Conquering the land, or claiming new spiritual territory, involves grueling spiritual labor. We will encounter resistance, or even minor persecution, when sharing the message of salvation in Jesus Christ; and we can grow weary if we do not have times of refreshing. We’ve got to find a safe haven from the chaos of life. The same goes for those who do spiritual battle alongside us; and the same goes for those whom we win to faith in Christ. All who seek to follow Jesus in faithful obedience, while walking in hostile territory; they need a place of refuge. And it’s up to us, as the body of Christ, to create that safe haven for ourselves and for others.
Once we lead someone to faith in Jesus, then we’re going to invite them to church, or to a Bible study. So, we need to focus on making that place of worship an environment of healing, and create an atmosphere of refuge. The word “refuge” is defined as, “shelter or protection from danger” and “anything to which one has recourse for aid, relief, or escape.”(1) The place of worship is where believers should feel a sense of release and escape from the world; so, we must be conscientious about creating a spiritual climate that contains the attributes of a refuge; and we’re going to look at those attributes this morning as we learn about the cities of refuge.
A Haven for the Downtrodden (vv. 1-3)
1 The LORD also spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3 that the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there; and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood’.”
When the Israelites began settling the land there arose disputes and offenses towards one another, and some were serious enough that the consequence was death. We read here that if a person accidentally killed a fellow Israelite, that the avenger of blood would be in hot pursuit to exact vengeance (v. 3). William H. Morton, in The Broadman Bible Commentary, says,
Blood revenge was a practice of ancient Israel which reflected her desert heritage. According to this institution, the next of kin of a victim . . . had the responsibility of avenging his death . . . [However], biblical law sought to restrain the swift execution of private vengeance until public justice could intervene. This it did by distinguishing between intentional and accidental slaying, and by establishing places of refuge where the involuntary killer would have asylum from the avenger of blood.(2)
Manslaughter can be the result of pure negligence, or perhaps just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was a crime committed without intent; nevertheless, it carried a serious penalty. From the Israelite’s point of view the punishment for the offense was seen as “an eye for an eye” with no exceptions (cf. Leviticus 24:17-22); however, from God’s perspective a person’s true heart and motives were considered and they were extended grace. The Lord made special provision for accidental killing by establishing cities of refuge where the manslayer could live free from condemnation, judgment and death.
Everyone sooner or later winds up in the wrong place at the wrong time, and all people make mistakes. The Bible says that no one is guiltless (Romans 3:10, 3:23). But let me remind us that when we find ourselves in a heap of trouble, receiving judgment and criticism from the world, we can run to our refuge in the Lord. In Deuteronomy 33:27, Moses declared, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you.” In Psalm 62:7-8, David proclaimed, “In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”
Since the church represents God who is our refuge, then it stands to reasons that we should be able to find a place of refuge in the church. R. Kent Hughes says, “With God as your Father, the church will serve as your nurturing mother, providing a safe haven, and isle of sanity in a wild, confused world.”(3)
If we, as Christians, truly desire to claim new spiritual territory for the Lord, then we must make sure that the place that represents Him (i.e. the church) truly demonstrates the love of God, and that it truly is a safe haven. The church must be a place of grace where those who have been slammed by the world, or caught in the snare of sin, can retreat for refuge. Too many people who suffer misfortune are cast aside and treated as the plague, and shot down with the ammunition of condemnation. As believers, we must be ready and willing to receive and nurture the wounded refugee.
A Dwelling Place for Belonging (v. 4)
4 “‘And when he flees to one of those cities, and stands at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declares his case in the hearing of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city as one of them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them’.”
In addition to being a safe haven, the church must have an atmosphere of belonging. There are two major things that will contribute to a sense of belonging within a church or group of believers, and they are: 1.) God’s presence, and 2.) a sense of community. Max Lucado says, “Are you in the wilderness? Crawl into God the way a fugitive would a cave. Find refuge in God’s presence. Find comfort in His people. Cast your hat in a congregation of folks who are one gift of grace removed from tragedy, addiction, and disaster.”(4)
So, let us first consider God’s presence. The cities of refuge were only established in towns that contained an altar of the Lord (cf. 1 Kings 1:50-53, 2:28-31),(5) and the altar represented God’s presence. The book of Hebrews speaks of those “who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us . . . which enters the Presence behind the veil” (Hebrews 6:18b, 19b). Wherever God’s presence is, there we find refuge, and there we find hope.
If we will leave the world outside the city walls, so to speak (or outside the church walls), and invite the Holy Spirit into our times of worship at church, then the Lord’s presence will abide in our midst. Allow me to remind you of something I shared in a message entitled, “Passion for God’s House.” We need God’s presence to abide in our midst, for it is in His presence that we find a place to call home. In Psalm 84:3, the sons of Korah declared, “Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young – even [at] Your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.”
There exists a painting entitled “Peace.” It depicts waves crashing against the jagged rocks. It portrays the violence of a crushing storm. It seems anything but peaceful. But down in a small corner of the painting, tucked away in the rocks, is a little bird sitting on her nest totally oblivious to the raging storm all about. That is peace.(6) And that kind of peace is found in God’s presence, and will bring about a sense of belonging and a shelter from the storms of life that rage all around.
Let us now consider community. We read that when the refugee approaches the city and pleads his case before the elders, that they are to “take him into the city as one of them” in order “that he may dwell among them.” The refugee is to become “one of them,” which creates a sense of belonging. I once saw a church slogan that expresses the yearning of pretty much every human heart: “A place to belong. A place to begin again.” There are a great number of people who feel as though they are refugees, not knowing where they belong; however, they should be able to experience a sense of belonging and community within the Body of Christ.
A Shelter from the Avenger (vv. 5-6)
5 “‘Then if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, but did not hate him beforehand. 6 And he shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the slayer may return and come to his own city and his own house, to the city from which he fled’.”
We must be sure that we provide a place of shelter from the avenger, or the enemy. If you have lived long enough, then you have probably encountered an enemy somewhere along the way, or someone who held a grudge against you and sought to make your life miserable. Life can be full of enemies – people who are avengers – and we must make sure that when individuals come into our body of believers that they do not find an enemy here. We are brothers and sisters in Christ, and Jesus commanded us to love one another (1 John 4:7).
Now, the avenger can also be the devil, but the Bible never uses this description for him. He has, however, been called our “adversary” who “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8); and the accuser of the brethren “who accused them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10). The devil is an enemy to all who serve the Lord, hurling accusations and condemnation, which can devastate and debilitate many believers into dropping out of the race.
People receive enough condemnation from the world, and the last thing they want to hear when they enter our church, or our fellowship, are words of judgment and criticism. Like the avenger who tries to kill the refugee, congregations of condemnation will kill a person’s spirit. Too many churches reek of death, instead emitting the beautiful fragrance of life. Will Pounds, a missionary to Central America, testifies,
One day while walking along the wharf in Panama City, Republic of Panama, I saw a sign that read: “Old fishermen never die; they just smell that way!” That sign reminds me of carnal Christianity that always has the smell of death about it. It stinks. It has a repulsive odor . . .
Those who love the Lord Jesus emit a lovely aroma. That distinctive sweet smell is the Spirit of God bearing His fruit in the lives of believers. There are Spirit-filled congregations all around the world that have that distinctive fragrance of the presence of Christ filling them. It is a rich bouquet of the fruit of the Spirit.(7)
We read about the refugee that “he shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment” (v. 6). We must keep people safe from the judgment of the world outside. If we want our church to become a shelter, then those within our assembly must speak words of life and promote works of life. As Will Pounds testifies, this can only occur when people are deeply abiding in Christ and bearing the fruit of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23a).
We must be sure to provide a place of refuge where people can experience God’s presence, and feel secure enough to abide there for extended periods of time. David once proclaimed, in Psalm 61:3-4, “For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.”
A Sanctuary without Partiality (v. 9)
9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwelt among them, that whoever killed a person accidentally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stood before the congregation.
During the conquest, the Israelites had been engaged in the eradication of many pagan civilizations for the purpose of religious purity and singular devotion unto God. It brings us some assurance when we learn that this purging was done for religious reasons instead of racial motivation. I know it’s difficult learn about all the bloodshed, but at least it wasn’t done out of racism. Let me tell you, if the Lord had favored Israel on the basis of race, He would not have made the provision for allowing the “stranger who dwelt among them” to flee for refuge and live with them for extended periods.
The cities of refuge were to be places where every ethnicity and nationality felt welcomed and accepted for who they were. How many churches are willing to love people for who they are? (Now, bear in mind that “love” does not equal being condoning or accepting of sin). In his book entitled The Ten Dumbest Things Christians Do, Mark Atteberry states,
Over the years, millions of people have suffered deep, sometimes spiritually fatal wounds within the body of Christ. You wouldn’t think this would be the case. You’d like to believe the church would be a safe haven, a place where a person wouldn’t have to worry about getting hurt. But almost from the beginning of time, believers have attacked one another.(8)
And one major reason for why believers attack one another is because of a mindset of partiality – whether it be racial, gender, age or class discrimination. I have personally witnessed partiality in the church as a whole, and this should not be the case; but keep in mind that it’s nothing new, for it even occurred within the first century church.
For example, James observed, “For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ and say to the poor man, ‘You stand there,’ or, ‘Sit here at my footstool,’ have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:2-4).
James provided an example of how class discrimination is wrong, but any form of partiality is unwelcome in the eyes of Christ. God’s house is a place for all to take refuge – not just the rich or the popular; not just those of a particular race or nationality; not solely those who were raised in a certain town; and not only those of a prominent age.
The Lord receives all who believe on Him and His Son, Jesus Christ. Peter stated, “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation, whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:34b-35). Churches should be places that foster diversity, and receive and love people for who they are.
In Isaiah we read, “Like fluttering birds pushed from the nest, so are the women of Moab . . . Hide the fugitives, do not betray the refugees. Let the Moabite fugitives stay with you; be their shelter from the destroyer” (Isaiah 16:2a, 3b-4a NIV). “After the Conquest, the Moabites maintained hostile relations with the Israelites, and frequently harassed them in war” (cf. Judges 3:12-30; 1 Samuel 14:1-52)(9); however when the Moabites fled for sanctuary, they were to be received and given shelter. The Lord declared, “Do not betray the refugees,” and I wish to remind us that we need to hide all people who come to us for protection from the world.
Time of Reflection
As we begin taking possession of new territory for the Lord, leading people to faith in Christ, then we’re going to want to invite them to church. We need to be doing some advanced preparation and start working on making our fellowship a place of refuge. For mature believers it should be a place of refreshing for those who are battle-weary; and for new believers, it should be a safe haven for the downtrodden. Our church should be a dwelling place for belonging, a shelter from the avenger, and a sanctuary that shows no partiality.
Our church should be as a lighthouse in a world of darkness, and as a strong tower declaring the true dwelling place for all who are weary, which is found in the restorative presence of Almighty God. David declared, “Blessed be the LORD my Rock . . . my loving-kindness and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer, my shield and the One in whom I take refuge” (Psalm 144:1a, 2a); and Solomon said, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10).
If you’re here today weary from living apart from God, weary from doing your own thing, and weary from this world, I want you to know that Jesus offers you spiritual rest. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” This rest that Jesus offers is found through the forgiveness of sins and by confessing Him as Savior and Lord.
NOTES
(1) “Refuge,” Dictionary.com Unabridged, taken from the Internet in October 2006 at http://dictionary. reference.com/.
(2) William H. Morton, “Joshua,” The Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: broadman Press, 1970), p. 364.
(3) R. Kent Hughes, Set Apart (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2003), p. 138.
(4) Max Lucado, Facing Your Giants (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2006), p. 42.
(5) William H. Morton, “Joshua,” The Broadman Bible Commentary, p. 364.
(6) Michael P. Green, Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997), p. 260.
(7) Will Pounds, “Sweet Fragrance in Old Clay Pots,” taken from the Internet in July of 2007 at http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/claypots.html.
(8) Mark Atteberry, The Ten Dumbest Things Christians Do (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2006).
(9) “Moabite,” Easton’s Bible Dictionary, Power Bible CD.
