T. The possessions of the Levites (chapter 21).
1. God
had chosen the Levites.
a.
Levi and Simeon killed the people of Shechem. Jacob prophesied that they will be scattered
throughout Israel
(Gen 49:7).
b.
As the Levites were zealous towards God, God
made a covenant of life and peace with them through Moses that they will serve
the Lord as priests to burn offerings and teach the people the statutes of God (Ex
32:25-29; Num 25:10-13; Deut 33:8-11; Mal 2:4-8).
c.
God commanded the Israelites through Moses to
grant the Levites forty-eight lots of cities and common lands from their
inheritance. The Levites will dwell in the cities and their common lands will
be for their cattle, herds, and livestock (Num 35:1-8).
2.
They received the promises by faith (1-3).
a.
The leaders of the fathers’ houses of Levi came
to Joshua, Eleazar, and the leaders of the various
tribes at Shiloh, to grant them their inheritance
according the commandment of God.
(a)
The Levites represent all those who serve God
and they are able to concentrate in serving God. God will take care of their
life and bestow grace upon them (1 Cor ; 2 Cor ).
3.
The leaders who divided the lands drew lots to
divide the cities for the Levites to dwell in (4-42).
a.
Those who were priests in the tribe of Kohath had thirteen cities and common lands from the tribe
of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, which included the city of refuge, Hebron
(4, 9-19).
b.
The remaining descendants of Kohath
had ten cities and common lands from the tribe of Ephraim, Dan, and from the
half-tribe of Manasseh, which included the city of refuge, Shechem
(5, 20-26).
c.
The descendants of Gershon
had thirteen cities and common lands from the tribe of Issachar,
Asher, Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh
in Bashan, which included
Golan and Kedesh, the two cities of refuge (6 , 27-33).
d.
The descendants of Merari
had twelve cities from the tribe of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun,
which included Bezer and Ramoth,
the cities of refuge (7, 34).
(a)
The Levites altogether had forty-eight cities to
dwell in and common lands for their livestock. In the meantime, they had received
all the tithes in Israel
(Num -24). The gifts were
abundant. These are the blessings that God will bestow on those who serve Him
with all their might.
(b)
God does not forget those who serve Him. His
gifts shall be the most abundant. Although the Levites did not have any
inheritance, God was their inheritance.
4.
God’s will.
e.
The cities of refuge belonged to the Levites (13, 21, 27, 32, 36, 38).
(a)
The Levites had the responsibility to protect
those who entered the cities of refuge.
f.
The Levites were scattered among all tribes so
that every tribe might draw near to God and learn the statutes of God any time
(Lev ; 2 Chr
17:7-9).
g.
The promises of God will be fulfilled. He gave
the land of Canaan
to the Israelites and peace all around as well as victory over their foes.
