Sermon Tone Analysis

The Priestly Portion

The Lord commanded Moses, Joshua and Eleazar to distribute the land inheritance among the tribes throughout the region of the Promised Land.

In and we have read about a significant difference in what would be given to the tribe of Levi.

Their inheritance would be of a different sort than the rest of the tribes’ inheritance.

So we see in these three verses, three different aspects of the Priestly Portion.

Offerings by Fire to the Lord

The Lord God of Israel

Cities to dwell in (, )

Distributed by lot (just like the rest of the land)

The Priesthood of the Lord

“I AM” your portion ( Numbers 18:20)

The tithe of the people (Numbers 18:24)

The LORD ()

The LORD ()

“I AM” there inheritance & possession ()

A portion of the Grain Offering ()

Purpose of the Priestly Portion

Exempt them from the labor and cares of business

Allow them to be devoted to His service/worship

Create a bond of mutual love and attachment between the people & Levites

designate a close geographic proximity of the priest among all the other tribes

Exemplary vs Exclusive

Was this intended to be an exemplary portion or an exclusive portion.

Was God trying to show the Levites were members of an “upper class”?

Were they alone able to claim God as their portion?

Were they alone able to trust God for their daily bread and provision?

Was He setting them apart because they were something special?

No!

He designated Himself as their portion, which was supposed to serve as a model or example of the best portion (God Himself, which was not dependent upon any geographic location or inherent personal ability) The priests were not perfect, they were not exceptional in their own rite.

God was showing the tribes the need for worship and keeping their focus and trust on Him

His purpose was to draw the people’s attention to His glory and goodness.

We can and should

How can I say this?

Leviticus 3:24

Ps

Ps 142

The word “portion” in this passage is the same word that is used to describe the land that has been withheld from the Levites as described in Numbers, Deuteronomy and Joshua.

This is a designation of the exemplary inheritance that is desired for all of God’s people.

He desires to be our inheritance and we are His intended portion.

The Priestly Portion of the New Covenant

Heb 4:

Heb

Christ is our high priest

Who are we told are the priests in the New Testament?

We are!

1 Pet 2:5,9

1Pet 2:

We are now as a church/ the church and body of Christ a royal priesthood.

We are all priests.

He is our portion and we are His portion, so that we can proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into MARVELOUS LIGHT.

By His grace and mercy we are able to have direct access to Him- He is our inheritance, just as He was the inheritance for the tribe of Levi.

So we can teach people of the goodness of God

So we can proclaim Him among the nations, scattered throughout His glorious land.

How did this take place, that we are now priests of God?

:14-16

So what does this mean for us today.

We have obtained access & we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Rev 1:

Praise the Lord that He is our portion!