Jesus Our Hope And Refuge

Jesus our HOPE and our Refuge

Psalm 9:9

"The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed a refuge in times of trouble"

1. WHAT EXACTLY DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU AND ME TODAY

HOW IS JESUS OUR REFUGE….

Nowhere it there a better picture of Gods grace to mankind than Num 35:6-7. And nowhere do we see the application of Jesus being our hope refuge than in the cities of refuge in the Old Testament.

We are told God Appointed six cities of refuge for the person who killed another person innocently

A detailed account is given in the rest of Numbers 35:9-28...Then again in Joshua Josh 20:1-9

Basically If you killed a man in anger the man's closest of kin (called the avenger of blood) could track you down and kill you. (an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth)

It was considered their sacred duty to do just that. Many an innocent man was killed because the avenger of blood didn’t really care if the party who killed his relative was innocent or not

But God in his mercy provided six cities of refuge for those who killed someone by accident

If you killed a person and it was an accident ….you could flee to one of 6 cities. You would be tried and found innocent. You would then stay in the city until the high priest died…and then be free to go

If you died before the high priest died your bones could be moved to the city you lived in but only after the high priest died

Let's take a Look at the parallel between these APPOINTED cities of refuge and JESUS our place of refuge today…and see how we find hope and refuge in Jesus

These cities were APPOINTED of God for a place of safety

JESUS WAS SENT OF GOD SO YOU AND I WOULD HAVE A PLACE OF SAFTEY TO RUN INTO

Jn 3:16 says for God so loved the world that he gave his ONLY BEGOTTON SON

John 6:37 says Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out

God said in Acts 5:31 "this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased…Hear ye him

Jesus was appointed of God to be our city of refuge.

YOU ARE NOT SAFE ANYWHERE…UNLESS YOU ARE RESTING IN GODS ONLY PROVISION…

…ARE YOU SAFE AND SECURE IN Jesus …If not there is good news for you…lets look on

These cities were sanctified…(That is they were set apart for the manslayer)

John 17:19 says

And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

You and I were manslayers in that we have sinned and come short of the Glory of God

And the wages of that sin is death…Spiritual separation from God..But God has made a provision for each of us

He has provided himself…the sacrificial lamb without spot or blemish

He is sanctified and set apart for us that we to might be sanctified throught the truth

The cities were all high up on a hill

They could be easily seen

Jesus was high and lifted up on the cross of Calvary…He can be seen easily

His love for you is so great you cant miss him

He said whosoever will could come….right now….right where you are

These cities were in convenient places

Three on The east side of the Jordan…(Bezar) (RamothGiliad) (Golan)

Three on the west side in Canan (Hebron) (Shechem( (Kadesh)

All conveniently placed…and high on a hill for all to see

A man could reach any one of these cities in only a 1/2 days journey

On one side of the Jordan Kadish was in Naphtali..the most Northern tribe

Hebron was in Judah the most southern

Sechem was in the middle about the same distance

Jesus is as near as your next breath…you don’t even need to wait 1/2 day

You don’t have to travel to some far away country….or city today

Right where you are you can find God's appointed city of refuge for you in Jesus

The manslayer was safe as long as HE OR She remained in the appointed city of refuge

The law says you are guilty

The law says you must die

Jesus says I am free and I can come to him and stay I n him

We have a city of refuge in Jesus today

The cities of refuge were open for all to come

Jews and strangers in the land could come

Red and yellow black and white they are precious in his site

The Gospel is for everyone

WHOSOEVER shall confess Him….we sing (Whosoever surely meaneth me)

WHOSOEVER believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life

Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out