OCTOBER 16, 2016 and OCTOBER 23, 2016
CITIES OF REFUGE
INTRODUCTION:
1. The Law of God requires that if man sheds man’s blood (in a murderous act), then by man shall the murderer’s blood by shed; not out of malice or hatred, but as a judicial duty.
2. The general tradition in eastern countries, as far back as recorded history takes us, was that the duty of avenging the blood of the slain fell to the nearest relative.
3. This being the case, and because men are prone to be guided too much by emotion rather than righteousness, provision needed to be made for those who unwittingly shed another man’s blood.
4. God had revealed to Moses that after the children of Israel were in the land, and their inheritances were allotted them; and after provision was made for the priestly tribe, six of the forty-eight cities that were given to the Levites were to be appointed for cities of refuge. (Num. 35:9-34)
a) Any manslayer, whether he had slain someone unwittingly or even on purpose, could take refuge in one of these cities until he could stand trial.
b) If he were found guilty of murder, then justice would be done. (Num. 35:16-19) If he had accidentally shed the blood of another, then he was protected from the avenger of blood permanently.
5. In these cities of refuge, we have another beautiful picture of Christ, who is the place of refuge for guilty sinners.
6. In our study of these cities of refuge we will be considering two passages of Scripture. First, in Numbers Chapter 35 we have the initiation of this divinely conceived provision, and why the appointment was necessary. Second, here in Joshua Chapter 20 we have, for the most part, the location and accessibility of the cities of refuge.
7. Each of these cities, considered individually, portrays certain aspects of Him who is our divinely appointed City of Refuge, but taken together they present a much fuller picture.
I. JOSHUA MUST SEE TO THE APPOINTMENT OF SIX CITIES OF REFUGE AS GOD HAD COMMANDED BY MOSES. (VERSES 1-6; NUM. 35:9-34)
A. THIS PROVISION WAS CONCEIVED AND ORDAINED BY THE LORD HIMSELF. (VERSE 2; NUM. 35:9-11)
1. Moses was the chosen mediator through whom God revealed this gracious plan, but God Himself was the Author of it. The same can be said of every statute and ordinance that is contained in what is often referred to as “The Law of Moses.” (Mal. 4:4)
2. So also with respect to the salvation provided for guilty sinners in Christ; it is God’s eternal plan of redemption that in the fullness of time was revealed and accomplished in the coming of Christ.
B. THE CITIES OF REFUGE WERE DESIGNED AND APPOINTED FOR GUILTY MANSLAYERS. (VERSE 3; NUM. 35:11, 12)
1. Whether or not the manslayer was actually guilty of murder, he was nonetheless in danger of losing his life at the hand of the avenger. Thus, God, in mercy, provided a place for him to flee for safety. If he had unwittingly taken the life of another, he would remain safe.
2. So it is with sinners who to Christ flee for refuge. But, in our case it is far better, for the refugee who flees to Christ does not merely enter into protective custody, as it were, awaiting the magistrates to determine his guilt or innocence. We are all guilty and divine justice demands our death. Those who flee to Christ find that He has already borne their guilt, and paid their debt with His own life’s blood.
C. THESE CITIES OF REFUGE WERE TO BE ENTERED IN HASTE. (VERSE 3; NUM. 35:15) “That the slayer…may flee thither.”
1. The person who had killed someone by accident had no time to argue his innocence. He must leave that work to the magistrates after he had entered the place of safety. His wisdom was to flee at once from the wrath of his avenger.
2. Many unsaved people seem to think that time is not of the essence with respect to their souls’ salvation. Often they want to argue their case, or in some other way, procrastinate, even though their days are numbered, and the avenger could overtake them at any moment. They are wise to heed the warning of Scripture, and “flee the wrath to come.”
D. THERE WAS SAFETY FOR THE MANSLAYER ONLY INSIDE THE GATE OF THE CITY. (VERSES 4, 5; NUM. 35:26-28)
1. The guilty could not go even to the outer gate post of the city without forfeiting his right of protection.
2. Those who come to Christ must abide in Him. (Compare Acts 27:30-31) Temporary faith will not do.
3. The slayer was to come to the gate where he would make his appeal to the magistrates, who would then admit him inside the gate.
a) To remain even at the gate would prove fatal.
b) How foolish was Abner who allowed Joab to avenge the blood of Ashael (Joab’s brother who was slain by Abner) while standing in the gate of Hebron. (II Sam. 3:27, 33)
c) Yet how much more foolish for souls to perish while having access to the Gospel and various means of grace. Paul said to his unbelieving Jewish brethren, “The Word is nigh thee.” (Rom. 10:8)
E. THESE CITIES WERE AN ABIDING PLACE FOR THE MANSLAYER. (VERSE 6; NUM. 35:25)
1. The refugee would remain in the city until his case was judged by the magistrates, and then (if he were found not to be guilty of murder) he would abide in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest.
2. Here the security of believers is clearly seen. Note the words, “until the death of the high priest.” Christ is our refuge and our High Priest, and He is alive forevermore. Since our High Priest cannot ever die, we are safe in Him forever.
3. Looking at the picture in another way we see how the death of Christ on the cross purchased our pardon. Notice, after the death of the high priest, the refugee could then return to the land of his possession. (Verse 6; Num. 35:25)
4. As Matthew Henry remarks, “The high priest was to be looked upon as so great a blessing to his country that when he died their sorrow on that occasion should swallow up all other resentments.”
II. THE CITIES OF REFUGE WERE SITUATED SO AS TO BE EASILY AND READILY ACCCESSIBLE FROM ANY PART OF THE LAND. (JOSH. 20:7-9)
A. THERE WERE THREE CITIES ON THE WEST SIDE OF JORDON SPACED EVENLY NORTH TO SOUTH. (VERSE 7)
1. Kedesh in Galilee was in the land of Naphtali in the northern region.
2. Shechen in the land of Ephraim was centrally located
3. Hebron, the former Kerjath-Arba was in the land of Judah to the south.
B. THERE WERE THREE CITIES ON THE EAST SIDE OF JORDAN SPACED EVENLY SOUTH TO NORTH. (VERSE 8)
1. Bezer was in the tribe of Reuben to the south.
2. Ramoth in Gilead was centrally located in the tribe of Gad.
3. Golan was in Bashan which was in the tribe of Manasseh to the north.
C. THE APPOINTED CITIES WERE SO SITUATED THAT THE MANSLAYER’S FLIGHT WAS NO MORE THAN A HALF DAY’S JOURNEY. (VERSE 9)
1. We see form this arrangement the gracious inclination of the heart of God, Who is plenteous in mercy, and takes no pleasure in the death of sinners.
2. In like manner, God has appointed a Savior for sinners, and He is a refuge at hand wherever the sinner might be in trouble. (Rom. 10:8-13) He is a very present help. (Psa. 46:1)
3. Christ is the sinner’s place of safety and shelter from the wrath of God. (Rom. 8:1)
III. THE NAMES OF THE CITIES OF REFUGE ARE VERY SIGNIFICANT.
A. KEDESH
1. Kedesh means a sacred place or sanctuary.
2. Christ is our sanctuary, our holy of holies, and He is our holiness. (I Cor. 1:30; II Cor. 5:21)
B. SHECHEN
1. Sechen means shoulder i.e. burden bearer.
2. Christ is our burden bearer. He has shouldered our sin burden, and He bears us up. (Matt. 11:28-30; I Pet. 5:7)
C. HEBRON
1. Hebron means fellowship.
2. The sinner has no fellowship with God apart from Christ. We are all aliens and strangers until we are brought nigh in Christ. (Eph. 2:12, 13; I John 1:1-3)
D. BEZER
1. Bezer means fortification, or a fortified city.
2. Christ is our Mighty Fortress; He is our Fortified City, where salvation is appointed for walls and bulwarks. (Isa. 26:1; Nahum 1:7; Psa. 91:2)
E. RAMOTH
1. Ramoth means height or exaltation.
2. Ramoth was the heights of Gilead. Christ is the heights of the universe.
a) He is exalted high above all principalities and powers, etc. (Phil. 2:9-11)
b) He is exalted to the heavenly places, at the Father’s right hand. (Eph. 1:19, 20), and we are seated in heavenly places in Him. (Eph. 2:6)
G. GOLAN
1. Golan means exultation, or joy.
2. Christ is our joy and rejoicing, in whom we rejoice always. (Rom. 5:11; Phil. 4:4; I Thess. 5:16)
CONCLUSION:
1. As the six cities of refuge individually and corporately picture Christ who is the one refuge for sinners, we can see a variety of reasons why we should immediately flee to Him. First and foremost, He is the only refuge from the wrath of God, but He is much, much more than a place of safety, for in Him we have life and that more abundantly. (John 10:10)
2. Only a fool, who, knowing the danger of his situation as a guilty sinner, living under God’s abiding wrath (John 3:36), would do as Abner did, and receive his sentence while standing at the gate of Hebron. Abner pictures every sinner who perishes in his sin, having been privileged to hear the Gospel message.
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