Number 35 records the distribution of property for the Levites. They didn’t get a specific area of land, but rather 48 cities with land surrounding them for pasturing their animals. These cities would be located throughout the Promised Land. Six of the cities were to be set apart as “Cities of Refuge.” Their purpose was to provide refuge for any who killed another person accidentally. Murder was punishable by death, but if someone killed another person accidentally, the perpetrator could flee to a city of refuge and be safe there from being punished.
Numbers 36 concludes the book with a restating of the principle that women could inherit property in tribes where there were no male heirs to receive the property. While the culture was extremely male-centered, indeed, the entire world was at that time, the laws of the Israelites gave some assurances to woman, and the right to see their family’s property remain with their tribe was one of them.
John 14 contains one of Jesus’ most quoted statements, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The statement comes to us in the context of Jesus telling the disciples He was returning to heaven to prepare a place for them. After telling them, He said, “You know the way to the place I am going.” Thomas spoke up and said, “We don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” After Jesus told them He was the way, truth, and life, Philip spoke up and said, “Show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus responded that anyone who had seen Him had seen the Father. Imagine, what it must have been like for Jesus to have been with the disciples for three years, to have invested everything into equipping them for taking over after He died, rose from the dead and returned to heaven, and then the night before His crucifixion they seemed so clueless. Most of us would have been angry or frustrated, but Jesus seems to have explained patiently the details of who He was and the significance of His coming.
John 14 also contains Jesus’ statement: Truly, truly I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. What an incredible statement! Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons, and even raised the dead, yet He said we would do greater works than He did, if we believe in Him. All Jesus’ statements are true, and we can see the truth of this one through a few examples: 1) Billy Graham preached the gospel to millions of people. Jesus never did that. 2) Many people have preached the gospel in multiple nations. Jesus never did that. 3) Thousands of people have been saved through the ministries of many different churches and mission organizations. Jesus never did that. While Jesus is the source of all those actions, they are greater than anything He did personally while He walked the earth. That was His plan. He called us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every nation. As we respond to that call, we will continue to do greater things than He did–just as He promised!