Thoughts on the readings for April 9th Numbers 27, Proverbs 19, Philippians 3-4

Numbers 27
Among the final duties of Moses was dealing with a family anomaly and the appointment
and preparation of Joshua to assume his role. This chapter addresses these two things.
V.1-11 – In the orders for the division of the land, just given (Num. 26), no provision had
been made for females, in case of failure of male issue. The five daughters of Zelophehad,
therefore, considered themselves as destitute, having neither father nor brother, and feeling
themselves entirely overlooked agreed to refer the case to Moses and the rulers, whether it
were not equitable that they should inherit their father’s portion. This led to the enactment of
an additional law to the civil code of Israel, which satisfactorily ascertained and amply secured the right of succession in cases of inheritance. This law, which is as reasonable as it is just, stands thus:
1. On the demise of the father, the estate descends to the sons.
2. If there be no son, the daughters succeed.
3. If there be no daughter, the brothers of the deceased inherit.
4. If there be no brethren, or paternal uncles, the estate goes to the grand uncles, or
brothers of his father.
5. If there be no grand uncles, then the nearest of kin succeeds to the inheritance.
The daughters of Zelophehad appear again in Num. 36:1-12.
V.12-23 – Moses was allowed one view of the land promised to Abraham before his death.
This raised the issue of who would replace him as leader of the nation. His question is
answered by Yahweh in the appointment of Joshua.
Proverbs 19
Prov. 19:1 – “Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is
perverse in his lips, and is a fool.” Poverty and integrity do not always go hand in
hand. In fact, sometimes poverty produces a perversity that blames God for its condition;
V.3 – “The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against
Yahweh.” The rich have friends (V.6), but nobody wants to know the poor man (V.4,7),
except “the king’s son” – V.17; Ps. 72:12-14.
Having begun with “integrity” in V.1, there is an emphasis in this chapter on the scourge of
false witnesses – V.5,9,28. Nothing is more harmful than the peddling of lies and rumors.
Philippians 3 Phil. 3:2 – “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision”
(katatomē – cutting off; mutilation = circumcision). Paul warns against Judaisers who
worked surreptitiously to undermine his influence. That the term ‘dog’ could be used of them
indicates how unruly and vicious their behavior was. The term dog also is used to denote a
person that is shameless, impudent, malignant, snarling, dissatisfied, and contentious, and
is evidently so employed here. Paul acknowledges that he had acted like them in the past,
but had been rescued from it by Christ’s intervention (V.3-9).
His rescue had been a ‘resurrection’ to a new life in Christ (V.10), but one that brought
sufferings and persecution such as he had dealt out to believers. He looked for a better
“resurrection” – the word in V.11 is exanastasis – a rising from death (but to be given eternal
life), hence, the prefix. Anastasis is about raising the dead to mortal life. Paul knows that his
total commitment to Christ after his conversion in ‘repayment’ for his persecuting past will
lead to eternal life (1 Cor. 9:16-18; 15:8-10).
V.12-17 – But Paul is careful not to wallow in the past as there was much to do, and there
were many handicaps, not the least of these human nature to which some had capitulated
(V.18-19). In a series of engaging sentences well translated by Weymouth, Paul set forth
his goals – V.12-14 – “I do not say that I have already won the race or have already
reached perfection. But I am pressing on, striving to lay hold of the prize for which
also Christ has laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not imagine that I have yet laid hold
of it. But this one thing I do–forgetting everything which is past and stretching
forward to what lies in front of me, with my eyes fixed on the goal I push on to
secure the prize of God’s heavenward call in Christ Jesus.”

V.20 – “For our conversation (politeuma – citizenship) is in heaven,” hence, followers of
Christ do not participate in politics on earth in any form.
V.21 – “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his
glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all
things unto himself.” This is the “prize” of V.14. While there is nothing good in human
nature, the KJV translation is deficient. A number of reliable translations have transform
“the body of our humiliation.” Human nature routinely humiliates us by disease,
regressive malfunction, transgression and an endless bias towards evil, and of course,
ultimately death. We seek to receive the now “glorious body” of our Lord from him.