Numbers chapter 27 focuses on inheritance and succession. The first section is about five sisters who are concerned that their father's memory (and inheritance) would be lost when they married, as only men could inherit property at the time. The Levitical Law was amended so that daughters could also inhert property if their father had no sons. The order of inheritance was;

1. father's son(s) - with the first born receiving a double share

2. father's daughter(s) receiving equal shares

3. father's brother(s)

4. father's nearest relative

All of the above was set in place just before the Promised Land was to be divided, with the aim of being fair to each tribe.

As an aside, in Biblical times a widow did not inherit any of her husband's property, but instead must be cared for by the surviving nearest family member.

But non-Jewish (Gentile) men shouldn't get too excited - because they couldn't inherit anything under Jewish law.

Note: prior to this a patriarch could nominate anyone to be the benefactor. This was what Abram intended to do for Eliezer of Damascus before Isaac was born. (And the question still remains as to why he didn't nominate Lot, who would have been with him at the time?

The land was God's, and was there only for people to look after. This is the same situation as was given to Adam in the Garden of Eden. And still applies even now.

In order to maintain this equilibrium of ownership the Jubilee was instituted. It had a few requirements;

• all land must be returned to the original family,

• all Israelite servants and slaves must be freed and

• the land must not be harvested and have period of rest.

It was this 'returning' that the five sisters were concerned about, as it would have gone to their husband's tribe if they married outside their own.

In the Bible there's no actual record of a Jubilee being celebrated, but it's highly likely that the crucifixion (and therefore the first Easter) was on a Jubilee year. The reasoning is that on a Jubilee year there was two passovers, on consecutive days. This is the only way that Christ could have been crucified on the Passover Preparation Day and resurrected on the first day of the week having spent three days and nights in the tomb, as at any other time the first day of the week would be two days after the preparation day, not three.

Part of the purpose of the Jubilee was also fulfilled in Jesus' death and resurrection. Jesus showed that there was a way to be free from sin, as he was the perfect sacrifice that takes away sin and that he shows us the way to enter into his rest.

The final part is that Christians who follow Christ's example can also be granted a part in that inheritance and so the land will be allocated to those who Christ judges are worthy. We can become fellow heirs of that promise. (Ephesians 3:5-12)