THE INHERITANCE DIVIDED AMONG THE TRIBES (4)
[p. 344] THE INHERITANCE DIVIDED AMONG THE TRIBES (4)
Joshua 20:1 - 9; Joshua 21:1 - 18
JT I may remark, for those who were not here, that our exercise this morning involved the consideration of Acts 9, as fitting in with the place that man has in the tenth chapter of this book. That is to say, the Lord spoke out of heaven to Saul, as Jesus. The centre of influence henceforth would be from heaven. And in connection with that there is the authority of the Lord in subduing that which is adverse to Him. Then we are told that the assemblies had peace and were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord, were increased through the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
And then it was shown from Acts 13, which corresponded, I thought, with the eighteenth chapter of this book, that after the tribes of Judah and Joseph obtained their inheritance, the dispositions of God for the remaining tribes were made in the house or assembly, i.e., the assembly as come together at Shiloh had set up the tent of meeting there, and the remaining seven tribes obtained their inheritance in that connection. The twelve apostles had received their commission and spheres of influence direct from the Lord, corresponding with Judah and Joseph. Whereas, Paul and Barnabas received their commission and work from the Spirit in the assembly. “Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them”, Acts 13:2. The assembly was thus the sphere where God intimated His mind, and made His dispositions. And then we see in the eighteenth and nineteenth chapters, how the tribes which obtain the inheritance under this principle are set in relation to one another; and they became tests to each other.
[p. 345] They stood the test in that there was love among them: “Judah said to Simeon his brother”, Judges 1:3 and so on. So the brotherly spirit was preserved. Simeon obtained an inheritance among the tribe of Judah.
HD'AC In order to explain what you mentioned about the assembly, it might be just as well to add that in obtaining their inheritance the lots for the seven tribes were actually cast in the tabernacle at Shiloh.
JT So that the lot being cast there before Jehovah, the disposition was of God.
Ques Is there any significance in the fact that there were seven tribes to be provided for?
JT Well, that was what remained unordered. As Paul in writing to Titus says: “For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou mightest go on to set right what remained unordered, and establish elders in each city”, Titus 1:5. What remained unordered in Israel was settled in the house.
Ques In the fact that there were seven tribes for which the lot was to be cast, would there be the suggestion of a perfect disposition at the present moment?
JT I think it has reference to the history of the assembly as a whole, as it stood after Antioch. So that it extends to our own time. All dispositions are now in the house of God, the Spirit of God being there.
Ques Paul, when speaking at Antioch, reminded his hearers that God, “having destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance”, Acts 13:19. Would that refer to the portion of these seven tribes?
JT That would have reference to the overthrow of spiritual power in Canaan. I suppose that the number would denote the perfection of spiritual power. In Acts 19 we have recorded the incident of the seven sons of Sceva, which I think would correspond [p. 346] with the power of Satan acting against God; but they are ignominiously defeated. What is very striking in the setting up of the assembly is, among other things, the great influence of Paul. Even aprons taken from his body effect cures. These were not ordinary signs or miracles; they were extraordinary; showing the place Paul has in the economy of the assembly, as representing God. Acts 19 shows the power he had, and Acts 20 his ministry, and his discourse was a long one at Troas, indicating that everything should be told out. Now we are set up in the light of that. Then another thing is that the economy of the assembly is seen in assemblies. When the persecution ceased the assemblies had rest, and were edified and multiplied. God works out His mind in local companies.
SJBC Do you think we have in the Ephesian epistle the gist of Paul’s discourse?
JT Yes, I should think so, as far as we can have it. The epistle to the Ephesians is Paul’s distinctive ministry.
Rem And in the revival of later days that epistle was mostly before the saints.
JT I think that is so, showing that, that is the light in which the recovery took place — “heavenly light”.
Ques What is the main feature of the section you have before you now?
JT Well, I am thinking now of the Levites, and their place in the whole economy. We were talking about Aquila and Priscilla and Apollos this morning, and how that in the approaches to the house help comes in from the west in Aquila and Priscilla, and from the south in Apollos. Apollos was a man who was accurately acquainted with things. It is a great thing to have accuracy in the service of God. Aquila and Priscilla aided Apollos; they showed him the way of God “more exactly”, Acts 18:26.
SJBC [p. 347] I was thinking of the priest; he understood the ways of the Lord. Aquila and Priscilla understood the way of God; Acts 18.
JT Apollos was an exact man, and mighty in the Scriptures; he “taught exactly”, Acts 18:25. The Scriptures have a great place in the approaches to the house, especially in a man like Apollos, who was exact, and he contributed much to the brethren through grace.
Ques What is the thought in Joshua getting an inheritance?
JT Would it not represent the place the Lord gets from the saints? It would seem a proper end to the subject of the inheritance, that He who puts us in possession should have His portion.
JBC-l To refer again to Apollos, he was secured sovereignly; and the care of Aquila and Priscilla was ready to fit him more intelligently and effectually for his place as a Levite.
JT Yes; and does it not suggest how God carries on His work even by persons who apparently had not obtained any special mission from the Lord? The fact of Aquila and Priscilla being at Corinth was, one might say, governmental (the emperor had commanded Jews to leave Rome); yet, as instructed in the things of the Lord, they become useful even to a man like Apollos. It seems to me to leave the door open to all the saints; God would remind us there is room for all, and anyone may be employed if available.
JBC-l Does that lead up to what you have in this section, i.e., the dividing of the cities, and the portion of the Levites?
JT Yes, the inheritance being given to all the tribes, I think the two features that come out in these two chapters are, first, the presence of grace — grace should be a marked feature of the saints, the cities of refuge suggest that there was present the spirit of grace — and then in chapter 21, the Levites being distributed throughout the tribes, would maintain a [p. 348] heavenly character amongst them. That is their function in this book, to maintain a heavenly character.
SJBC Would you say we are all Levites?
JT Well, I think we should be on our guard against holding the Levites as a class amongst the saints; they represent all the saints, that is to say, they represent the heavenly features amongst the saints. It is not that I am a Levite, and you are not.
ENH “To every one is given grace”.
JT They have a great place in the book of Numbers; we have more instructions about the Levites there than anywhere, because of their service. But, I think, in Joshua it is not exactly their service that is to be noticed, but their influence.
Ques Would not the priest seem to be inserted here amongst the Levites?
JT Yes; you get the priests here. Those who carried the ark were Levites, but they were priests — “the priests, the Levites”, Joshua 3:3. In carrying the ark over Jordan the Levites merge into the priesthood.
JBC-l One must be a priest today before he can be a Levite.
JT You see the Levite represents the firstborn; and you want to be impressed with the thought of the nobility of the family, first of all. There is personal equality among the Levites; no one is more prominent than the others; they are all firstborn ones. Such is the nobility of the family that the Holy Spirit would impress upon you in this scripture. In Joshua the distinction between priests and Levites is hardly noticeable. “The children of Aaron the priest, of the Levites”, Joshua 21:4.
JBC-l How is the nobility shown out?
JT Well, in the fact that they are all firstborn ones; every Levite represented a firstborn; hence we are said to have come to the “assembly of the firstborn who are registered in heaven”, Hebrews 12:23.
[p. 349] I think this book would emphasise their heavenly character, because if the assembly loses that, it loses its distinctive place, and drops to the level of ordinary religion — the accredited religion of the world.
PSP How does the thought of the Levite, as in this scripture, work out in a practical way today?
JT In the saints apprehending their calling. They live in cities; they are not earth dwellers. Our distinctive place, or calling, is in heaven. There is nothing one would love to see brought out more than that which belongs to the assembly — elevation.
Ques What is your thought about living in cities?
JT Cities are places of influence. The divine thought is that the city comes “down out of heaven”, Revelation 3:12.
Ques You mean that the assembly as set up here by God is heavenly, and if it loses that character it becomes nothing beyond the religions of the world?
JT Yes. God would preserve the primary thought, that it is a heavenly thing here. We do not get the Levites’ service in this portion of Scripture; it is their influence, and they are distributed, you might say evenly, throughout the tribes. Paul gives us the position of the saints in heaven, and John gives us what comes out of heaven.
ENH But we must be there before we can come out.
Rem The heavenly position is the only one for us. So we have to come to Christ for everything, and we abandon our earthly position.
JT If we lose the sense of the heavenly there is no distinctive assembly testimony; and that is what the enemy is always aiming at. It is not a question of your service, but of your influence, and you cannot have heavenly influence unless you apprehend your calling.
Rem In the gospel of John, Christ, as rejected on earth, opens the door to what is heavenly.
JT The Lord says to Nicodemus: “If I have [p. 350] said the earthly things to you, and ye believe not, how, if I say the heavenly things to you, will ye believe? And no one has gone up into heaven save he who came down out of heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven”, John 3:12,13. No one can explain that; but see what an influence it has in the soul! While here on earth He was “the Son of man who is in heaven”, John 3:13. Things issue out of heaven, from John’s point of view. And in the end of chapter 3, John the baptist says: “He who comes out of heaven is above all” (John 3:31) and “He must increase”, John 3:30. It is what comes out of heaven. John sustains the heavenly lustre, the lustre that is becoming to our profession.
Ques Would chapter 20 follow on that line? “As the Father sent me forth, I also send you”, John 20:21.
JT Yes, John 20, as we were thinking of it yesterday, is that the saints are being gathered in the light of the glory of the heavenly. This glory was involved in the message given to Mary: “I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God”, John 20:17. That was the light; and the Lord came in, in that light, He would confirm it in their souls by His presence amongst them. When the doors were shut through fear of the Jews He came and stood in the midst: and He says, “as the Father sent me forth, I also send you, and having said this, he breathed into them, and says to them, Receive the Holy Spirit”, John 20:21,22.
Ques Would you connect the disposition of the Levites through Israel as governmental in any way? “I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel”, Genesis 49:7.
JT That passage may allude to this; but this should be regarded as a divine provision for the Levites. According to Numbers 35 it was a specific command by Jehovah to Moses that they should have this portion.
[p. 351] Ques I should like to ask, as to the suburbs, what are we to learn from what is said about them?
JT Well, they were to measure without the city on the east, south, west, and north, two thousand cubits each. That territory was to come under their immediate influence.
Ques Their cattle and their goods and their beasts were there?
JT They are in every way provided for; it is a divine provision for the heavenly family here. God provides for them thoroughly. They were in that sense to be self supporting, and their influence was to be general. I do not know anything in a way more important than influence. It is not only what I say, it is also how I influence, and the extent of that influence.
HD'AC So we really ought to be like a city coming down from heaven every morning, to influence the district where we live.
ENH If they have such a wonderful inheritance as this book indicates — Jehovah Himself, and the priesthood and the sacrifices to the Lord made by fire, and the cities that were given to them — if they were in the enjoyment of all that, they would exert a wonderful influence.
JT Indeed they would. And so today it is simply a question of what influence one exerts. It is not so much what one says, in moving about amongst the saints, but what influence does one exert.
Ques Their cities were forty eight in number — would that indicate something?
JT I think it is universal; twelve times four.
SJBC Referring to the thought of influence, in Acts 5:15, “they brought out the sick into the streets and put them in beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter, when he came, might overshadow some of them”, Acts 5:15 How wonderful the influence of the [p. 352] man!
JT There can be no doubt that physical influence illustrates this; the tides, and many other things testify to the influence of heaven. Now God asserts His right to influence. His thought is that heaven should influence the earth.
Rem It will do so in the millennium. The holy city comes down out of heaven “having the glory of God”, Revelation 21:10.
JT What influence the city should exert, especially when you consider it is formed of so many persons — persons formed administratively in that way. If one is to rule over ten cities it is to influence them. That is the principle of rule. The two principles in these two chapters, 20 and 21, are, that there must be the predominance of grace and the predominance of what is heavenly.
ENH You would also expect to find there, spiritual discernment, so as to be able to deal rightly with all the cases that might come before them; so that the priestly gracious element might prevail, and have its own proper place, as well as authority; grace mingled with authority.
Rem I was wondering if it would help some of us in regard to the dignity of the levitical service, if you would refer a little more to the firstborn.
JT Well, that is the initial idea of the subject; it dates back to Exodus 13. That is where the thought begins, where God claims the firstborn. In Numbers the Levites are taken up instead of the firstborn, man for man. And I think Hebrews 12 alludes to that when it says, among other things, “Ye have come ... to the assembly of the firstborn ones who are registered in heaven”, Hebrews 12:22,23. That is a principle for the soul; it preserves, I think, the dignity of the whole system.
Ques Do we get in Paul’s epistle to Romans the first indication of levitical movement, as based on the fact of divine comparison? “Present your [p. 353] bodies a living sacrifice, ... which is your intelligent service”, Romans 12:1.
JM'G What do you mean by the predominance of grace?
JT Well, I think the gospel of Luke sets forth God’s rights in grace. In that gospel the apostles are obliged to tarry in Jerusalem until endued with power from on high. He says: “thus it behoved the Christ to suffer, and to rise from among the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations beginning at Jerusalem”, Luke 24:46,47. All things begin at Jerusalem. It is there, I think, the predominance of grace begins; it was there the man slaying took place. There, as they crucified Him, He prays for them: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”, Luke 23:34. His prayer involved the thought of ignorance in guilt. They did it ignorantly.
SJBC And perhaps we get the other thought, i.e., the heavenly, conveyed in the last verse of Mark’s gospel: “They, going forth, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs following upon it”, Mark 16:20.
JT The feature of grace was remarkably preserved in the earlier chapters of Acts. There was a wonderful supply of the spirit of grace in the manner in which Peter stood up with the eleven, as we have it in chapter 2, and announced the attitude of God. And, as a result, they said to Peter and the other apostles, “What shall we do, brethren? And Peter said to them, Repent, and be baptised, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for remission of sins, and ye will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For to you is the promise and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God may call”, Acts 2:37 - 9. Again in chapter 3 he says: “Ye denied the holy and righteous one, and asked that a man that was a murderer should be granted to you: but [p. 354] the originator of life ye slew ... And now brethren, I know that ye did it in ignorance, as also your rulers”, Acts 3:14 - 17.
SJBC I thought we might perhaps see in Mark’s gospel that the heavenly Man has gone up, and that the Lord works with us, while we work in a heavenly manner. There should be nothing human in our service.
JT I think Luke brings in the heavenly side, in fact he links both together: “Yet in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subjected to you, but rejoice that your names are written in the heavens”, Luke 10:20. I think Luke’s line is to establish the two thoughts, i.e., the heavenly family, and also the grace that brings with it salvation. And so, as I was saying, Peter maintains that grace reigns; it reigns not only from the divine point of view, but in the ministry of Peter, and in the affections of the saints at Jerusalem. There was not any other alternative for the people around them but that they should come into it. And the city of refuge is a divine provision, so that they can come in. The man-slayer was to be taken into the city, and he was to remain in it.
HD'AC Many thousands fled to the city, and I suppose it might be so now if we were faithful.
Ques What about the walls and gates of the city? Are they intended to protect those things that have been entrusted to us?
JT I think the great thing is to see how the early Christians were formed in grace; they not only had the light of the throne of grace, but the spirit of grace was in their souls; the Lord had laboured to put it into Peter’s soul, he was to forgive seventy times seven; he was to have the spirit of grace dwell in him, and he had it; he had not a bit of resentment against the Jews. In effect, he said, ‘All this grace is here for you, and we are ready to welcome you;
[p. 355] and you may move amongst us and enjoy the grace and love in which we live together’.
WHM What is your thought about the fugitive remaining in the city till the high priest died?
JT I think that signifies that he remains there till the end of this dispensation. When the dispensation changes then he can go back to his own land. The Jews who are going back now are exposing themselves to the man-slayer.
SJBC “And he shall dwell in that city, until he have stood before the assembly in judgment, until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days”, Joshua 20:6. What is to be understood from that passage?
JT I think it is that God will resume His relations with Israel. The man-slayer stands before the congregation; he really stood before the congregation on the day of Pentecost; and Peter intimated that if they repented God would send back Jesus Christ. But then they refused. It was a provisional state of things; but it all indicates the wondrous supply of grace that was there.
JBC-l And would you connect this with the needs, and exercises, and questions that might arise amongst the saints, as set together in the house One thing, I think, would mark the city of refuge, viz., there would be no strife in it otherwise it would be no refuge for the man who had slain anyone unwittingly. The presence of the Levite there would maintain what was for God; he would have God before him in considering every matter.
JT Yes; and the thousands that came in at Pentecost found a delightful sphere of things. “And the heart and soul of the multitude of those that had believed were one, and not one said that anything of what he possessed was his own, but all things were common to them”, Acts 4:32. One can understand how happy a truly exercised Israelite would be [p. 356] dwelling there. To find himself within the city which afforded protection and security. It was surrounded by walls; which indeed would also suggest that there were certain limitations to be observed. But what one particularly thought of was the maintenance of grace among the saints, the importance of having a supply of grace when dealing with offenders. We have been speaking of having love among ourselves, but have we grace enough to rise above sin and deal with the sinner according to the light governing the position?
LM “It is good that the heart be confirmed with grace”, Hebrews 13:9.
JM And being in the good of the heavenly position would greatly help us in that way.
JT “The grace of God which carries with it salvation for all men has appeared”, Titus 2:11. It has really come out of heaven; as Peter says, “Those who have declared to you the glad tidings by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven”, 1 Peter 1:12. The gospel is only rightly preached as in that light; the gospel of the grace of God come down here, and wrought here, so that a slave (one in the lowest grade of society) is able to adorn it.
JM'G Might a Christian get into the place of a man-slayer in a sense?
JT Of course, if you see the primary thought you could perhaps carry out the principle at any time. The primary thought was that God had accredited the Jew with ignorance in murdering Christ; and the gospel of Luke, which always manifested the character of grace, emphasises that the preaching was to begin at Jerusalem. That is what I understand; still grace reigns through righteousness; but it rises above the guilt, so as to get the sinner to repent. If repentance is preached, and remission of sins to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, it is a question of getting the sinner to repent. And then [p. 357] there was the abundance of that in the company, for not only was it presented in the way of light, but the company was possessed of it. I think the company first comes out in Acts 4. They had received rough treatment at the hands of those whom they would have befriended. Peter and John had received very rough handling from the elders of the Jews; who after threatening them further let them go. “And having been let go they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them”, Acts 4:23. And they, having heard it, prayed to God, and in their prayers they asked that He would come in. “And now, Lord”, they said, “look upon their threatenings, and give to thy bondmen with all boldness to speak thy word, in that thou stretchest out thy hand to heal, and that signs and wonders take place through the name of thy holy servant Jesus”, Acts 4:29,30. There is not a demand for judgment, the thought is that there should be healing. That is what marked the company. And then Barnabas comes in to express the true levitical spirit; he sold his land and brought the money and laid it at the feet of the apostles. He was a son of consolation; and henceforth he is an influential man linking up the Peter-and-John condition of things with Paul’s ministry.
HD'AC He really expressed the spirit of the Levite; he is content to be without land; he has got the light of God in his soul, and the city is enough for him. Others may have great property, but he is content to be without it.
JT Yes. And he is an unjealous man, full of the Holy Spirit, and desiring to make room for others.
ENH I suppose he was a man of some means, for he possessed land; and we read in Acts 4, that there were others: “as many as were owners of lands or houses, selling them, brought the price of what was sold and laid it at the feet of the apostles”, Acts 4:34,35.
[p. 358] Ques How does the epistle to Hebrews deal with this subject?
JT In Hebrews the apostle regards the saints as having fled for refuge, we “lay hold on the hope set before us, which we have as anchor of the soul, both secure and firm, and entering into that within the veil, where Jesus is entered as forerunner for us, become for ever a high priest according to the order of Melchisedec”, Hebrews 6:19,20. It is to lead the saints into the apprehension of their heavenly position. I think that was really what the city of refuge involved; having fled for refuge, it ends “within the veil”. It is not merely that you get refuge; you do get that; but then you get more, you get inside the veil, where you are in the entire favour of God. Jesus is there, a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec; that is, One who sets up an entirely new system of things.
Rem We were speaking about reduction; it would be the light of the heavenly system — the greatness of it — that would enable us to accept the reduction.
JT What I would seek to specially emphasise is the grace in which the saints are to deal with offenders. The man is not only enlightened as regards the mind of God, but there is with it the environment of grace; he is brought into the sphere where grace prevails. The assembly is to be marked by it, so that the offender is overcome. A man-slayer would be met at the gate, it would not be simply a question of getting inside the gate, he is to dwell there until the death of the high priest. There is the heavenly company and he is at home in it. The saints were not very free to receive Saul of Tarsus; he was a “slayer”, and he came amongst them. If they had been in the full light of this chapter they would have been ready for such a man as Saul. It was not beyond the bounds of grace, that God could reach such a man; but the [p. 359] Lord has to exercise His authority in order to get him in. Now that should not have been so; we should be in the grace of the Lord and so be ready to receive one like Saul.
Rem Saul learned that where sin abounded grace did much more abound.
Ques How would you distinguish between what is accidental and what is deliberate?
JT Well, you would have to consider the circumstances, whether the sin was intended as the outcome of wicked motives, or whether it was the outcome merely of a low state of soul. It is important to have supplies of grace amongst us, so as to overcome the sinner. Referring to the words of Christ on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34), God graciously regards what they did as in ignorance.
Rem The apostle Paul said: “Mercy was shown me because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief”, 1 Timothy 1:13.
HD'AC I think we might have gained many a one if we had shown more grace.
JT Well, I am sure that is right; and that is what God intends to teach us; the predominance of grace when the tribes were set in their places in the land, and the heavenly colour going with it. I think it is in the main what we have in the gospel of Luke.