Barbara Britton is a prolific author of Biblical fiction. I’m so excited to share her new release with you.
Rooting God’s Word In Your Heart
I have to confess. I have been a Christian for over four decades and it wasn’t until two years ago that I discovered the daughters of Zelophehad. Who? These five orphaned sisters changed history by trusting God more than the men leading their tribe of Manasseh. Could I have rocked the societal norms of the day when that meant some powerful male relatives wouldn’t add to their allotment of land? I’m not so sure I would have had the brave hearts that Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah possessed.
What made these unwed, orphaned girls believe they had a right to their deceased father’s land? There was no precedent. They had no brothers or a parent to champion their bold “ask.” They didn’t have the written Word. I have to reason that they listened. Really listened to Moses as he told the Israelites about God and recited God’s words.
God is clear on how to treat orphans. In Leviticus 22:22-23, God warns not to take advantage of an orphan. He explains that if an orphan cries out to Him about wrongdoing, God will “certainly hear their cry.” Again, in Deuteronomy 24:17, God warns, “Do not deprive the alien or fatherless of justice.”
Did the daughters of Zelophehad grab hold of God’s loving words, and figure that Moses, the leader who spoke them to the Israelites, would heed their request for land? We will never know, but their request was honored, and it gave five orphaned girls an inheritance of Promised Land. God made sure that if a man died without a son, his daughters could inherit his property.
As the busy Christmas season threatens to shorten our time in God’s Word, may we remember the daughters of Zelophehad and treasure our time spent with God. May we dwell on God’s wisdom in His Word. May we truly be thankful for a God who sent His one and only Son to earth, to be born of a virgin, die for our sins, and conquer death, so we can have a relationship with the One True God.
Where did I find the faithful daughters of Zelophehad in Scripture? Here’s some fun Christmas reading: Numbers 26:33, 27:1-11, chapter 36 and Joshua 17:3-6.
About “Lioness: Mahlah’s Journey:”
While the Israelites struggle to occupy the Promised Land of God, Mahlah bat Zelophehad is orphaned and left to care for her four sisters. But daughters of the dead are unable to inherit land, and it will take a miracle for Mahlah to obtain the means to care for her sisters and uphold the vow she made to her dying mother.
Mahlah must seek Moses, the leader of her people, and request something extraordinary—the right for a daughter to inherit her deceased father’s land. A right that will upset the ox-cart of male inheritance and cast her in the role of a rebel.
But, God is the protector of the orphan and the widow, and five orphaned daughters need His help. With God, anything is possible. Even changing man’s tradition.
“Lioness” tells the story of the daughters of Zelophehd. You can follow the girls through the book of Joshua until they receive their land in “Heavenly Lights: Noah’s Journey” and “Claiming Canaan: Milcah’s Journey.”
About Barbara:
Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. Barb brings little-known Bible characters to light in her stories. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Romance Writers of America and Wisconsin Romance Writers of America. Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. Find out more about Barb’s books at http://www.barbarambritton.com/books.html
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You can find “Lioness” on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or other retailers.
Click on the link for the trailer. You’ll enjoy it!