The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 465

II. AK EDUCATION BY MEANS 011' THE CUSTOMS 011' THE PAST. God tolerated the old cnstom, but· riot in its entirety. He modified it, and thus carried on the education of the nation. On the one hand, the cities of refuge were not like the asJJla of the Greeks and Romane, for wilful murderers were led forth from them to justice (ver. 30). On the other hand, the homicide by accident wae safe under certain conditions (vere. 12, 25"-:-28). So too now God discriminates between wilful sine (Heh. x. 26- 31, 38, 39) and sine of ignorance and imprudence, which may bring after them serious disabilities, but do not doom to destruction. Ill. A PREl!'IGUBATI0N 01!' SPIRITUAL TRUTH IK THE ll'UTURE. The cities of refuge, if not strictly a type, are an illustration of Christ, the sinner's refuge. The rules prescribed by Jews in regard to the road being kept in good condition, finger-posts being provided, &c., suggest various applications. 1. The cities of refuge were near every portion of the land, and Christ is within reach of every one of us. 2. The way was to be made plain ; and the word of the truth of the gospel is plain, so that "he that readeth it may run" straight to the refuge. 3. Every manslayer, native or foreign, received the shelter of the refuge ; and sinners of every degree of guilt and every nation have no safety except in Christ. 4. Within the city, and "in Christ," there is no condemnation. 5. To quit the refug11, and to "go away" from Christ, is to meet destruction. 6. A murderer had but the appearance of safety within the city, and the wilful sinner can find no shelter from the wrath of God even when professing to believe in Christ.-P. Vere. 1-8.-God prwi.dea places/or the Levites to dwell in. God liad laid upon the tribe of' Levi many and onerous services, such as gave full occupation for their time ( cha. i., iii., iv., viii., xxviii., xxix.); he had also made abUDdant provision for their support in the matter of food (eh. xviii.); it remained that he should give a clear indication of where they were to find a place of abode in Canaan. If their/articular place of settlement was important to the other tribes, it was surely o peculiar importance to the tribe which in a representative aspect stood nearer to God than any of the rest. Levi, with all its solemn responsibilities, would assuredly not have been tolerated in such an assertion of self-will as came from Reuben and Gad. As we examine the mode of settlement indicated in this p11seage, we perceive how God points out the golden mean between too much concentration and too much diffusi,on. I. THE LEVITES WERE BO SETTLED AS TO AVOID THE 0REAT EVILS CONSEQUENT ON UNDUK CONCENTRATION. They might have had the tabernacle fixed up in a certain tribal allotment of their own, and then what would have happened? Those living at a distance from the territory of Levi would have been deb11rred from many privileges belonging to those in immediate proximity. God is no reepecter of persons. He did all that was po~eible to put every tribe in Israel in a position of religtoue equ11lity. The proportion of land and the proportion of Levitic11l eervico was to be according to the needs of each tribe. 1. Thus, by a judicious diffusion, the unity of the nation was promoted. Different circumstances require different means for the same end. While the Israelites were encamped in the wilderness, the tribe of Levi wns 1111 together, in the midst of the camp, and immedi11tely around the tabernacle. But when the Israelites became distributed in Can1111n 1 the Levites were distributt>d 11lso, thus acting still as a principle of unity, although in a different w11y. And this dis- tribution bad been made all the more necese11ry since two tribes and a half h11d chosen to dwell on the east of Jordan. That the Israelites themselves were not supremely conscious of the need of unity had been shown only too clearly by the conduct of Reuben and Gad. Much more wae wanted th11n to lie side by side within the enme borders. A mere geographical unity was a mockery, a delusion, and II snare. 2. This judicious diffusion also helped in promoting the knowledge of all that needed to be known in Israel. 1'he Levites were privileged to become-and the privilege was a very high one-the guides, instructors, counsellors, and monitors of the people. Tl111t which God had made known to Moses needed to be brought down very patiently and carefully to individual, private. daily life. The Levites had nmple opportunities to explain the commandments of God nnd the significance of the types, tho rites and ceremonies, and the great historic commemorations. And as the history of lsrnel grew, there grew with it opportunities to etimul11te 11nd warn by pointing out the C66 THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. [OR. XXXV, 1-84.