Jos 21:1 | KingComments | STEP | The forty-eight Levite cities are scattered throughout the land. The Levites have the task of teaching the law in Israel. Because each tribe gives a few cities to the Levites, all Israelites can benefit from the service of the Levites. It is important that God’s servants – today’s Levites – are everywhere among God’s children to serve them with God’s Word. From comes a summary of the division of the land. The LORD gets the honor of all. He gives the land, He gives rest and He gives their enemies in their hands. The only conclusion is: “Not one of the good promises … failed; all came to pass” ( ). He also wants to make Himself known to us in this way in view of the blessings He has given us. The division of the land has happened. The people may rest. All Christians have received blessings, but not all have taken possession of them. For every step, an enemy must be driven out of our practical life of faith. Then we can take possession of the fruits in the land, the spiritual blessings, that is to say enjoy in our hearts. This is the situation the people have reached here. In our spiritual life we can also come so far that we know and enjoy the spiritual blessings. In these cities of the Levites we reach a climax. This is in a way higher than anything we have seen so far. We understand this when we think about the Levites’ inheritance. They have not got a certain territory, they do not inherit like the other Israelites. Their possession consists of three great blessings that grow in size: the priesthood, a portion of the offerings by fire, and the LORD Himself ( ). All that they do, their whole effort, is directed entirely to the LORD, not to the land.

‏ Joshua 21:1

Introduction

The forty-eight Levite cities are scattered throughout the land. The Levites have the task of teaching the law in Israel. Because each tribe gives a few cities to the Levites, all Israelites can benefit from the service of the Levites. It is important that God’s servants – today’s Levites – are everywhere among God’s children to serve them with God’s Word.

From Jos 21:43 comes a summary of the division of the land. The LORD gets the honor of all. He gives the land, He gives rest and He gives their enemies in their hands. The only conclusion is: “Not one of the good promises … failed; all came to pass” (Jos 21:45). He also wants to make Himself known to us in this way in view of the blessings He has given us.

The division of the land has happened. The people may rest. All Christians have received blessings, but not all have taken possession of them. For every step, an enemy must be driven out of our practical life of faith. Then we can take possession of the fruits in the land, the spiritual blessings, that is to say enjoy in our hearts. This is the situation the people have reached here. In our spiritual life we can also come so far that we know and enjoy the spiritual blessings.

The Levites Ask for Their Cities

In these cities of the Levites we reach a climax. This is in a way higher than anything we have seen so far. We understand this when we think about the Levites’ inheritance. They have not got a certain territory, they do not inherit like the other Israelites. Their possession consists of three great blessings that grow in size: the priesthood, a portion of the offerings by fire, and the LORD Himself (Jos 13:14 ; 33 ; Jos 18:7). All that they do, their whole effort, is directed entirely to the LORD, not to the land.