Cities of Refuge
Rev. John W. Gerald
8/29/04
I. The Law of the Cities of Refuge
Numbers 35:25 And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.
Numbers 35:26 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled;
The slayer is a type of the sinner. We are not safe outside our "Refuge," which is Christ!
Numbers 35:27 And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood:
In Semitic lands if a man were slain, it was regarded as the duty of his nearest relative to avenge his blood. Almost no distinction was made between accidental and intentional killing. The right of asylum was only for those who had taken a life unintentionally. Willful murderers were not provided with a refuge. The revenger may kill a person who had killed another person, if he was found outside of his refuge. Christ is our refuge.
Numbers 35:28 Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.
Our High Priest is Christ! We have found refuge in Him from the avenger of blood. He has died for our sins. We are therefore safe as long as we remain in Him.
Numbers 35:32 And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.
The sinner can not buy his way
out of this situation. No satisfaction may be taken to release him from this provision. He must abide by the provisions of the law. He must remain in his "city of refuge" until the specified time, the death of the high priest.
II. Who Qualifies for Protection in the Cities of Refuge
Joshua 20:1 The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,
2 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
3 That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
A. The Slayer Declares His Cause
4 And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.
5 And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
B. The Congregation Judges Him
6 And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
III. The Cities of Refuge
Six Cities of Refuge - Three on the east and three on the west side of Jordan
7 And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
8 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.
The slayer is judged as to whether he qualifies to take refuge in the city of refuge. If he is found to be innocent of premeditated murder, the avenger of blood may still take vengance on him if he is not found in the city of refuge. The city of refuge was established for those who killed another person unintentionally. The city would offer him no protection if he is found guilty of premeditated murder.
How does this affect us? This is an example of how God will protect us from the penalty of a sin committed in ignorance or by accident. Those who deliberately, purposely, intentionally commit sin are not covered, but those who have no intent to do wrong, but because of circumstances beyond their control, or without thought or intent to do wrong, have sinned, there is a provision for them. They may flee to their "refuge" and be safe as long as they are safely sheltered there. You and I are safe only as long as we are sheltered in Christ.
Joshua 21:13 Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs,
Even the priests were given a city of refuge. Did they expect to have to use it? Probably not, but God knew of the likelihood that they would! Do we expect to use it? We should! Who can be assured that he may never come into conflict with the law, and face the avenger? It is reassuring to know that we have a safe refuge near by when we need it!
Joshua 21:21 For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs,
Shechem was in the heart of the land of Israel. It was in the center of Samaria. This made it easily accessable to many. There was a city of refuge within about 30 miles of anywhere in Israel. It would take only about one day to get to a city of refuge from anywhere.
Joshua 21:27 And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beeshterah with her suburbs; two cities.
Joshua 21:32 And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammothdor with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs; three cities.
Joshua 21:38 And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs,
These were on the east of Jordan
God appointed cities of refuge conveniently located for all the tribes of Israel. The two and one half tribes on the east of Jordan did not have to cross the Jordan to find refuge. God has always been mindful of our needs.
Deut. 4:43 Namely, Bezer in the
wilderness, in the plain country, of the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, of the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, of the Manassites.
Leviticus 4:13 And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;
Leviticus 4:27 And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;
28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.
There was a penalty for sins committed in ignorance. Jesus made provision for our sins of ignorance, too. He was the sin offering. Thank God, all our sins are covered in Him! He is our refuge!
