The Great Liberator of Women
You could really say that Moses was the first person to truly value and liberate women from the constraints laid upon them by males since the dawn of humankind. It is fitting that the last chapter dealing with Moses' acts (Numbers 36) have him resolving land ownership disputes for the daughters of Zelophehad.
Numbers 36:6–7 (ESV) This is what the Lord commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad: ‘Let them marry whom they think best, only they shall marry within the clan of the tribe of their father. 7 The inheritance of the people of Israel shall not be transferred from one tribe to another, for every one of the people of Israel shall hold on to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.
This issue first arose back in Numbers 27. Yet after that first episode with these women Moses commissions Joshua to succeed him and we read 8 chapters of law which may cause us to forget. The daughters of Zelophehad will not let Moses get sidetracked from their issue. Tenacious women will have their day. Because of them it may well be the last thing Moses does is make sure the women of Israel are empowered and free to keep land within their father's name in the new Nation. These words above from Moses have to be some of the most empowering words to and for women in the ancient world. The great liberator of slaves is continuing the course to liberate women from the struggle of male domination.
How interesting that Moses becomes Moses by so much help from women. It is Puah and Surah who at first defy the king's edict to kill all the male babies way back in Exodus 1. It is his mother and sister who make certain his "ark" safely arrives at the shores where the DAUGHTER of Pharaoh finds him. It will be the daughters of Jethro who bring him to a new life out of refugee status. It will be his sister who leads the singing of the Nation at the Red Sea and becomes part of his inner circle of leadership.
And here, as is almost poetically fitting, it will be women who get one of Moses' last commands from God concerning the civil order of this brand new society.
The Bible gets a bad rap concerning women. Of course, if you don't want to read the whole Bible and simply pick a few verses out of context (both textual and contextual), you can make a flimsy argument that the Bible subjugates women. I've heard them all before. I used to be dumb enough to enter into the discussion and argue. People who WANT to reject the Bible as God's Word will easily find ways to do so. Arguing with such a person who has not yet received the Spirit of God to convert them is a fool's errand.
But the honest skeptic must look at scripture in it's ancient context. They must research and then compare these texts to the writings of other ancient peoples. Then they should look at Moses and Jesus. The two great deliverers of God's people. Both have their stories begin and end with important women doing significant things often without the support of a man (consider Mary Magdalene's telling of the resurrection and the disciples dismissal of her news).
We do well to see the Word of God as empowering women to be vital instruments in the plan and purpose of God. For everyone on this Earth was born of a woman to meet their Father in heaven.
Numbers 36:6–7 (ESV) This is what the Lord commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad: ‘Let them marry whom they think best, only they shall marry within the clan of the tribe of their father. 7 The inheritance of the people of Israel shall not be transferred from one tribe to another, for every one of the people of Israel shall hold on to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.
This issue first arose back in Numbers 27. Yet after that first episode with these women Moses commissions Joshua to succeed him and we read 8 chapters of law which may cause us to forget. The daughters of Zelophehad will not let Moses get sidetracked from their issue. Tenacious women will have their day. Because of them it may well be the last thing Moses does is make sure the women of Israel are empowered and free to keep land within their father's name in the new Nation. These words above from Moses have to be some of the most empowering words to and for women in the ancient world. The great liberator of slaves is continuing the course to liberate women from the struggle of male domination.
How interesting that Moses becomes Moses by so much help from women. It is Puah and Surah who at first defy the king's edict to kill all the male babies way back in Exodus 1. It is his mother and sister who make certain his "ark" safely arrives at the shores where the DAUGHTER of Pharaoh finds him. It will be the daughters of Jethro who bring him to a new life out of refugee status. It will be his sister who leads the singing of the Nation at the Red Sea and becomes part of his inner circle of leadership.
And here, as is almost poetically fitting, it will be women who get one of Moses' last commands from God concerning the civil order of this brand new society.
The Bible gets a bad rap concerning women. Of course, if you don't want to read the whole Bible and simply pick a few verses out of context (both textual and contextual), you can make a flimsy argument that the Bible subjugates women. I've heard them all before. I used to be dumb enough to enter into the discussion and argue. People who WANT to reject the Bible as God's Word will easily find ways to do so. Arguing with such a person who has not yet received the Spirit of God to convert them is a fool's errand.
But the honest skeptic must look at scripture in it's ancient context. They must research and then compare these texts to the writings of other ancient peoples. Then they should look at Moses and Jesus. The two great deliverers of God's people. Both have their stories begin and end with important women doing significant things often without the support of a man (consider Mary Magdalene's telling of the resurrection and the disciples dismissal of her news).
We do well to see the Word of God as empowering women to be vital instruments in the plan and purpose of God. For everyone on this Earth was born of a woman to meet their Father in heaven.
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