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Today’s reading brings us to the final two chapters of Numbers—35 and 36—which means we’re now 4/5 of the way through the Law (also known as the Pentateuch in Christianese, or Torah in Jewish circles). These closing chapters touch on two major themes: justice and inheritance. Both highlight the faithfulness of God and the wisdom of His Word when applied to the complexities of real life.

Chapter 35 once again scratched my itch as I am curious about all things about the Levites’ provision. Here, we find the instructions for their inheritance—48 cities scattered throughout Israel, including pastureland for their livestock. Of those 48 cities, 6 were to be designated as cities of refuge (more on that in a moment).

To give some perspective, each Levite city was approximately 750 acres. For reference, the entire area of Diamond Head in Honolulu (where I live) is 750 acres. Central Park in New York (where I’m originally from) is just slightly larger at 843 acres. And Universal’s new Epic Universe theme park in Florida (where I began ministry) is—once again—750 acres. That gives you an idea of the scale. The Levites weren’t given land like the other tribes, but they were certainly provided for.

Now about those cities of refuge—these were places a person could flee if they accidentally killed someone. They could seek shelter there before any of the victim’s family members could reach them. Once in the city, they would stand trial. If found innocent, they had to remain there until the current high priest died. At first, that might seem harsh—especially for someone deemed innocent.

But then, keep in mind what we’ve read recently in chapters 15 and 19. Even unintentional sins carried consequences. If someone unknowingly broke a command, they still needed to bring a sin offering. If someone became ceremonially unclean by touching a corpse, they had to isolate for seven days. Even unintentional sin had consequences.

Now think about the seriousness of taking a life. Even unintentionally, a life was still lost—and God, the giver of life, doesn’t take that lightly. The consequence in this case required a longer separation, one that ended with the death of the high priest. It’s a sobering reminder that all sin—even accidental—requires payment… a life for a life.

Then in chapter 36, we return to the story of Zelophehad’s daughters—five sisters who earlier asked Moses for the right to inherit their father’s land since he had no sons. God agreed to their request in chapter 27 saying,

“The daughters of Zelophehad are right.”

Now, the leaders from their tribe—Manasseh—raised a follow-up concern: What if the daughters marry outside the tribe? Won’t their land transfer to another tribe through marriage? Once again, Moses brought the matter before God, and God again responded,

“The tribe of the people of Joseph is right… Let them marry whom they think best, only they shall marry within the clan of their father’s tribe.”

What I find noteworthy is how both these scenarios—the accidental killing and the inheritance dilemma—demonstrate the same truth: God invites His people to bring real-life situations before Him, and He will respond.

God was teaching His people how to seek Him, how to discern rightly, and how to trust His Word in real-life circumstances.

That’s what we’re still called to today. God’s Word is unchanging, but His Spirit helps us navigate how to live it out with wisdom and grace.

Takeaway: God’s Word is perfect, and His wisdom is always timely. Whether we’re navigating loss, guilt, justice, or family responsibilities, He invites us to bring our real questions to Him. Like Moses, we must listen, ask, and wait for His direction—trusting that His truth will never fail and His grace is always available.