What other Scriptures emphasize caring for those without inheritance, like the Levites? Standing on Deuteronomy 14:27 “ And do not neglect the Levite within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.” Old-Testament Cornerstones These passages lay the foundational call to care for people who lack a land-based inheritance. – “You will have no inheritance in their land… I am your share and your inheritance.” – God designates the people’s tithes as the Levites’ livelihood. – “Be careful not to neglect the Levite as long as you live in your land.” – The third-year tithe supplies the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow “so that the LORD your God may bless you.” – Israel must testify before God that they have “given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled.” – No tribal allotment for Levi; “the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance.” Prophetic Wake-up Calls When Israel forgot these commands, prophets stepped in. – Neglected Levites abandon temple service to farm; Nehemiah rebukes the leaders and restarts the tithe flow. – God promises swift judgment “against those who oppress the hired worker, the widow and the fatherless, and deprive foreigners of justice.” – “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse… see if I will not open the windows of heaven.” Broader Circle of Those Without Inheritance God consistently links the Levite with others who depend on community faithfulness. • The foreigner (sojourner) – Deuteronomy 24:19-22: leave gleanings for “the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow.” • The fatherless and widow – Psalm 68:5: “A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation.” – Proverbs 19:17: “Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay.” Worship and Provision—Two Sides of One Coin • 2 Chronicles 31:4-10: Hezekiah commands Judah to give the prescribed portions so Levites can “devote themselves to the Law of the LORD.” • Leviticus 25:35-38: Aid a poor brother “so that he can continue to live among you.” New-Testament Echoes The principle carries into gospel ministry and church life. – “Those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple… the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” – “The worker is worthy of his wages.” – “The one who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches.” – “Pure and undefiled religion…is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress.” – The early church organizes daily support for widows so the apostles can keep ministering the Word. Living It Out Today • Regular, proportional giving remains God’s chosen channel for sustaining those set apart for spiritual service. • The same heart that feeds Levites fuels compassion for immigrants, single-parent families, and the vulnerable around us. • Obedience brings blessing (Malachi 3:10); neglect injures both the servants of God and the health of worship itself. |
    |