Joshua 21 - The Importance of Teaching God's Word

After the land had been conquered (Joshua 6-12), then the twelve tribes received their inheritance that had been promised to them by Moses in the Law. But there remained one more thing to do and that was to give to the Levitical tribe the cities that were promised to them by the LORD through Moses in Numbers 35:1-5. If you go back and read this passage in Numbers 35 you will find that God was very specific about these cities, how many and where they would be located.   Over and over again as the land was being distributed to the different tribes (Joshua 13-20), it is mentioned that the Levites were not going to receive a land inheritance. But that the Levites were to be scattered throughout the land. This way, they could teach the people the Law and influence each of the tribes to be faithful to the Lord.   But the Levites needed places to live and pastures for their cattle. Thus God assigned forty-eight cities for them to live in, along with a specific amount of land for pasture (Num. 35:1-5). The pasture land could not be sold, but their houses could be sold; and the Levites even had special privileges for redeeming their property (Lev. 23:32-34).   There were forty-eight Levitical cities, six of which were also cities of refuge. Each of the tribes contributed four cities, except Judah and Simeon, who together contributed nine, and Naphtali, who contributed three. The descendants of the three sons of Aaron, Kohath, Gershon and Marari, were assigned to the various cities, although other Jews also lived in them. In Numbers 26:62, the writer states that there were 23,000 Levites before Israel entered the land, a big crowd to distribute among forty-eight cities.   It was important that Israel have qualified and authorized people to minister in the tabernacle and later in the temple. In the Great Commandment found in Deuteronomy 6:1-9, the LORD had instructed the people with these words: "Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the LORD your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, that you may fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the LORD God of your fathers has promised you--'a land flowing with milk and honey.' "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”   We must never minimize the teaching ministry of the priests and Levites (2 Chron. 17:7-9). Since the common people didn't own copies of the Scriptures, it was important that the Levites identify with the people and explain the Law to them. These Levitical cities were so located that nobody was too far away from a man who could help them understand and apply the Law of Moses.   Today, we desperately need to get back to teaching the whole council of God to the people of God. “His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path!” (Psalm 119:105).   God bless!