The Book Of Joshua. Day 54, Towns For The Levites, Part Four

Today we'll be concluding Chapter 21 which deals with the towns and pasturelands dedicated for the use of the Levites. Two divisions of the Levites have received their portions already: the Kohathites and the Gershonites. The third division, the Merarites, receive their allotted towns and pasturelands today.

"The Merarite clans (the rest of the Levites) were given: from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam, Kartah, Dimnah and Nahalal, together with their pasturelands---four towns; from the tribe of Reuben, Bezer, Jahaz, Kedemoth and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands---four towns; from the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Mahanaim, Heshbon and Jazer, together with their pasturelands---four towns in all. The total number of towns alotted to the Merarite clans, who were the rest of the Levites, came to twelve." (Joshua 21:34-40) On the map below we can see the towns of the Levites that were designated as cities of refuge.

"The towns of the Levites in the territory held by the Israelites were forty-eight in all, together with their pasturelands. Each of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it; this was true for all these towns." (Joshua 21:41-42) Though the Levites' primary job was to serve the Lord in various capacities at His tabernacle, they (along with their wives and children) raised gardens and maintained some livestock as well. They didn't own enormous cattle ranches or huge flocks of sheep like many of their fellow Israelites who received large swaths of land but they had vegetable gardens along with some animals to supply wool and milk for their families and to supply them with the required offerings for the Lord. The Levites received towns but their lifestyle wasn't 100% city living; their children could grow strong and healthy running and playing in the fields.

"So the Lord gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hands. Not one of all the Lord's good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled." (Joshua 21:43-45) What a beautiful way to end this chapter!

The Levites received their allotments last. As priests who are servants of the Lord and servants of their fellow believers, they took their portion after everyone else had been served. (We saw Joshua displaying a servant's heart by being the person to take his portion of land within the tribe of Judah last; he made sure everyone else was served before he took his share.) I think something else may be going on here as well, for the Lord told the Levites earlier in the Old Testament that He would be their inheritance in the promised land. They were not given their own separate territory in the promised land because their main occupation was not to be cattle ranchers or great herdsmen but rather to serve the Lord at His house and to receive their income from their work at His house. The Lord is the source of their joy and provision; everything else He gives them (like the towns and pasturelands) is like the icing on the cake, so perhaps that is why they were given their allotments last. They could say the same thing David said in Psalm 16:5-6: "Lord, You alone are my portion and my cup; You make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." In other words, "Lord, in You I have everything I need. My soul find full satisfaction in knowing and serving You. Yet you've given me more than I need! It is Your great pleasure to bless Your children and You've given me a place that is my own and filled it with good things. You've supplied not only my needs but also many of my wants. You've given me blessings I never even thought to ask for!"

Have you ever noticed how some of the wealthiest and most famous people of the world are some of the most discontented people of the world? If a person does not know the Lord as their Savior, no amount of wealth or fame will ever satisfy the emptiness in their souls. But when a person does know the Lord as their Savior, even the smallest of blessings brings a sense of joy and gratitude. The Lord enjoys giving good things to His children, as Jesus pointed out (Matthew 7:11, Luke 11:13), and because we are His children we can experience a deep satisfaction in our blessings. We can say to the Lord, as David did, "Having You in my heart was more than enough, yet You've made my lot secure; You've supplied my needs and given me more besides. You've also given me a delightful inheritance to look forward to: eternity in Your presence."