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The meaning of 48--Provision

The number 48 is written in Hebrew as mem and chet.

Mem (מ) is water, signifying a flow of history or time. Chet (ח) is a fence or enclosure, which may also refer to one’s heart.

The number 48 appears on the surface of Scripture only twice, both speaking of the 48 cities that were given to the tribe of Levi. Numbers 35:7 says,

⁷ All the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities, together with their pasture lands.

So when Joshua divided the Promised Land among the twelve tribes, he fulfilled this command. Joshua 21:41-43 says,

⁴¹ All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel were forty-eight cities with their pasture lands. ⁴² These cities each had its surrounding pasture lands [extending 2,000 cubits from each city]; thus it was with all these cities. ⁴³ So the Lord gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it.

These 48 cities were divided among the Levitical families: Aaron, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The sons of Aaron received 13 cities; the families of Gershon received 13 cities; Kohath received 10 cities; and Merari received 12 cities (Joshua 21:4-7). As we can see, this was God’s provision for the Levites who had no land inheritance. God was their inheritance. Numbers 18:20, 21 says,

²⁰ Then the Lord said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land nor own any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel. ²¹ To the sons of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service [aboda, “work, labor”] which they perform, the service of the tent of meeting.”

The tribe of Levi was sanctified (set apart) from the other tribes and treated differently. Levi received no land inheritance (as a tribe) but were scattered among all the tribes in 48 cities that are listed in Joshua 21. God provided land for the twelve tribes, but Levi’s inheritance was God Himself. Because of this, the tithes (taxes) were to be given to the Levites for their labor as they offered sacrifice, taught the law, and judged disputes between neighbors.

In other words, the Levites were God’s bondservants, and so God provided for their needs through the tithes—ten percent of the crops and herds that were produced using God’s labor (at creation). God had set up a business arrangement with the Israelites, where they were authorized to utilize God’s labor (the land, sun, rain, atmosphere, etc.) to increase wealth. The labor of the people was rewarded with 90 percent of the increase, while God was to be given 10 percent for His labor. A just tax is payment for services rendered.

All of the tribes entered the promised Land, which was a prophetic type of the true inheritance that the New Covenant was to give us. Our inheritance is God Himself, and for this reason, we (like the Apostle Paul) are bondservants of Christ (Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1). Those who say such things seek a greater inheritance, even as Abraham sought a better country and a heavenly city (Hebrews 11:16).

Numbers 18:20 says specifically that the Levites were to have “no inheritance in their land.” This applies to the overcomers under the New Covenant, who are said to be “priests of God and of Christ” (Revelation 20:6). New Covenant priesthood is not of the Aaronic order (Levi), but is rather of the Melchizedek Order, which does not require descent from Levi or Aaron.

Yet the Old Covenant pattern was established in the law, where God gave a special provision to the Levites that was different from the rest of the Israelites. The numeric value of Levi is 46 (“temple”), and so they were called to minister in the temple of God. On the other hand, New Covenant priests are the “living stones” in that temple (1 Peter 2:5), and each stone is a temple as well (1 Corinthians 3:16).

This is God’s provision for those who qualify as “priests of God and of Christ” who are the overcomers to be raised in the first resurrection. They are distinguished from the greater body of believers, even as the Levites were distinguished from the Israelites as a whole. (See my book, The Purpose of Resurrection.)

The 6^th year on Israel’s calendar was the growing season when God promised to triple their harvest in order to carry them through the Sabbath year. Leviticus 25:20-22 says,

²⁰ But if you say, “What are we going to eat on the seventh year if we do not sow or gather in our crops?” ²¹ Then I will so order My blessing for you in the sixth year that it will bring forth the crop for three years. ²² When you are sowing the eighth year, you can still eat old things from the crop, eating the old until the ninth year when its crop comes in.

God’s provision is seen in the sixth year. But in the 48^th year—which is the sixth year of the seventh Sabbath cycle—God would have to provide a quadruple crop in order to accommodate the Jubilee year, which was an extra Sabbath year. Again, this speaks of God’s provision that rewards the faith of the people.

The 48^th time that Jacob’s name appears in Scripture is found in Genesis 30:25,

²⁵ Now it came about when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my own country.”

At that time, Canaan was the land that he was to inherit. Looking at this with New Covenant eyes, we note that Jacob wanted to return to his own country after Joseph was born. Joseph was the heir of the birthright, so Jacob’s return to Canaan was a picture of the second coming of Christ with His fellow heirs. (This is why Christ’s second coming pictures Him with His robe dipped in blood—Revelation 19:13; Genesis 37:31.)

Recall too that Jacob’s journey to Haran pictured the Spring feast days, while his return to Canaan pictured the Autumn feasts. The Spring feasts prophesy of Christ’s first coming; the Autumn feasts prophesy of Christ’s second coming.

Because Genesis 30:25 is the 48^th time Jacob’s name appears, it suggests that the inheritance is God’s provision. Provision is on two levels, Old and New Covenants. In this case, Jacob was given the land of Canaan as his Old Covenant inheritance, but it also prophesies of a future “return” in which Christ and His sons are given the true land inheritance—the spiritual body.

When the sons of God reach spiritual maturity through the fulfillment of the Autumn feasts, they are formally given the full authority of the Father. This is called the adoption of sons (huiothesia), and it gives the son power of attorney so that his signature is binding upon his father. So in Genesis 41:42 we see the 48^th time that Joseph’s name is mentioned:

⁴² Then Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s neck…

A signet ring was used to sign and seal documents. Essentially, Pharaoh was prophesying that Joseph was given authority as his “son,” described in Genesis 41:44, where we see the 48^th time that Pharaoh’s name is mentioned,

⁴¹ Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Though I am Pharaoh, yet without your permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”

Just as Pharaoh expressed total confidence in Joseph, so also has God given Jesus Christ all authority in heaven and in earth (Matthew 28:18). Those who are in full agreement with Christ will have the same authority, for they will always act in accordance with His will.

The same provision is expressed in another way in the 48^th time that Joshua’s name appears. Joshua 4:14 says,

¹⁴ On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; so that they revered him, just as they had revered Moses all the days of his life.

In this case, the Lord Himself treated Joshua much like Pharaoh treated Joseph. We also have a third witness in the 48^th time that David’s name appears. 1 Samuel 18:5 says,

⁵ So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and prospered, and Saul set him over the men of war. And it was pleasing in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.

David became Saul’s top general, and he “prospered.” David, of course, was the “Melchizedek” of his day (Psalm 110:4) and was the caretaker of David’s tabernacle (Amos 9:11; Acts 15:16). For this reason, the provision given to the Levites was an Old Covenant type and shadow of the greater provision given to David and later to Christ Himself.

This is the true provision that God has for His children. But there are also lesser levels of provision such as food, clothing, house, and land. These have their own importance, of course, but the provision and glory of Christ, provide us with much more than just material wealth. Christ and the overcomers are also given authority to “reign with Christ” (Revelation 20:6).

This authority includes healing power, as we see in the 48^th time that Jesus’ name appears in the gospel of John. John 5:8 says,

⁸ Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.”

The 48^th time that Jesus’ name appears in the gospel of Mark is found in Mark 10:29, 30,

²⁹ Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, ³⁰ but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age… and in the age to come, eternal life.”

This too is all about God’s provision being given to those who are willing to seek first the Kingdom of God.

Finally, the 48^th time that Paul’s name appears in the book of Acts is in Acts 19:1,

¹ It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

These believers knew only the (water) baptism of John the Baptist, which had been conveyed to them through Apollos, a disciple of John. Paul was able to explain to them a greater baptism, which is the promise given to the fathers in Israel. The Holy Spirit, of course, is the great provision that is the privilege of those who believe.

Yet the 48^th time Paul’s name is mentioned only sets the stage for number 49 and 50. The 49^th mention of his name is in Acts 19:4, where Paul explained to them how to be baptized in the name of Jesus. The 50^th time Paul’s name is mentioned is in Acts 19:6 says,

⁶ And when Paul had laid hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.

As we will see, the number 49 prophesies of the complete cycle of seven sabbath years which must be completed before declaring the year of Jubilee at the beginning of the 50^th year. The Jubilee, as with the day of Pentecost (on the 50^th day), is fulfilled by the work of the Holy Spirit. What the Holy Spirit will do in the year of Jubilee will greatly exceed what He did on Pentecost in Acts 2. The Jubilee is the ultimate provision given to God’s people.

It is helpful, then, to see that the number 48, 49, and 50 are part of a sequence.