It's Beautiful (Numbers 34-35)

 It's beautiful to see how God maps out everything so orderly.  He organized the people of Israel, directing them through Moses how their inheritance of Promised Land land should be arranged.  Depending upon which tribe was bigger or smaller, their allotment was more or less respectively.  Thus, the boundaries of the Land were dispensed.

So Moses parcelled out the basic allotment to a chief from each tribe, each of whom, of course, were named - God hadn't forgotten any of them, He had them right on the tip of His tongue and could rhyme their names off easily.  The tribal chief then sub-divided the tribes' inheritance for the people and families within for their specific allotment.

Do you recall that the priests and Levites didn't get any land?  They had to rely on the rest of the tribes to do their part.  They had to give of their inheritance to create pasture lands and cities for the Levites.

Yes, God certainly does arrange things beautifully but He also wants His people to work together with Him.  He lets us do some of the work.  He wants willing, generous hearts to follow His lead.

What's more, there was further provision.  The six cities given to the Levites were to be six cities of refuge.  If somone had unintentionally killed someone, they could flee to one of these cities for protection against the avenger of blood.  The murderer could find refuge until it was ascertained whether it was truly accidental.  If it was, then the person could safely stay within the city of refuge's walls until the high priest of the time, died.

God, the Israelites' Heavenly Father, was so caring for His chosen children.  He planned and arranged what was just and good for them.  He did so in orderly fashion.

I believe He does for us, His redeemed people, even today.  It reminds me of the poem by Elizabeth Cheney titled, Overheard in an Orchard and it goes like this ...

"Said the Robin to the Sparrow:

I would really like to know,

Why these anxious human beings 

rush about and worry so?"

"Said the Sparrow to the Robin:

"Friend, I think that it must be 

That they have no Heavenly Father,

Such as cares for you and me."

Ironic.  Tongue-in-cheek irony.  Actually, you and I do have a Heavenly Father who does care for you and me.  We just have to stop being stubborn and accept His care and provision.

Isn't it beautiful!

Heavenly Father, it's beautiful to see how caring You are in the ways You do provide for Your creatures, great and small, especially for us human beings.  Help us to be grateful for it all.  In Jesus' name, amen.

                                                    ~ERC  July 2024 ~

Based on Numbers 34 & 35.

Sing, All Things Bright and Beautiful, along with Amina Bhatnager.