The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Numbers 36:7-9,
"No inheritance in Israel is to pass from one tribe to another, for every Israelite shall keep the tribal inheritance of their ancestors. Every daughter who inherits land in any Israelite tribe must marry someone in her father's tribal clan, so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of their ancestors. No inheritance may pass from one tribe to another, for each Israelite tribe is to keep the land it inherits."
An issue arose in Israel as they anticipated taking possession of the land promised them. You recall that the promised land was divided among the tribes of Israel. What about land inherited by daughters, if they should marry outside their tribe? Would the land allotted a tribe transfer to another if the daughters married outside their clan? Tribal identity was very important and the thought of one tribe losing portions of the land allotted to them to another tribe, and possibly significantly so over years, became a concern.
This passage is the resolution the Lord provided for the concern and gave to Moses.Tribal identity and tribal presence with its footprint in the land was to be observed and maintained. The nation of Israel was not to be "homogenized" in the promised land. Every person's tribal identity was to remain intact.
Although this is an historical account of what was to happen within the nation of Israel in the land of Palestine as they took possession of it, it brings to mind something fascinating to me about life in the resurrection. In Revelation 21 we read of "the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God" to earth, verse 10. A bit later we read, "The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it." Revelation 21:24-26.
"No inheritance in Israel is to pass from one tribe to another, for every Israelite shall keep the tribal inheritance of their ancestors. Every daughter who inherits land in any Israelite tribe must marry someone in her father's tribal clan, so that every Israelite will possess the inheritance of their ancestors. No inheritance may pass from one tribe to another, for each Israelite tribe is to keep the land it inherits."
An issue arose in Israel as they anticipated taking possession of the land promised them. You recall that the promised land was divided among the tribes of Israel. What about land inherited by daughters, if they should marry outside their tribe? Would the land allotted a tribe transfer to another if the daughters married outside their clan? Tribal identity was very important and the thought of one tribe losing portions of the land allotted to them to another tribe, and possibly significantly so over years, became a concern.
This passage is the resolution the Lord provided for the concern and gave to Moses.Tribal identity and tribal presence with its footprint in the land was to be observed and maintained. The nation of Israel was not to be "homogenized" in the promised land. Every person's tribal identity was to remain intact.
Although this is an historical account of what was to happen within the nation of Israel in the land of Palestine as they took possession of it, it brings to mind something fascinating to me about life in the resurrection. In Revelation 21 we read of "the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God" to earth, verse 10. A bit later we read, "The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it." Revelation 21:24-26.
Note that "the nations" will walk by its light (provided by the glory of God). Not simply people, but "the nations". Also, "kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it", indicating, again, leaders of nations. We are told the glory of "the nations" will be brought into the New Jerusalem. It is my understanding that "nations" is not simply a synonym for "people", but, a reference to countries, to nations as we understand them.
Just as Israel was to maintain tribal distinctions, tribal presence and tribal dentity, so we find in the resurrection we will continue to have a form of national identity. All mankind will not be "homogenized" by removal of national distinction, but we will be the people of God, God's family, his kingdom, represented as individuals that retain some form of national identity.
How this identity works out in the resurrection, I have no clue. Some nations collapse into other nations, some nations arise out of others in this life, as we all know. Whether the nations in the resurrection reflect the national identities of this life - again, I don't have a clue. But, here it is. Nations in the resurrection!
How else would we count medals in the Olympic games in the resurrection if we had no national identity? ;o)
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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