Numbers 35:1-5: a reflection

1The LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 2“Command the children of Israel to give to the Levites cities to dwell in out of their inheritance. You shall give pasture lands for the cities around them to the Levites. 3They shall have the cities to dwell in. Their pasture lands shall be for their livestock, and for their possessions, and for all their animals. 4“The pasture lands of the cities, which you shall give to the Levites, shall be from the wall of the city and outward one thousand cubits around it. 5You shall measure outside of the city for the east side two thousand cubits, and for the south side two thousand cubits, and for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, the city being in the middle. This shall be the pasture lands of their cities.

Since the Levites received no land of their own, for the LORD himself was their inheritance, God commanded that they be given cities and pasture lands among all the tribes, providing for those set apart for his service. Command the children of Israel to give to the Levites cities to dwell in out of their inheritance, God says, and pasture lands around the cities. The Levites, set apart for God's service, were given no territory of their own like the other tribes; the LORD himself was their inheritance and portion. Yet they were not left unprovided-for. God commanded that they be given cities and pasture lands scattered among all the tribes, so that they would be housed and provided for throughout the land. God saw to the provision of those who had no inheritance but himself. This shows God's provision for those set apart for his service, whose portion is God himself. God provides for those set apart for his service, whose portion is himself. The Lord himself was the Levites' inheritance, and he provided for them. God is the true portion of those who serve him, and he cares for their needs. Those whose inheritance is God are not left unprovided-for.

Notice the double truth about the Levites: that God himself was their inheritance, and that God provided for their needs. Unlike the other tribes, the Levites received no territory of their own to possess; they had no land inheritance. Instead, as Scripture says elsewhere, the LORD himself was their inheritance and portion; their special possession was God and his service. This was a high privilege, but it left a practical question: how would they live, with no land? And God answered it: he commanded that the Levites be given cities to dwell in and pasture lands around them, scattered among all the tribes, so that they would be housed, and their flocks provided for, throughout the land. God, who was their inheritance, also saw to their provision. This holds a truth worth taking in. There is a sense in which all who belong to God have God himself as their true inheritance and portion; he is what we most deeply possess and prize. And this can raise a like question about practical provision: those who set their hearts on God as their portion, who serve him, who do not grasp after the world's inheritance, how will they be provided for? The answer, seen here with the Levites, is that God cares for the provision of those whose portion is himself. Having God as our inheritance does not mean being left unprovided-for; God, who is our portion, also sees to our needs. We can hold God as our true treasure and portion, and trust him to provide for us, as he provided cities and lands for the Levites who had no inheritance but himself. We do well to hold God as our true inheritance and portion, and to trust that he provides for those whose portion is himself. Hold God himself as your true inheritance and portion. God provides for the needs of those whose portion is himself. Having God as your inheritance does not mean being left unprovided-for. Trust God, who is your portion, to see to your needs.

That is worth taking to heart, for God is the true portion of those who serve him, and he provides for their needs, as he provided cities for the Levites whose inheritance was himself. We can fear that setting our hearts on God as our portion leaves us unprovided-for; but God, who was the Levites' inheritance, gave them cities and lands to live on. God provides. Hold God as your true inheritance and portion, and trust that he who is your portion will also see to your needs, as he provided for the Levites. Hold God himself as your true inheritance and portion, and trust that he who is your portion also provides for your needs, as since the Levites received no land of their own, for the LORD himself was their inheritance, God commanded that they be given cities and pasture lands among all the tribes, providing for those set apart for his service, since he commanded that the Levites be given cities to dwell in and pasture lands around them; for the Levites, set apart for God's service, were given no territory of their own like the other tribes since the LORD himself was their inheritance and portion, yet they were not left unprovided-for but were given cities and pasture lands scattered among all the tribes so that they would be housed and provided for throughout the land, God seeing to the provision of those who had no inheritance but himself, which holds a truth worth taking in, that there is a sense in which all who belong to God have God himself as their true inheritance and portion, what we most deeply possess and prize, which can raise a like question about practical provision, how those who set their hearts on God as their portion and serve him and do not grasp after the world's inheritance will be provided for, and the answer seen here with the Levites is that God cares for the provision of those whose portion is himself, since having God as our inheritance does not mean being left unprovided-for but God who is our portion also sees to our needs, so that we can hold God as our true treasure and portion and trust him to provide for us, and we do well to do so.

Lord, since the Levites received no land of their own, for you yourself were their inheritance, you commanded that they be given cities and pasture lands among all the tribes, providing for those set apart for your service. Command the children of Israel to give to the Levites cities to dwell in out of their inheritance, you say, and pasture lands around the cities. The Levites, set apart for your service, were given no territory of their own like the other tribes; you yourself were their inheritance and portion. Yet they were not left unprovided-for. You commanded that they be given cities and pasture lands scattered among all the tribes, so that they would be housed and provided for throughout the land. You saw to the provision of those who had no inheritance but you. Show me the double truth about the Levites: that you yourself were their inheritance, and that you provided for their needs. Unlike the other tribes, they received no territory of their own; you yourself were their inheritance and portion. This was a high privilege, but it left a practical question: how would they live, with no land? And you answered it: you commanded that they be given cities and pasture lands, scattered among all the tribes, so that they would be housed and provided for. You, who were their inheritance, also saw to their provision. This holds a truth worth taking in. There is a sense in which all who belong to you have you yourself as their true inheritance and portion; you are what we most deeply possess and prize. And this can raise a like question: those who set their hearts on you as their portion, who serve you, how will they be provided for? The answer, seen here with the Levites, is that you care for the provision of those whose portion is yourself. Having you as my inheritance does not mean being left unprovided-for; you, who are my portion, also see to my needs. Take that to my heart. Help me hold you, Lord, as my true inheritance and portion, and trust that you, who are my portion, also provide for my needs, as you provided cities and lands for the Levites who had no inheritance but you, not leaving unprovided-for those whose portion is yourself.