Zelophehad's Daughters, Part 1

The story of Zelophehad's daughters illustrates the Biblical truth that true freedom is only found within God's revealed will.

Because of the land redistribution at the time of the Jubilee, Zelophehad's daughters had freedom to marry whomever they chose, but only within the tribe of Manasseh (Numbers 36:6).

This principle of freedom within the law of God is also expressed in the New Testament where we have freedom to marry, but only in the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:39).

The Jubilee also underscores the concept that freedom finds its true expression within the law. The Jubilee prevents generational poverty, on the one hand, but it also prevents one generation from passing on massive wealth, on the other. The land always had to be restored to its original owners no matter how poor they had become.

The Jubilee is also a picture of the Gospel (Isaiah 61:1-4; Luke 4:16- 21). The Lord Jesus not only takes away the debt of sin, but he offers restoration and a new beginning.