Towns for the Levites

Joshua 20:1-21:45

Key Verse 20:41,42

(Read Numbers 35:1-34 for a background)

This passage describes the governmental system designed to establish the Israelites as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The key features include: 1) the system which respects the value of man's life for it bears God's image; and 2) the system by which to reveal God to men, so they would be taught God's way, and live as a Bible teaching nation.

1. Read 20:1-9 and describe: 1) the purpose of the cities of refuge (1-3); 2) the procedures designed to serve that purpose (4-6); and 3) the way the locations for the cities of refuge was distributed among the Israelites. In this passage the word "blood" is repeated twice. What is significance of man's blood (Lev 17:11; Gen 1:26)? What do you think the Lord God wanted to teach the Israelites in establishing the cities of refuge?

** It is to prevent blood shed from happening among the chosen people Israel. 

** It is to ensure that human conflicts (as in the case of the accidental and unintentional murder) between fellow citizens may be resolved through a court system based on the principle of fairness and justice. The features include meting out justice based on a fair trial taking place in an unbiased jurisdiction removed from the local area in which the conflict occurred, in a public forum manned by judges trained according to the word of God, namely Levites.

** Evenly distributed, three in the east of the Jordan and three in the west, well spaced out in the northern, middle, and southern part of Israel. 

** Blood is the seat of man's life. 

** Unlike other animal life, man's life is imbedded with God's image. It was designed in such a way that God would dwell in a man, so man would function as God's steward for God's creation. So the Lord God wanted to teach the Israelites that they were to grow as children of God, knowing how to respect and honor the value of man's life, so in and through them, all peoples on earth would live  life to the full, all under the wings of the Lord who is the source of life. 

2. Read 20:6 again. On what condition is the defendant to be allowed to go back home? How does the condition concerning the "death of the high priest" remind us of the efficacy of the death of Jesus Christ (Rm 6:10; 1Pe 3:18; Col 1:20)? 

** Two conditions: stand trial wherein he be found not guilty; and the death of the high priest of his day. 

** This reminds us of Jesus who died for our sins, so that for all who put trust in Him, there would no longer be condemnation for their sins, but rather would be deep conviction of God's love that forgives man of his sins. This is the only viable remedy to resolve all human conflicts. 

3. Read 21:1-3. The Levites are the sons of Levi born to Jacob and Leah (Gn 29:34). How many sons did Levi have (Gn 46:11)? What roles did the Lord God choose the Levites to play (Deu 33:10; 2Ch 17:7-9; 35:3; 1Ch 6:31; Num 1:50; 8:18)? 

** Three: 

Genesis 46:11 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

** 1) Bible teacher, teaching the Bible to the Israelites. They were to move from place to place to teach God's word, so God's children would be familiar with the Scriptures which reveals who God is and what God has in mind for his children. 

2) A minister standing between the Lord God and his children, so that his children would know how to have access to the Lord, having fellowship with the Lord through having their sins forgiven, learning from the Lord, restoring themselves in their spirits, minds, and souls, so that they would go out and carry out God's will among all peoples on earth. 

4. Read v. 4. What is the significance of the Kohathites, especially the Levites who were descendants of Aaron (Ex 28:1; 41)? According to God's providence they were assigned 13 towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. What do you think the Lord God had in mind in assigning their towns among these three tribes (Exo 19:5-6; 2Ch 3:1; Jos 15:63; 18:11; 19:9; Eze 5:5; Acts 1:8)? 

** Priestly family, serving the Lord as priests.

Exodus 28:1  "Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests.

Kohath is the second son of Levi. Kohath has four sons - Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel (1Ch 6:2). Aaron and Moses are two sons of Amram. Aaron has four sons - Nadab, Abihu, Eleazer, and Ithamar. 1Ch 6:3. The first two sons Nadam and Abihu died childless for God punished them for offering before the Lord with unauthorized fire. Num 26:61. Out of Eleazer and Ithamar came the 24 divisions of priests of Israel, 16 from Eleazer, 8 from Ithamar. 

** The Lord's world mission vision. 

The Lord God wanted to establish Israel as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, with the vision to reach out to all nations so God's blessings would overflow to all peoples on earth through faith in the Lord. 

These towns are from three tribes, Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, who occupied the land surrounding Jerusalem where at a later time Solomon built the Lord's temple. This indicates that the Lord God enabled the priestly families to stay close to the Lord's temple. This is just like brothers and sisters' common life houses located close to the center, so they could serve the Lord at the center more closely than any others. 

Jerusalem is the center of the universe. So by scattering the Levites evenly among the Israelites with Jerusalem in focus, the Lord God revealed his will to save all peoples on earth through  service by his children. 

5. Skim through 4-40. This passage shows us that the Lord God evenly distributed the Levites among the Israelites. Why do you think the Lord God chose to do so (Exo 19:5-6; Isa 11:9)?

** The Lord God wants all nations to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. See answers to Q 4. 

6. Read vs. 41-42. Of the 48 towns how many were to serve as cities of refuge (20:7-8; 21:13,21,27,32,36,38)? Imagine the Levite towns surrounded by open land  for tending their flocks. What does this image remind us of (Nun 35:34; Psalm 23:1-6; Mark 6:34)? 

** 6.

** This image depicts the Lord God as a good shepherd tending the flock under his wings, bringing them out into green pastures, so that they would all find rest, and have  life to the full.

7. Read vs. 43-45. In what respect is it not always easy for one to keep (or 'fulfill') one's promise(s)? Yet after how many years did the Lord fulfill all of his promises (Acts 13:16-20)? What does this passage show us about the Lord God? 

** As  time passes it is easy for one to forget one’s promise. Also in order to keep a promise, one must bear many difficulties such as having to clear up obstacles, making sacrifices on your part, or perhaps most challengingly the sense of frustration coming from the other party's unfaithfulness. 

** About 450 years. 

** He is faithful to all of his promises, so that he is fully trustworthy, and therefore completely reliable. The end.