The Place Of Refuge
Joshua 20:1 - 9
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.
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.
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.
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.
Introduction:
1. Numbers 35 and Joshua 20 record information about The Cities of Refuge.
During the days of Moses and Joahua, the method of carrying our vengeance was different than today. Today we depend entirely on the Judiciary system to satisfy our need for justice when someone does wrong.
2. During the days of Moses and Joshua:
• Vindication of wrong was at the disposal of the one wronged!
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• If someone killed a member of your family or a friend, you killed them!
Numbers 35:19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meets him, he shall slay him.
• Simple, but dangerous if someone killed another accidentally!
3. That’s were the "cities of refuge" came into play.
4. Six cities were designated as cities of refuge (Joshua 20:7 & 8)
Ke desh; She chem; Kir jath arba
Be zer; Ra moth; Go lan
5. Everyone knew where the cities of refuge were located
a) Signs were probably posted at intersections
b) Bridges were probably built over ravines so one could get there
6. When one got to the city of refuge he found safety, shelter, and protection
7. Today I want to talk about The Place Of Refuge in relation to the cities of
refuge in our text: The Lord Jesus Christ is our ultimate "refuge" who offers us
shelter and protection.
8. Just as all the people in the "cities of refuge" in our text had things in common,
so do we today here in the church. WE WERE ALL SINNERS!
9. These cities of refuge that Moses and Joshua appointed reveal something about our place of refuge in Christ
1. You Have To Flee (Go To) The Place Of Refuge.
Joshua 20:3 That the slayer that kills any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
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A. Too many are trying to work out their own problems
B. They will not turn to God and the church
C. God has prepared a place of refuge but you must "flee" to it.
John 6:37 "...and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
2. You Have To Admit Your Sins
Joshua 20:4(a) 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
A. The guilty man not only had to flee to the city, but he had to Admit what
he had done.
B. When one comes to The Place Of Refuge in Christ, he too must admit sin
C. It’s hard to admit sin, isn’t it husbands? Isn’t it wives? Single Man?
Single Woman? Children?
D. But you will not find real refuge until you admit!
Frederick II, an eighteenth century King of Prussia, went on an inspection tour of a Berlin prison, he was greeted with the cries of prisoners who fell on their knees and protested their unjust imprisonment. While listening to these pleas of innocence, Frederick’s eyes caught a solitary man in the corner, a prisoner seemingly unconcerned with all the commotion.
"Why are you here?" Frederick asked him.
"Armed robbery, Your Majesty," came the reply.
"Were you guilty?" the King asked.
"Oh yes indeed, Your Majesty, I entirely deserve my punishment."
At that, Frederick summoned the jailer.
"Release this guilty man at once," he said. "I will not have him kept in this prison where he will corrupt all the fine innocent people who occupy it."
E. Hope that is not like the church today?
……………Have we really admitted your our guilt, our sin?
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3. You Have To Stay There!
Joshua 20:4(b) ...they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.
A. A place of dwelling is a place of abiding.
John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
B. The person had to stay in the city of refuge until he stood before the
congregation and was set free or until the High Priest died?
Joshua 20:6 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...
C. The Place Of Refuge in Christ is a place to stay - never leave!
4. Leaving The Place Of Refuge Is Dangerous!
Joshua 20:5 And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand...
A. As long as the murderer stayed in the city of refuge, he was safe.
B. As long as you stay in The Place Of Refuge in Christ, you’ll be OK.
C. When you leave, the avenger is hot on your trail!
D. Some think they can make it on their own!
E. The enemy is always after the "lone" person
Conclusion:
Are you in THE PLACE OF REFUGE today?
