Ezekiel 44:25-31: a reflection

25“‘“They shall go in to no dead person to defile themselves; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister who has had no husband, they may defile themselves. 26After he is cleansed, they shall reckon to him seven days. 27In the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering,” says the Lord GOD. 28“‘They shall have an inheritance: I am their inheritance; and you shall give them no possession in Israel. I am their possession. 29They shall eat the meal offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; and every devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs. 30The first of all the first fruits of every thing, and every offering of everything, of all your offerings, shall be for the priest. You shall also give to the priests the first of your dough, to cause a blessing to rest on your house. 31The priests shall not eat of anything that dies of itself or is torn, whether it is bird or animal.

As God gives instructions for the priests who serve him, he tells them something remarkable about their inheritance. Unlike the other tribes, the priests were to receive no portion of land in Israel. Why? Because God himself would be their portion: They shall have an inheritance: I am their inheritance. You shall give them no possession in Israel. I am their possession. The priests were not left without an inheritance; they had a greater one, God himself. Where others had land, the priests had God as their portion, their inheritance, their possession. God himself, not a piece of land, was what they were given, a better inheritance than any earthly portion.

Notice what the priests were given as their inheritance: God himself. They received no land, no earthly possession like the other tribes; but they were not the poorer for it, for their inheritance was God himself. I am their inheritance, God says; I am their possession. To have God as one's portion is a greater inheritance than any land or possession; the priests had the best portion, God himself. Where others found their inheritance in earthly things, the priests found theirs in God, who is more than any earthly possession. God himself as our inheritance is a greater treasure than any land or wealth; and this was the priests' portion.

That is worth resting in, for God himself is our inheritance, greater than any earthly possession. We can seek our inheritance, our security, our portion in earthly things, in possessions and wealth; but the priests were given a greater inheritance, God himself. To have God as our portion is a greater treasure than any earthly possession; he is more than all we might inherit or possess. Do not seek your portion only in earthly possessions, as though they were your true inheritance; God himself is a greater inheritance, our portion and possession. Find your inheritance in God himself, who is greater than any earthly possession, as God was the priests' inheritance and possession when they were given no land; for God himself as our portion is a greater treasure than any wealth or land, and to have him as our inheritance is to have the best portion, more than all the earth could give.

Lord, as you give instructions for the priests who serve you, you tell them something remarkable about their inheritance. Unlike the other tribes, the priests were to receive no portion of land in Israel. Why? Because you yourself would be their portion: they shall have an inheritance: I am their inheritance; you shall give them no possession in Israel; I am their possession. The priests were not left without an inheritance; they had a greater one, you yourself. Where others had land, the priests had you as their portion. Show me what the priests were given as their inheritance: you yourself. They received no land, no earthly possession; but they were not the poorer for it, for their inheritance was you. I am their inheritance, you say; I am their possession. To have you as one's portion is a greater inheritance than any land; the priests had the best portion, you yourself. Where others found their inheritance in earthly things, the priests found theirs in you, who are more than any earthly possession. Let me rest in that, for you yourself are my inheritance, greater than any earthly possession. I can seek my inheritance, my security, my portion in earthly things, in possessions and wealth; but the priests were given a greater inheritance, you yourself. To have you as my portion is a greater treasure than any earthly possession. Keep me from seeking my portion only in earthly possessions, as though they were my true inheritance; you yourself are a greater inheritance, Lord, my portion and possession. Help me find my inheritance in you, who are greater than any earthly possession, as you were the priests' inheritance when they were given no land.