Sun.’s Devo - The Last of the Old Testament Prophets

Read: Numbers 26:52-28:15; Luke 3:1-22; Psalm 61:1-8; Proverbs 11:16-17
Land in the promised land was to be divided according to the size of the tribe. It was doled out to the families in each tribe but the daughters of Zelophehad received none because they were women and women didn’t receive land. Their father had died with those who died out in the wilderness because of their unbelief. Moses went to the Lord and God endorsed the women and said they should have their inheritance. Moses rewrote their laws to say that if there were no son, then the inheritance went to the daughter. Things had changed by the time of the New Testament. Women were the most hated and disrespected people according to Judaism. They were not allowed to have property, own a business, divorce their husbands or even speak up in public. They were not to be taught the Torah or even be acknowledged in the room. The new law taught that women were inherently evil.
That was another thing that made the scribes and Pharisees hate Jesus; he honored women. Jesus taught them and acknowledged them and loved them.
Back to Numbers…it was time for Moses to place his mantle on the new leader because he was not entering the land God had promised. The new leader would be Joshua who had stood faithful and true the whole time.
In Luke, John the Baptist grew up in the wilderness and many people came to him to hear his preaching and be baptized. He was the last of the Old Testament prophets and the one who would announce the Messiah. Many people believed that John was the Messiah but he was quick to tell them that he was not , but the Messiah was coming. John was able to baptize Jesus and see God’s sign of the dove and hear the voice of God proclaim that Jesus was his son.
John the Baptist came calling the nation back to God. He pointed out the sins of society but when he pointed out the sin of Herod and his affair with his brother’s wife, Herod had him thrown into prison where he would stay till he was executed.
We are not promised a bed of roses in this life but we are promised that God will never leave us and that he will work everything for our good if we follow him.
Lord, give us the grace to live an abundant life.