Cities and Pasturelands Allotted to Levi

 

 

Joshua 21:1-3 – 41-45

 

Cities and Pasturelands Allotted to Levi

Then the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua the son of Nun and to the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the people of Israel.   And they said to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, “The Lord commanded through Moses that we be given cities to dwell in, along with their pasturelands for our livestock.”   So, by command of the Lord the people of Israel gave to the Levites the following cities and pasturelands out of their inheritance.

The cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the people of Israel were in all forty-eight cities with their pasturelands.   These cities each had its pasturelands around it. So, it was with all these cities.  Thus, the Lord gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there.    And the Lord gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into their hands.   Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.

God told the people as they crossed over the Jordan, to take possession of the land He had promised to them, and in due time they did just that, but it was God who gave them the land and fought for them.  I wonder if so soon some had forgotten who did the fighting, and who gave the victory, if not they would be very different from the people who we call Christians today.  God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts, and many of us folks act more like two-year-old’s, saying that’s mine, I earned that. 

 

But the Levites call a meeting of “Eleazar the priest and to Joshua the son of Nun and to the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the people of Israel.”   Scripture does not record anyone saying it is mine, let someone else give them their land, they seem to be willing to and wanted the Levities living among them. 

 

We live in a time where people do not give a tithe, in fact, they believe they are entitled to not support the ministry of the local church, much less give to a ministry that God is using outside the local body. 

 

And we question why God is doing what He has told us He would do in the Bible to a people or nation that turns it back on Him.  Only a fool would willingly go against the commands of God, the Creator, and the maintainer of everything.  Let me give you some areas that this nation has crossed the line of what God has commanded; the killing of babies in the mother, that is no choice that is playing the fool.  Marriage outside of a man and a woman, once more anyone that support such things is anti-God.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice