The Levites' cities were real places where God's covenant people lived and served. In this devotion on 1 Chronicles 6:54–81, we consider God's care for his people and the hope of a lasting home with him in the new heavens and new earth.
Prepare
Opening Prayer
God, thank you so much for this day. Thank you for your Word. Thank you for time that we get to spend with you. Please help us to understand your Word. In Jesus' name, amen.
Read
Scripture Passage
1 Chronicles 6:54–81
A — About
What Is This Passage About?
The passage records the cities and surrounding lands given to the Levites throughout Israel, including cities of refuge on both sides of the Jordan.
B — Best Verse
Which Verse Best Summarizes the Passage?
1 Chronicles 6:54
Now, these are their dwelling places throughout their settlements in their territories.
Verse 54 introduces the Levites' dwelling places and summarizes the passage. The devotion also highlights verse 67 for its reference to cities of refuge.
C — Called or Christ
C — Called to Do
Believe that God cares for and loves his people, walk in his ways, and trust his promise of an incorruptible inheritance in the new heavens and new earth.
Additional Notes
Devotional Study
Transcript of the devotion. Minor transcription errors may remain.
Hey, hey, good morning, good morning. Welcome to Coffee and Devotions. This morning we are at 1 Chronicles chapter 6, verses 54, down through the end of the chapter, and we're going to talk about where do all these Levites live. So, they don't get land of inheritance, they get cities. So, let's have some coffee, we'll pray, and we'll read God's Word. Sound good? Okay.
Let's pray. Can you pray? God, thank you so much for this day. Thank you for your Word. Thank you for time that we get to spend with you. Please help us to understand your Word. In Jesus' name, amen.
Alright, you ready? We're going to read some Bible here.
Now, these are their dwelling places throughout their settlements in their territories. By the way, that's what I'm going to underline for what this passage is about.
So, now, these are their dwelling places throughout their settlements in their territory, for they were given by lot to the sons of Aaron, the family of the Kohathites.
They gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, with its surrounding common lands, but the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb, the son of Jephunneh.
And to the sons of Aaron, they gave one of the cities of refuge, Hebron.
Also, Libna, with its common lands, Jeter, Eshtimoah, and its common lands.
Hillen, with its common lands, Debir, with its common lands, Ashan, with its common lands, and Beth Shemesh, with its common lands.
And from the tribe of Benjamin, Geba, with its common lands, Elimeth, with its common lands, and Anathoth, with its common lands.
All their cities among their families were thirteen.
Yeah.
Yeah, so they got thirteen cities.
Good.
The rest of the family of the tribe of the Kohathites, they gave by lot ten cities from the half-tribe of Manasseh.
And to the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, they gave thirteen cities from the tribes of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the tribe of Manasseh and Bashan.
To the sons of Merari, throughout their families, they gave twelve cities from the tribe of Reuben, from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulun.
So, the children of Israel gave these cities with their common lands to the Levites.
And they gave them by lot from the tribe of the children of Judah, from the tribe of the children of Simeon, and from the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these cities, which are called by their names.
So, they gave them even more cities.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Now, some of the families of the sons of Kohath were given their cities as their territory from the tribe of Ephraim.
They gave them one of the cities of refuge, Shechem.
So, that's where people could run if they got in trouble.
Yeah.
They could run to a city of refuge like Shechem with its common lands.
And from the mountains of Ephraim, also Gezer with its common lands, Jochmium with its common lands, Bethhoron with its common lands, Ajalon with its common lands, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its common lands, Biliam with its common lands, and the rest of the family of the sons of Kohath.
From the family of the half-tribe of Manasseh, the sons of Gershon were given Golan in Bashan with its common lands, and Ashtaroth with its common lands.
And from the tribe of Issachar, Kedesh.
Oh, Mama took Baba to an orthodontist appointment.
No.
Yeah.
We'll see her in a few minutes.
Can we finish coffee and devotions?
Yeah.
Okay.
We'll finish this up.
Anem with its common lands, and from the tribe of Asher, Mashal with its common lands, Abdon with its common lands, Hukok with its common lands, and Rahab with its common lands.
And from the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its common lands, Hamon with its common lands, and Kirjathim with its common lands.
We're almost done.
You're doing a great job.
From the tribe of Zebulun, the rest of the children of Merari were given, Ramon with its common lands, Tabor with its common lands, and on the other side of the Jordan, across from Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, they were given from the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the wilderness with its common lands, Jahaz with its common lands, Kedemoth with its common lands, and Mephahath with its common lands.
And from the tribe of Gad, Rimen, and Gilead with its common lands, Mahanaim with its common lands, Heshbon with its common lands, and Jazir with its common lands.
You want to get your toy and then come back up?
Okay.
Go ahead.
So, A, what is this about?
Well, this is the land given to the Levites from all the different tribes, both on the western side of the Jordan and on the eastern side of Jordan, and as well as the cities of refuge.
So, that's what this section was about.
Again, this is written post-exile.
The temple's already been built.
The people have been exiled and have come back.
And, now, it's clear.
Here's all these different cities.
These are historical markers.
It's giving us this.
This is what really happened.
So, I already told you verse 54 is what I would underline in my Bible as the best verse to summarize this, but I might also underline things like verse 66, because now it's talking about, or sorry, 67, because now it's going to start talking about, specifically, cities of refuge.
See, calling.
What are we called to do?
How does this give us any hope in Christ, or how does it point us to the covenant of grace?
Well, I think this is calling us to believe.
These are true.
These are true cities.
Real places.
Real families.
Real people.
There are people who will treat the Bible like it's just, well, it's a bunch of made-up stories or something like that.
But, this is a historical record.
Real people God was in covenant with and loved.
Real priests serving.
Real Levites serving.
And, it's us who, oh yeah, you got your toys?
Okay.
And, now, we.
We are also written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
God is also caring for us.
Loving us.
And, so, we walk in His ways.
He's given us a home.
Better.
Than just cities of refuge.
But, He's promised us a new heavens and a new earth.
An inheritance that's kept incorruptible in heaven for us.
Dada.
Yeah.
Oh, is that like dada?
Dada.
Yeah.
Alright.
You ready to pray?
Yeah.
Okay.
God, we thank you so much.
That we.
Know.
That our home is with you.
And, that someday you will come again.
And, what you have inaugurated here.
Even now you are king.
You will bring to completion.
And, we will live with you.
In perfection.
Forever.
Lord, we pray that you would please help us to long for our heavenly home.
And, Lord, we thank you for all your good gifts to us.
You truly are wonderful.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, may God bless you.
May you rest knowing that He loves His children forever.
And, may you have peace.
We'll see you next time.
Can you wave bye-bye?
Bye.
Bye.