I’m reading through Joshua right now. They’re in the midst of dividing up the new land and assigning it to the different tribes of Israel. Each has an inheritance in the land. That is except for the tribe of Levi. The Levites receive no inheritance in the land.

If you don’t know much about the Israelite’s history, the Levites were the priests in Israel. They governed the temple and performed the various ceremonial rituals God commanded Israel to do. In most ways they had a greater responsibility than all the rest of Israel. Yet, God gave them no inheritance in the land.

You know why? Because of this, Deuteronomy 10:8-9:

"At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD to stand before the LORD to minister to him and to bless in his name, to this day. Therefore Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers. The LORD is his inheritance…"

So the Levites were set apart to minister to God. To perform various duties and tasks. But, most importantly, this somehow made God himself their inheritance.

Indeed their responsibility was greater, but the Levitical priesthood was set apart from Israel for God, and God would be their inheritance.

Okay, so fast foreword several thousand years. I’m reading this passage in Joshua where It refers to the Levites having no inheritance in the land and it reminded me of another royal priesthood, which God set apart for his own uses. Us.

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9)

In the nation of Israel, God set apart the tribe of Levi as a royal priesthood to minister to him and to receive him as their inheritance. Now, because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, God calls his church out of the whole world of his creation as his chosen race and royal priesthood.

By declaring his excellencies do we minister to him. And although we may not be allotted any inheritance in this life time, like no other before us, do we receive Jesus as our true and all satisfying inheritance in the life to come.

Talk about reasons to worship. That’s pretty awesome.