In the Ancient Near East, tribes and clans were led exclusively by men, and property was passed down from father to son.  But that posed a big problem for Zelophehad’s five daughters:  Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.  As they saw all their male cousins queuing up to receive an inheritance for the clans they headed, they realized that their own father’s family was in danger of being passed over, since Zelophehad had no sons.

Many modern women can relate to their frustration, as the #MeToo movement of the last few years has made abundantly clear.  But the church is one place where women have always been overrepresented.  Regardless of race or denomination, most congregations tend to have more women than men present on any given Sunday morning.

But that doesn’t mean the church doesn’t have any barriers we need to remove.  That doesn’t mean that all sorts of people feel welcome in church these days.  Just like lots of women in the Ancient Near East considered themselves second-class citizens, lots of people today wonder if there’s any room in the Kingdom of God for them.

And maybe you’ve felt that way from time to time.  Maybe you look at the brokenness in your life, and wonder if God could ever love you.  Maybe you look at the way you’ve messed up your relationships, maybe you look at the bad choices you’ve made and you think there’s no room for you among God’s people.  Maybe you look at the way you’ve wasted your time, talent, and treasure – and maybe you’ve given up hope.

If that’s the case, then listen to Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah, because they refused to give up hope.  Even though the men around them looked on them as second-class citizens, they pressed forward, insisting that there be a place in God’s Kingdom for them too. 

And the good news is that God agreed with them.  God made a place for them.  And no matter who you are or what you’ve done, God has a place for you too.

Numbers 27:1-11 (ESV)

Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh the son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ² And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the chiefs and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying, ³ “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin. And he had no sons. ⁴ Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brothers.”

 ⁵ Moses brought their case before the LORD. ⁶ And the LORD said to Moses, ⁷ “The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them. ⁸ And you shall speak to the people of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter. ⁹ And if he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. ¹⁰ And if he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. ¹¹ And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the nearest kinsman of his clan, and he shall possess it. And it shall be for the people of Israel a statute and rule, as the LORD commanded Moses.'”