A Girl Named Noah

As the tribe of Israel was preparing to enter the promised land, a census was taken at the command of the Lord to count those who would be eligible for war. Every male twenty years and older was eligible. An army was being built, and the land was being divided and given to the tribes of Israel. The more warriors in your tribe, the more land you were granted; the fewer warriors, the smaller your portion. You could say the inheritance was divided according to the strength of each tribe. 

Zelophehad, from the tribe of Manasseh, had five daughters, and being women, they were not eligible to fight and not entitled to an inheritance. I wonder how Zelophehad felt having only girls during a time and in a culture where sons were the desired gender. I wonder if his feelings had anything to do with the fact that he named one of his daughters Noah. Maybe not. But maybe. 

When Zelophehad died, his daughters were left with nothing; they were not qualified for an inheritance because they were not sons. So what did Noah and her sisters do? They sought justice. They pursued fulfillment of what they believed was fair. They wanted the inheritance from their father, regardless of their gender. They wanted a portion of the land not based on their strength, but simply because they cared about their father's name. 

So they approached Moses, boldly I would imagine. And Moses inquired of the Lord. And the Lord said, "The daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly. You certainly must give them property as an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer their father’s inheritance to them." And so the sisters became eligible for their father's inheritance, but not only that, a new law was enacted for all families. You could say that Noah and her sisters' request not only benefited them, but also had far reaching social impact.

One request by a daughter unlocked the heart of the Father. I don't believe that the Lord ever thought that the daughters shouldn't have gotten the inheritance. He said it was right. May I propose that there are situations, injustices, stations in life that we may not like or think fair, that remain simply because we do not ask God our Father for help?

I'm reminded of words from the hymn, What A Friend We Have in Jesus:

O what peace we often forfeit

O what needless pain we bear

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer

Remember the persistent woman who nagged the town judge until he gave her justice? Jesus praised her because of her faith.

Perhaps your prayer is the key to unlocking the heart of God and releasing a blessing on others.