To get a full picture of the story of the Cities of Refuge you should read all of chapter 35. But for now, let me summarize the main idea. As the nation of Israel was preparing to enter into the promised land, God instructed Moses to set up six cities that would be designated as cities of refuge. The cities were to serve as a safe haven for anyone who committed murder unintentionally. The chapter spells out more detail about which offenses were covered and which were not, but the main idea was that anyone who had killed someone accidentally could flee to one of the cities of refuge and there they would find protection from the "Avenger"- (sounds like a Marvel comic). From what I could gather, the role of the avenger was filled by the nearest family member who felt strongly enough to do it, and that the avenger had the right to track down those guilty of murder and exact punishment. And back then, punishment was life for life.
These cities kept their gates open and manned at all times. Twenty-four hours a day. The cities were open to the Jew and the "alien", so even if someone was not a member of the nation of Israel, they could find sanctuary in the cities of refuge. The cities were all built in hill country or on plateaus, so that they were "up high" and were very visible by anyone in the area.
The person guilty of unintentional murder would be protected as long as they stayed within the walls of the city. They were to stay in the city of refuge until the current High Priest died, then they were declared free and allowed to return to their inherited land without guilt or punishment.
So let's summarize some of the notable characteristics of these cities:
- Intention was key- anyone who intentionally murdered would not find any protection in the city of refuge, but if someone accidentally transgressed, they were protected.
- The cities were always open.
- The cities were open to anyone.
- The cities were "up high" and easy to see.
- Protection lasted until the High Priest died and then freedom was granted without guilt.
Is it just me or are the Jesus images piling up like last night's dishes???
I don't think any one of us gets out of bed in the morning and sets out to sin on purpose. But we still do it. We don't want to, we don't mean to. But we are weak and we are flawed, and while it is not our intention to violate the principles of scripture, we do it anyway. We are just the kind of people for whom the cities were made. Guilt is not the question. We are guilty. We don't even have an argument. But I think that we can all honestly say that we do not intend to violate God's law. That is one thing I love so much about the book of 1 John. A significant part of the theme of 1 John is our habitual life style- what we are trying to do with our lives. The book challenges us to think about what our intentions are in our lives.
The city gates were always open- ready to accept the refugee at any time. Jesus is the same. I don't know how you feel about "death bed confessions"... I am not even sure how I feel about them. But I do believe this with all my heart- Jesus will accept anyone who comes to Him sincerely and accepts Him, whether they do so when they are 8 or 80. The gate is always open.
The cities were for everyone- the Jew and the "alien". Here we see a foreshadowing of what would happen after Jesus' resurrection and with the spread of the church. There is no one who is excluded from the refuge of Jesus Christ if they are willing to accept Him.
In Moses' time I am guessing that if someone found themselves in need of the city of refuge, they hightailed it to the nearest one. They had to find it quickly and get there. That is why God arranged for them to be up high- in visible places. Well, I have to say, for all of the "lostness" of this world, it is not because Jesus is hard to find. If anyone really wants to find Jesus, its not hard. At least not in the United States. Knowing Jesus and learning about Him in our country is laid out free for the taking. Even so, we bear the responsibility of making sure people who need the refuge of Jesus know how to find Him. We have been given that task. We have to point the way to the city of refuge- Jesus Christ, (read Matthew 5:14- we have to be sure the "city on a hill" is not hidden.)
And then there is the death of the High Priest... wow. The death of the priest brought freedom and the removal of all guilt from the refugee. And in the same way, the death of the One High Priest, Jesus Christ, has washed away our sin and given us the right to return to our inheritance- a life with God. Both now and forevermore.
And so, the establishment of the cities of refuge in the book of Numbers once again gives us a peek at the Messiah to come, and ties together the scripture as the consistent, coherent testament of God. And I love reading it.
Just Keep Swimming...
Jon
No matter how many times I visit this site and read this entry, it cannot compare to the one you post next! :)
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