Day Two - The Day You Understand How Much You Matter
So did you dance in the rain barefoot or paint your footprints on some paper yesterday? Or if you live in the Southern Hemisphere then maybe you had the joy of ocean and sand (and we don’t envy you at all!!). It was like crazy temperatures for us, but I got out (check out FB and IG stories)
So today I want to introduce you to the ‘Daughters of Z’ in an overview of their story. You can go ahead and look up the scriptures and be journaling about it yourself.
Let us know in the FB group what you have been noticing as you study this yourself.
This story is found in Numbers 27 in the Bible and I read it a few years ago and felt like it was a profound word for women all over the world. As you know I have a huge passion for the feminine strength and last year I taught this message for a A Seat At The Table Online Conference (hosted by Gather Women and it’s not too late to purchase the whole day if teaching on women in leadership interests you)
Here is the link to my teaching
These were incredible conversations about women and leadership and message me if you would like to purchase the whole day conference.
Zelophehad has five daughters, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah (we will talk about these names in a few days); he has no sons.
Zelophehad is part of the generation of Israelites who departed from Egypt under Moses’ leadership and died during the forty years in the wilderness. His five daughters belong to the new generation that would enter and possess the promised land….. I love this .. even as a daughter of wilderness you can take steps into your promise.
Has this past season felt like wilderness in anyway to you?
According to God’s command, the promised land is to be given only to those members counted in the census recorded in Numbers 26 (see 26:55-56). Since only men were counted in the census it meant that Zelophehad’s daughters would be left without an inheritance.
Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah step forward to appeal this regulation, stating their case in front of the sacred tent of meeting in the presence of Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and indeed the whole community (Num 27:2). They argue that their father’s name (lineage) should not be cut off from his clan just because he had no son and that they should be permitted to inherit his land portion (v. 4) in order to avoid this potential injustice to their father’s name (and property).
They are basically saying ‘we as women should be counted too’
There is a lot at stake to contend for this. However there is too much at stake to NOT contend for this.
Moses consults God, and God announces the decision to Moses: the proposal of the daughters of Zelophehad is to be implemented (v. 5–7). Then God declares a new regulation for order of inheritance: when there are no sons, daughters shall have first inheritance rights, followed by other male relatives in a set sequence (v. 8–11).
Powerful shifts in tradition, culture and law occurs because daughters stand strong in their own voice.
These daughters eventually receive their inheritance (Joshua 17:3–6). It was a journey and took a while but the bottom line is they received what was rightfully theirs to possess and they stepped into their future.
Today I want to leave you with this thought to reflect on..
The girls presented a PROPOSAL to Moses. They thought, prepared, studied, planned out what was theirs.
Imagine today is the day that the revelation came to you – “As a female in Christ, I have a right to that land/life/mindset/healing/relationship/opportunity and from this moment I am going to PLAN how I can step into that space”
How would you be different? Even from right this moment? How would it shape decisions and steps that you take today? Maybe this has always been a no brainer for you. You know your feminine gift and grace.
But let's go one step further. You are not just a gift because you are female. You are a gift because you are YOU. Even notice the gifts and strengths, your unique design and the way your respond to life.
I work with women all around the world and we often work in a space called 'voice clarification' .. its a place where your unique voice and the way you show up in the world can be clarified. Gifts, strengths, design, personality, passions...
All these form a revelation within you, that then allows you to begin co-creating with God, a plan.. a life plan... a vision .. a proposal of where you are going and why you believe the land you are entering is yours to possess.
What you bring as female to the earth is good. Be intentional with this part of who you are. You can stand strong in your feminine strength. Work on that overall revelation if you need to in these 21 days.
For others though .. its a layer more specific .. female gift ... yes
No you ... your voice .. a gift also.
I cannot wait to see the shift in culture that comes because you stand strong in your own voice.
In the new terrain with you
Vanessa xx