THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
The unique inheritances, along with the cities acquired from others, are bestowed by God as rewards for the holy priests, while the glorified Jerusalem is decreed as a shared inheritance for all. As stated in Deuteronomy, "And if a Levite shall come from one of thy dwellings, out of all the land of the children of Israel, where he dwelt, and shall come, according to the desire of his soul, to the place which the Lord shall choose, and shall serve in the name of the Lord his God, as all his brethren the Levites who stand there before the Lord, then let them enjoy the same portion, over and above that which they received from the sale of their father's property" (Deuteronomy 18:6-8).
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Since there is one God of priests universally, those elevated to this sacred office, chosen by divine appointment, must remain unified. Although each priest possesses his own city and inheritance, he is welcomed into the priesthood if he travels from one place to another and shares in fellowship with fellow priests, honored in accordance with the principles of love.
This principle appears to suggest a deeper, mystical understanding: countless regions and cities within the universe host holy and God-fearing individuals who serve the Lord, living according to righteousness and offering spiritual sacrifices to Him—such as faith, hope, love, patience, humility, and compassion for the needy—"for such sacrifices are acceptable to God," as stated in Scripture (Hebrews 13:16). They are drawn together, figuratively, to one common mother, "to the heavenly Jerusalem, ... the church of the firstborn" (Heb. 12:22-23), the most exalted and beautiful city, "the true tabernacle, which the Lord hath erected, and not man" (Heb. 8:2). In that place, the pure will serve, for sin shall be eradicated, and there will be no lion, serpent, basilisk, or aspidistra: "And it shall be there...," it is written, "the way therein shall be called the way of the holy one..." (Heb. 8:2). The lion shall not be there, nor shall any savage beast ascend upon it (Isaiah 35:8-9). There, we shall partake of the portion designated for us, as it is written, "The fruit of thy labours shalt thou bear" (Ps. 127:2). Will there not be a reward of blessings, perhaps in a greater measure, according to the generosity of the Lord, commensurate with each individual's efforts? For it is said, "with the measure of good things, they shall be poured out for you into your bosom" (Luke 6:38).