of Christ has a gift you've been made useful in the body of Christ abundant life the prosperity of spirit soul and body and well-being and wholeness and healing it's all part of your inheritance and the promise that one day that though this mortal body will decay and one day will die you'll be given a new glorious spiritual body the promise that you will reign with Christ forever and forever the guidance of the Holy Spirit knowing the voice of God having the mind of Christ victory over sin sin shall no longer be your master Paul said it's part of your inheritance rise up somebody and take hold of your inheritance you don't have to keep falling into the same old holes no you have an inheritance and Christ's daughters of Zelophahad spiritual authority over the darkness devils don't tell you what to do you tell them what to do intimate access to God your father strength to persevere in difficult times assurance that you can face all things the lifting of your shame the delight of belonging in the body of Christ having a useful useful place I wish I had more time to tell you what your inheritance is but if you want to spend some more time reveling in it get into this book right here for all the promises of God are yes and amen to you and all you got to say when the devil comes is it is written define yourself according to the word of God because in the end the gospel is true Jesus is alive he died for you to give you an inheritance his will has been established and you are in it believers believe the gospel you are the daughters of Zelophahad and that is the gospel hallelujah Allen Wright and I hope you feel good and confident in your standing with Christ today it's our teaching God used who it's daughters of Zelophahad the conclusion of this particular teaching and we've got Allen in the studio back here in a moment with additional insight on this for your life and today's final word God's love you've heard about it with your ears you've believed it in your mind now experience it in your heart with Allen Wright's beloved book lover of my soul the bible is a love story from beginning to end you are the spiritual bride of Christ the perfect bridegroom the bible tells about a God who has gone to unimaginable lengths to woo you to win you and to walk with you hand in hand for any man who has fallen in love with a woman you've tasted the sweetness of what God's love for you is like for any woman who has searched for true love which you long for can only be found fully in God Gary Chapman renowned author of the five love languages says the incredible reality that God pursues us in love comes to life and lover of my soul ancient biblical accounts explode in the heart accept Christ's proposal enjoy his embrace revel in his love after all it's a match made in heaven it's lover of my soul by Allen Wright the gospel is shared when you give to Allen Wright ministries this broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support when you give today we will send you today's special offer we are happy to send this to you as our thanks from Allen Wright ministries call us at 877-544-4860 that's 877-544-4860 or come to our website pastorallen.org so Allen here we've got a teaching where we don't even know their names but yet we've got a wonderful example that we can apply right now wherever you are in your journey wherever you are literally at this moment at this second you can hold your head high and feel confident if these daughters of Zelophahad who did not stand a chance in the natural of being given a portion of the inheritance in the promised land find a mediator in Moses who goes on their behalf to God and God himself makes a powerful announcement that they shall receive an inheritance if you can get your mind wrapped around that story and how therefore they receive the land and if it is and if anybody should ever dispute it all they have to say is it is written that we shall how much of a picture how much better for us in Christ who has Jesus as our mediator who has once and for all established a new covenant on our behalf and said that we're blessed with every spiritual blessing can we lay claim to our spiritual inheritance it doesn't mean Daniel that we're going to have no problems in this world but it means that every promise of God to us is yes and amen in Christ what a what a cause for rejoicing today's good news message is a listener supported production of Alan Wright Ministries you