Fourth City Of Refuge - Bezer Series

Today’s meditation is based on Numbers 35:15,“These will serve as cities of refuge for Israelites and for foreigners who are temporary or permanent residents. Anyone who kills someone accidentally can escape to one of them.” (GNB)

When the people of Israel inherited the Promised Land, the Lord instructed them that six of the cities should be allotted as cities of refuge. These cities were assigned for those who accidentally killed someone, so that they could run into these cities, and find refuge from anyone who might pursue them with the intent to take revenge on them. There were many instructions pertaining to these cities of refuge in the bible. For instance, the entrance of these cities were to be kept open at all times, and anyone who ran into these cities were to be protected.

These cities of refuge were a foreshadow of something important that was to happen. As we study this in detail it is evident that these cities of refuge symbolized the coming of Jesus, the Son of God as a man to this earth so that He could be a refuge for all of mankind to be saved, blessed and protected. We can run to Jesus who is our refuge, and find true salvation and safety in Him.

Names of the six cities of refuge

Every one of these cities had a specific name and we read about it in Joshua 20:7-8, “So, on the west side of the Jordan they set aside Kedesh in Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali; Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim; and Hebron, in the hill country of Judah. East of the Jordan, on the desert plateau east of Jericho, they chose Bezer in the territory of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead, in the territory of Gad; and Golan in Bashan, in the territory of Manasseh.” (GNB)

All of these six cities have Hebrew names and each also has a special meaning.

• The name of the first city is ‘Kedesh’ which means ‘holy.’ If there is one person whom we can call holy it the Lord Jesus. He came into this world through the Holy Spirit, and lived a holy life. On the cross Jesus bore the sins of all mankind on Himself.

• The name of the second city is ‘Shechem’ which means ‘shoulder.’ This refers to the cross that Jesus bore on His shoulder, where all of our sins, weaknesses and diseases were borne by Him.

• The name of the third city is ‘Hebron’ which means ‘friendship or fellowship.’ Jesus the sinless Son of God, by bearing the cross, and taking the sins of the world on Himself, made it possible for us to be in fellowship with God, and gave us the privilege to call God our Father.

The fourth city

We are studying the meaning of the name of the fourth city which was called ‘Bezer’ which means, ‘inaccessible place or stronghold or fortress.’ It is a place where no evil could come near.Bezer reminds us that God is a refuge to all those who trust in Him.

David found refuge in God

We read in 2 Samuel 22:2-3, He said, "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. (ESV)

These were the words of David after King Saul died. If we were to look at the life of David, his beginnings were humble as a shepherd taking care of his father’s sheep. David was neglected by his family who was not even invited to any special event like the visit of the prophet Samuel to their home. When David took food for his brothers who were in the army they slighted him, and spoke ill of his motives. As David killed Goliath the Philistine warrior, God changed the plight of the Israelites from shame and disgrace to triumph and victory. Though David did so much of good for King Saul, he was unfairly hunted down by King Saul for many long years.

In his later years David’s son Absalom turned against his father, and captured the throne while his father still reigned over Israel. David had gone through betrayal, faced fear, encountered rage and had received evil for all the good that he had done. In spite of all that David went through, he came out victorious and was able to say, "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.”

There may be those who have faced similar situations in your life earlier or may be going through such trials even now. So many are overwhelmed with loneliness even though they may be in a big family, and are overcome with a sense of abandonment. For many others you have done much good, and been repaid with ingratitude and evil. Still others are gripped with fear about the future.