Numbers 35:1-5 - On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the LORD said to Moses, "Command the Israelites to give the
Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites
will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns. Then they will have towns to
live in and pasturelands for their cattle, flocks and all their other livestock. "The pasturelands around the towns that
you give the Levites will extend out fifteen hundred feet
from the town wall. Outside the town, measure three thousand feet on the east side, three thousand on the
south side, three thousand on the west and three thousand on the north, with
the town in the center. They will have this area as pastureland for the towns.
God made sure his appointed priests were
included in the inheritance of Canaan. He had each tribe…according to the total
number...choose an appropriate number of towns to give from their
inheritance. The tribes that had many
people….gave many towns. The tribes with
fewer people….gave fewer towns. Each city given was to be encircled by a
pastureland a specific number of feet around the town. In this way God provided
for his chosen priests.
God knew that the people were going to
spread out over a vast area…and the priests would need to scatter with them….to
help them…to continue to teach them…to show them how to continue to worship God
in their communities….since the temple would be so very far away. This way…each
tribe would have several priests within a day’s walking distance ….to provide assistance
with religious teaching and matters of the soul.
God will choose a central place for the
tabernacle…and give the people directions for offering some sacrifices in the
confines of their communities later….but for now it is important that they know
God is amongst them….wherever they settle. He wants the priests he chose to be
a part of each community…to continue to model for them God’s way.
The inheritance God gave these Israelites
was expanded to the whole world the day he gave his son to die on that cross.
..the people of God being scattered around the entire world, The Levites that
God once called to offer leadership to the Israelites has also been expanded into
several kinds of ministers today. God calls them by many different names. Some settle down in our communities and
provide the leadership for our various churches….some are called to travel on a
continual basis and evangelize….and some are even called to move to countries
where God has never been preached…and become missionaries. It is still our Christian
calling to care for them all…so they can focus on the work God called them each
to do…without worrying about the bills they might incur as the serve.
Father…thank you for my pastors….bless them
the way they have blessed me. Thank you for the vision you give them…and
leadership that has made our church a strong presence in my town. Help me Lord to know just what I can do honor
and support them. Help me to be faithful with the monthly tithes I bring that
support them financially. Show me your
vision for supporting the evangelists that you send out from my community…and
show me which missionaries you have chosen for me to support with the many blessings
you shower on me to do your work. Amen.
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