”The Levitical priests—indeed, the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offerings presented to the Lord, for that is their inheritance.2 They shall have no inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them.”
”The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.” Deuteronomy 18.1-2,15
Christmas is coming. Whether we want it to or not. I just read today where the EU (European Union) is attempting to ban the word “Christmas” because it’s offense to some people. Jim Denison reports that the Pope is actually fighting against on this one. No reason to get alarmed, it’s just the craziness of the world and constant attacks against the Truth which is found in Christ and his teachings (Notice only things are true get attacked.)
But back to Christmas. It’s soon approaching and we are journeying toward the birth of Jesus. Closer and closer to the revelation of the Son of God. The mystery of his birth, the magnitude of his beauty, the magnificence of this baby boy being born in a Bethlehem manger. It wasn’t unexpected to the Lord or to those writers of old who told of the coming of a prophet. Moses wrote about him in Deuteronomy 18.15, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me among you, from your follow Israelites.” The coming of the future king of Israel, the Messiah, the Christ.
But what’s the point? Why send us Jesus? Not only do we desperately need a Savior, for our sins have separated us from the love of God, but we need his presence. In the same chapter in which this prophetic word of the coming Christ is foretold, Deuteronomy 18.1-2, Moses tells of the inheritance of the Levites. This is one the most missed but powerful promises in Scripture. The Levites, who were the priestly tribe out of the twelve of Israel, were given no land as inheritance as were the others. For “the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them.”
Consider that for a moment, God gave this tribe, who were going to be ministering before him “Himself.” Everyone else got land, cattle, camels, goods, children, wives and husbands. But the Levites, they just got God. Sure, they were taken care of with the food offerings as mentioned in v.1, but they were given nothing to leave their children but the Lord.
So today, as we enjoy Advent, and enjoy the birth of Jesus, we recognize the amazing gift of God that he gave of himself not only to the Levites in Deuteronomy, but also to us two thousand years ago though his son. It’s the same gift, the same promise, the same presence. God’s very best gift to us is his presence. Salvation doesn’t simply include fire-insurance from Hell, but ready and eternal relationship with the God of the Universe. This. Is. Huge.
Have you positioned yourself to received God’s presence? Is he near you? Does he feel distant? Come to him. Call out “Jesus, I need you. Come into my life. Take control. I surrender all.” And he will not delay. He will find you, enter your being, consume your thoughts, fill your heart and make you more like him both now and in the world to come.
“Thank you Lord for saving me. Thank you for your Presence. Thank you for your love. Come now, Holy Spirit, make your way among us. Reveal your Light to the lost, your hope to the hopeless. Come quickly Lord Jesus, Maranatha! I need you now more t