March 8, 2025 -Lead Like Moses

NUMBERS 27:1-29:40

Chronological Bible Readings

Numbers 27:3 “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. 4 Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”

I have heard about how Jesus had stood up for the rights of women. In antient culture women were treated as property and had no value. Here we see women who are willing to go to leadership and request their "fair share". And Moses did receive them and heard their complaint/request. He even took their case to the Lord. The fact that it came to Moses instead of being handled by the men that he had appointed to help him govern shows how un-prepared they were to handle this request.

Numbers 27:5 So Moses brought their case before the Lord, 6 and the Lord said to him, 7 “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.

The fact that Moses took it to the Lord shows that it was not something that had already been established. Moses did not rely on the culture of the world around them to make this decision. He could have said "That is not what we have been doing." or "God hasn't said that we should do it, so we won't do that." Instead, he went to God and asked. Turns out the women were right, and God speaks for their rights. God has always been for the rights of women. God didn't tell them to treat women badly that was all self-interest and human decisions. Decisions that were made based on what others did or what they had always done.

What a great example of how to handle decisions that are unclear or debatable. I am one to ask, "Why do we do this?" or "Why do we do it this way?". When the answer is "That's what we have always done." or "That's the way we have always done it." I find to value or reliability in that answer. Had Moses said that the answer was "We will do what we have always done." instead of taking it to God he would have been outside of God's will and he would have been a poor leader in the care and concern for his people.

In leadership our responses should come from a place of seeking God's will not from our interpretation of what has been done and what we think should be done. God has given us His word that speaks to many things directly. Jesus has given us His teachings that address many things especially the importance of the position of the heart. And the Holy Spirit has come to us to direct us and guide us according to God's will and to transform us.

Romans 12:1 says "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Today's reading talks about many different sacrifices that were to be given. We are called to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice in worship. That means laying down our opinions, desires and wants because those are what the world would have us hold onto. The pattern of this world is "You do you.", "If it feels good, do it.", "Look out for yourself." and on and on. We should not conform to this pattern. Instead, the Spirit of God can renew our minds and transform it. That is the way to "test and approve what God's will is". But we must sacrifice ourselves to be able to be renewed and transformed because His will is good, pleasing and perfect. We can't say that about ours.

Lead like Moses go to God before speaking your opinion seeking His good pleasing and perfect will.

After writing this I watched on Amazon Prime the first episode of "House of David" and saw this same message again in the life of David and Saul. If you have prime video give it watch and let me know what you think.