Joshua, chapter 21, is the assignment of cities to be inhabited by the Levites. These cities were scattered all throughout the promised land. Every tribe had a portion of the Levite population living amongst them. Ogilvie has suggested that In a way, “these cities can be seen as a substitute for the idolatrous high places, shrines, altars, and all of the pagan paraphernalia that were present in the land at the time of the conquest. The Levites were to replace the pagan worship with a saturation presence in the land, a constant reminder of the God who had brought His people out of the bondage of Egypt and the wanderings in the wilderness.”
These cities were also to serve as centers of instruction to the various tribes regarding the precepts of the law and the instructions God had given Moses. These cities were to maintain the heritage of the people and pass it down from one generation to the next. The educational institution failed in Israel, and the inheritance was lost.
Dobson has observed, “In 1960, students in every American classroom began their day with the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. History books widely used in the schools explained the religious heritage of the nation and were peppered with stirring illustrations of America’s heroes and heroines. Most universities had a solid core curriculum that taught the classics of Western civilization. Students were expected to be familiar with the great writers and philosophers of our culture, as well as our Judeo-Christian heritage.” I’m sorry to say it’s not that way today.
Bill Bennett calls us all to the struggle. He writes, “Today we must carry on a new struggle for the country we love. We must push hard against an age that is pushing hard against us. If we have full employment and greater economic growth—if we have cities of gold and alabaster—but our children have not learned how to walk in goodness, justice and mercy, then the American experiment, no matter how gilded, will have failed.”
The most disturbing part of Bennett’s words follow. He said, “Do not surrender. Get mad. Get in the fight.”