In 49:7 Jacob said that Levi should be scattered among the children of Israel. According to Joshua 21, this prophecy was fulfilled through the casting of lots. Because of Levi's faithfulness and absoluteness, Levi was scattered among the children of Israel. Moses, a God-man, was very happy with Levi. However, he could not annul the prophecy of Jacob; rather, he had to fulfill it. Therefore, the Lord said to Moses, "Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites, of the inheritance of their possession, cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them" (Num. 35:2). Each of the twelve tribes had to set aside some cities for the Levites. The selection of these cities was made by lot. There was no maneuvering in this matter, for the lot did not permit the exercise of any maneuvering. Altogether, the Levites were given forty-eight cities (Num. 35:6).
Out of these forty-eight cities, six were to be cities of refuge (Num. 35:6; Josh. 20:7-9). These cities were conveniently located throughout the land of Israel. Three were on the east side of the Jordan, and three were on the west side. A manslayer could easily flee to one of these cities of refuge. Therefore, the scattering of Levi according to the curse actually became a blessing. The Levites brought people to God and God to the people. Thus, in ancient times, it was a blessing to have some Levites in your city or in your territory (Judg. 17:7-13).
These cities of refuge are a type of Christ. We all are manslayers, and Christ is our city of refuge. Do you really think that you have never slain anyone? We all have slain our parents, our husband or wife, or our children. The brothers in the brothers' house have all slain one another. After we have slain someone, we need to flee to a city of refuge; that is, we must run to Christ.
The scattered Levites not only brought others to God; they also brought God's refuge to sinful people. We may apply this to our situation today. If we are true Levites, wherever we are, Christ will be present as a city of refuge for others. Our dwelling will be a city of refuge into which sinners can flee for salvation. In this way we bring God's refuge to sinful people. The sinners do not need to run to a cathedral; they simply need to flee to God's refuge, to the cities where God's priests dwell. In these days the saints in Anaheim are grouping together according to neighborhoods. I hope that each group will be a city of refuge and that many unbelievers will flee to this refuge. In this refuge those who have committed sins will find the covering they need. Because there are so few Levites, there are hardly any places of refuge in the city of Anaheim. We must be today's Levites. We must be desperate, absolute, and faithful to slay our fleshly desires so that we may be God's Levites, God's priests. If we are Levites, then wherever we live, our dwelling place will be a city of refuge into which sinners may run for salvation.
Through the cases of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi we see the possibility of either losing or gaining. Whether we shall lose or gain depends upon our attitude and upon our reaction to various situations. May God have mercy on us so that we may react in a way that will cause us to gain and not to lose.