Do those who sacrificed for the sake of the Gospel have an inheritance? Does the Levites’ inheritance provide us a clue? Is there an eternal inheritance? Let’s begin in Joshua 21.
What reward was given to the Levites for their faithful service to God?
Then the family leaders of the descendants of Levi approached Eleazar the priest and Nun’s son Joshua, along with the family leaders of the people of Israel. It was at Shiloh in the land of Canaan that they told them, “The Lord ordered through Moses that we be given cities in which to live, along with their pasture lands for our livestock.” So, just as the Lord had said, the Israelis set aside cities for the descendants of Levi from a portion of their own inheritances, along with their grazing lands. (Joshua 21:1-3 ISV)
What was the inheritance of the Levitical tribe of Kohath?
Then the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. And the sons of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, received thirteen cities by lot from the tribe of Judah and from the tribe of the Simeonites and from the tribe of Benjamin. Now the rest of the sons of Kohath received ten cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Ephraim and from the tribe of Dan and from the half-tribe of Manasseh. (Joshua 21:4-5 LSB)
What was the inheritance of the Levitical tribes of Gershon and Merari?
And to the sons of Gershon thirteen cities were given by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. To the sons of Merari according to their families twelve cities were given from the tribe of Reuben, from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulun. Now the sons of Israel gave by lot to the Levites these cities with their pasture lands, as the Lord had commanded through Moses. (Joshua 22:6-8 NASB)
What were the names of the towns that belonged to Kohath Levites in Judah, Simeon and Benjamin?
From the tribes of Judah and Simeon they allotted the following towns by name (these towns were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them): They gave them Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), with its surrounding pastureland, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) But the fields and villages around the city they had given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession. So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Holon, Debir, Ain, Juttah and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands—nine towns from these two tribes. And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon, Geba, Anathoth and Almon, together with their pasturelands—four towns. The total number of towns for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, came to thirteen, together with their pasturelands. (Joshua 22:9-19 NIV)
What were the names of the towns that belonged to Kohath Levites in Ephraim, west Manasseh and Dan?
And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites, the rest of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot from the tribe of Ephraim. For they gave them Shechem with its common-land in the mountains of Ephraim (a city of refuge for the slayer), Gezer with its common-land, Kibzaim with its common-land, and Beth Horon with its common-land: four cities; and from the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with its common-land, Gibbethon with its common-land, Aijalon with its common-land, and Gath Rimmon with its common-land: four cities; and from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with its common-land and Gath Rimmon with its common-land: two cities. All the ten cities with their common-lands were for the rest of the families of the children of Kohath. (Joshua 21:20-26 NKJV)
What were the names of the towns that belonged to Gershon Levites in west Manasseh, Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali?
The descendants of Gershon, another clan within the tribe of Levi, received the following towns with their pasturelands from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone) and Be-eshterah—two towns. From the tribe of Issachar they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Kishion, Daberath, Jarmuth, and En-gannim—four towns. From the tribe of Asher they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Mishal, Abdon, Helkath, and Rehob—four towns. From the tribe of Naphtali they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Hammoth-dor, and Kartan—three towns. So in all, thirteen towns with their pasturelands were allotted to the clan of Gershon. (Joshua 22:27-33 NLT)
What were the names of the towns that belonged to Merari Levites in Zebulun, Reuben, and Gad?
To the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its pasture lands, Kartah with its pasture lands, Dimnah with its pasture lands, and Nahalal with its pasture lands: four cities. Out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with its pasture lands, Jahaz with its pasture lands, Kedemoth with its pasture lands, and Mephaath with its pasture lands: four cities. Out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the man slayer, and Mahanaim with its pasture lands, Heshbon with its pasture lands, Jazer with its pasture lands: four cities in all. All these were the cities of the children of Merari according to their families, even the rest of the families of the Levites. Their lot was twelve cities. (Joshua 22:34-40 WEB)
How many cities were occupied by the three clans of Levites?
This is the total of all the cities of the Levites within the property of the Israelites: forty-eight cities with their pastures. Each of these cities had its pastures around it. This was the case for all these cities. The Lord gave to Israel all the land he had pledged to give to their ancestors. They took it over and settled there. The Lord gave them rest from surrounding danger, exactly as he had pledged to their ancestors. Not one of all their enemies held out against them. The Lord gave all their enemies into their power. Not one of all the good things that the Lord had promised to the house of Israel failed. Every promise was fulfilled. (Joshua 22:41-45 CEB)
What is so much better about our inheritance under the new covenant?
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15 ESV)
Where is our eternal inheritance kept? When is salvation ready to be revealed?
Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5 HCSB)
Will spiritual Levites, faithful elders and pastors of churches, be rewarded?
Then, when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the victor’s crown of glory that will never fade away. (1 Peter 5:4 ISV)
Do those who sacrificed for the sake of the Gospel have an inheritance? Does the Levites’ inheritance provide us a clue? Is there an eternal inheritance? You decide!
