A Place Of Refuge

You know, the Bible is a fascinating book in the way that it's laid out in structure, and the way that God's plan and purpose is revealed. Because in so many different aspects of Scripture, you can go and look through the Old Testament, look through how things were done under the Old Covenant system, and then you can see that there is a type that points to an anti-type in so many ways. Or we might say type and fulfillment, or a greater spiritual fulfillment. As in, there were things in the Old Covenant system that the people of Israel walked through as the worship of God that he established, but it pointed to something spiritually that is of greater fulfillment in our lives as New Covenant Christians today.

And a simple example of that would be the animal sacrifices. You know, you had under the Old Covenant system, when someone committed a sin, there was then the animal that had to be sacrificed because blood had to be shed for the remission of sins, and they brought that animal to the tabernacle, to the temple. The priest would offer and assist in the offering of that sacrifice, but the person themselves actually killed the animal, shed the blood.

Again, it was for the remission of sins, and in their sense, ceremonially, under the Old Covenant system, those sins were covered over. And that was a type, those animal sacrifices, of the fulfillment, a greater spiritual fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who was the ultimate sacrifice for sin. And so we look through the Scriptures, we see type and fulfillment, type and fulfillment, and it's really fascinating to walk through in the study and look at those things. Today, I'd like to look at one specific aspect of law and order that God laid out for ancient Israel to live by and to see what its structure was, and then I'd like to bring it forward and consider how it is that it applies to our spiritual lives today.

Because what we find is that this specific element of law and order builds into a structure that foreshadows, again, something greater in spiritual reality that God is working out now. So we're going to have a history lesson, ancient Israel history lesson, on a specific aspect, and we will see then the spiritual fulfillment.

Today, we're going to examine the details surrounding Israel's cities of refuge. Israel's cities of refuge. And the title for the message is today a place of refuge, a place of refuge. It was something that was important to them in their day, and it is something that's important to you and I today as well. I want to begin in Joshua chapter 20 because Joshua 20 contains an overview of the topic of the cities of refuge, and I don't want us to just sort of walk into it blind.

I want to read the overview, and then we'll move to another passage that walks through it in greater detail and see what it is that we can pick up along the way. But Joshua chapter 20 and verse 1 begins by saying, The LORD spoke also to Joshua, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, that the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there, and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. Verse 4, When he flees to one of those cities, and he stands at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declares his case in the hearing of the elders of the city, they shall take him into the city as one of them, give him a place that he may dwell among them.

And if the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, but did not have hate for him beforehand. Verse 6, And he shall dwell in the 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. Verse 7, So they appointed Kadesh and Galilee in the mountains of Naphtali, Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, Kurgath, Ereba, which is Hebron, in the mountains of Judah.

Verse 8, And on the other side of the Jordan by Jericho eastward they assign Bezor in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, Reimoth and Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh. Verse 9, These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, 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.

So that's an overview, and I think it's a rather fascinating topic to consider. The avenger of blood, city of refuge, you know, what does all this have to do with, first of all, the system God established for ancient Israel, and what does it have to do in fulfillment, in terms of spiritual fulfillment, it points to in our lives today.

We're going to explore those things. The takeaway here for us from Joshua 20, we need to see that as we examine these cities of refuge, their purpose demonstrate the sanctity of life and the high regard that God had for human life, the high regard that he would have his people to show for human life as well.

Because you see, mankind was made in the image of God for God's divine purpose, to be a part of God's family for eternity. They're in his image, and so the shedding of blood, the killing of a human being, was not something that God took lightly, even accidentally. Even if it was unintentional, it was still a serious matter in the eyes of God. So we're going to go to another passage, then, that outlines these cities of refuge and their function in greater detail. But before, let's take a brief detour, because we need to set a stage for this concept in Genesis, chapter 9.

Genesis, chapter 9, because we're talking about the shedding of human blood, the avenger of blood, refuge. There's some things we need to understand from Genesis, chapter 9. This takes place shortly after the flood. And God now is setting a standard by which human life would be regarded. Genesis, chapter 9, and verse 4, it says, but you shall not eat flesh with its life. That is the blood.

So the point is, what God is saying, that the life that I've given to every breathing thing, that life is in the blood. And so when you eat animals, you're not to eat the blood. The life is in the blood. Verse 5, he says, surely for your life blood, life blood of a human being, surely for your life blood, I will demand a reckoning. From the hand of every beast, I will require it. And from the hand of man, from the hand of every man's brother, I will require the life of a man. In other words, if there was an animal that killed a person, you know, say an ox gored a man and he died, there was a reckoning that would take place, that animal would die, because man's blood was shed unto death. And the same principle applied as well among human beings, that if a man rose up and murdered his fellow human being, there would be a reckoning and the penalty for such was death. And again, this is something that God is clearly lining out after the flood. It says, verse 6, whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed. For in the image of God he made man. And so what we understand is that it is by man's hand that God is giving authority for man's blood to be shed if they rose up against another man and killed them. And so what we find is this is actually a standard that God has given, you know, the world's been covered with water, mankind's been destroyed except for Noah and his family, and they're starting anew. And God says here's a standard by which mankind will be governed, and he's giving incredible judicial power to mankind to exercise, frankly, the death penalty over someone who was guilty of killing their fellow man. Now this was not without stipulations, okay? This wasn't vigilante justice. This wasn't each man for themselves. This actually had very specific terms because you couldn't just have a free-for-all because if somebody killed somebody else and then their family was upset and killed them and then someone sought revenge on them very quickly, you know, this wasn't the the Hatfield and McCoy's that God was seeking to establish.

This was a legitimate process by which someone who had killed someone else would be, they would have their moment in court in that sense. They would have their ability to plead their cause and then judgment would be made. But what we find by this passage is that God gave that judicial authority to man to be exercised through their governing systems by the authority that God allowed them to have. Again, it's an important concept and it actually ties very directly into the cities of refuge because we're going to see how God established this in Israel. Israel was his nation, his model nation to the world, and again this wasn't a free-for-all. There had to be a right and proper process, but also there had to be one that made a distinction between a murderer and a man-slayer, you know, someone who had killed someone unintentionally. So let's go back now to the cities of refuge that God established and we'll see how this process fits together. Numbers chapter 35 is where we're heading. Numbers 35, and we're gonna walk through the details surrounding the cities of refuge and then we're gonna see how this applies and points to our Christian lives today.

Numbers chapter 35, we find the instructions here that God gave to Moses. You know, what was repeated, the Joshua, is what God had given to Moses earlier, and there's additional detail here we can pick up. Numbers chapter 35, beginning in verse 1, it says, and the Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, so this is before they've entered the Promised Land on the east side of the Jericho, saying, command the children of Israel that they give the Levites cities to dwell in from the inheritance of their possession, and you shall also give the Levites common land around the cities. They shall have the cities to dwell in, and their common land shall be for their cattle, for their herds, and for all their animals.

It recalled, brethren, that the Levites, as a tribe, were those that God had appointed to be the ministers, in that sense, unto his people. And so when they crossed over into the Promised Land, they did not have a possession for their inheritance. You know, all the tribes had sections that were carved out, and this was your tribal inheritance that was kept and passed on, but the Levites did not receive that. Their inheritance was among the people from what God would provide for them. And so he's saying, look, it's time to separate when you go into the land, separate out cities and places for the Levites. Again, they were dependent on what was provided from the other tribes. Verse 4, the common land of the cities which you shall give the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits all around, and you shall measure outside the city to the east side, two thousand cubits, south side two thousand, west side two thousand, north side two thousand cubits. They shall be in the middle, and this shall belong to them as a common land for their cities. And so it was through these cities that the tribes provided to the Levites what it is that they needed to live by and to sustain them, and it was what came from their inheritance spread throughout the land. But there's intention here, there's order here, because these Levite cities would be spread throughout the whole region of Israel. As each tribe gave to them a certain number of cities dependent on their geography and population, these Levites would be spread all throughout the land, and so you would not have a portion of Israel that was without the priests, without the ministers of the people. The Levites would be in the midst of all the tribes, and again God would not leave them cut off from their people.

What we also understand about this, and you read other passages, is that the Levites then, on a rotation, would come down into Jerusalem, fulfill their temple duties, and carry on with life again, back out in the cities in which they were. But they were always ministering to the people of God.

Verse 6, it says, Now among the cities which ye shall give the Levites, ye shall appoint six cities of refuge, to which a manslayer may flee, and to these ye shall add forty-two cities, so that all the cities you give to the Levites shall be forty-eight ye shall give with their common land.

So, forty-eight total Levitical cities throughout Israel. Six were in position to be cities of refuge. Verse 8, The cities which ye shall give shall be from the possession of children of Israel. From the larger tribes ye shall give many, from the smaller tribes few. Each shall give from the cities to the Levites, in proportion to the inheritance that each receives. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, when you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall appoint cities to be the cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills a person accidentally may flee there.

So, what we see right up front about these cities of refuge is that their intent and purpose was not for refuge to be provided to a murderer. All right? In God's system, refuge was not provided to the murderer. Their purpose there was to provide refuge to someone that had killed someone accidentally, unintentionally, and there was a difference between the two. The manslayer, in this case, was not a murderer. You know, to accidentally kill somebody, there's various ways that could happen.

It did not come to the same bar of intent as murder. However, it did fall under the case that man's blood had been shed to death, and for blood, blood must be given. And so we see a system that God then established for this to be handled. And we're going to see in greater detail as we go forward the distinction set between intentional and an unintentional killing. Verse 12, it says, they shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment.

And so this here gives us a glimpse into a couple of important details of what God had established here for the purpose and the function of these cities. First was the cities of refuge were to provide a refuge for the manslayer from the avenger of blood. Okay, you killed somebody, you ran as fast as you could to this city, and his purpose was to provide a refuge from the avenger of blood. So we say, well, who's the avenger of blood?

Right, who did God give the right to kill somebody in Israel who had killed somebody else? How was this lined out? Well, the avenger of blood was a near kinsman to the one who was killed. And as you look at the order of near kinsmen, it began with the son. So if a man was killed, his son had the right to avenge his blood. But if he didn't have a son, it went to the father. And say this man's father was no longer living, he didn't have a son, then it went to his brother.

And if none of those could fulfill that responsibility, then it went to an elder on his father's side. But there was a specific individual that was appointed to be the avenger of blood. And the avenger alone had the right to take vengeance on behalf of the family over an action of death that occurred, even if it was unintentional or accidental. In another place, the Bible gives an example of an accidental death, where, you know, if you're out in the woods and you're chopping a tree with an axe, and you're swinging with all your worth, you're chopping this tree, and the head flies off the axe and kills your partner, they're dead, it was an unintentional killing.

All right? But there was still consequence to that. It was still a human life that was lost. We need to remember that Israel functioned under a system of tribal inheritance. And so when somebody lost their life in a family line, what happened was now the family's inheritance was put at jeopardy. The ability to perpetuate the family name was put in jeopardy and to pass that inheritance on.

Because the land came from what God gave them, and then it was my great-grandparents and my grandparents and my parents and mine, and it'll be my children, and you had now an interruption, perhaps, and a threat to that inheritance by the death of an individual, whether it was intentional or not.

Now, in such a circumstance, the crime was against the family. It was not against the state. And, you know, in today's day and age, the way a lot of crimes are processed by the state, it's the state versus this person.

But in Israel, if somebody's life was lost in this way, the crime was against the family, and it was the family that was given a right through the avenger of blood. At least in the second detail of verse 12, again, I'll read verse 12 again for you, it said, they shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment.

The second detail of verse 12 is that the manslayer had the right to stand in judgment before the congregation for his action. He had the right to have his day in court, so to speak, to plead his case, to express, no, this death was an accident. But you know what? In order to claim that right, he had to get to that city of refuge alive. Because once the death occurred, the avenger of blood had the right to take his life without incurring guilt upon himself. So if he had an accidental death, again, as chopping a tree in the wood and the head of the axe flies off and kills someone, that person then knew to run as fast as they could to a city of refuge where they could have protection until their day and hour in judgment before the congregation would come.

And again, once they made it there, the avenger of blood could not touch them. Verse 13, it says, In the cities which you give shall be six cities of refuge. You shall appoint three cities on this side of the Jordan, three cities you shall appoint in the land of Canaan, which will be cities of refuge. You know, you're talking about the east side and the west side of Jordan, because, you know, the Israelites right now, he's talking to Moses before they entered the Promised Land, and in fact, there were tribes that remained on the east side even after the Promised Land was settled, and they had to have cities of refuge within reach of them as well. Verse 15, The sixth city shall be for refuge for the children of Israel, for the sojourner, for the stranger among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally may flee there. So what we notice is that these cities of refuge were not for the Israelite only. Okay, it wasn't a right only to a citizen of Israel, it was for the stranger, for the sojourner that was in their midst as well, those who had come under the system of governance that functioned in Israel. It wasn't just a native-born Israelite. And what it shows us is the equality that God has in judgment and justice, that, you know, there's not a difference in judgment between a rich person and a poor person. You know, that's not to be perverted in the eyes of God. There's not a difference in judgment between someone who was native-born and someone who was a foreigner. God's law was God's law, and it applied to all. We won't turn there, but Numbers chapter 15 and verse 16 says, one law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who dwells with you. It's Numbers 15 verse 16. And so what we find is that God is not a respecter of persons, and again, his righteous judgment applies equally to all of mankind.

Now additionally, these verses tell us that the six cities of refuge were placed strategically throughout the land of Israel. God wanted them easily accessible. You know, you killed somebody, you didn't want to be, you had to run a thousand miles or whatever it would be to find something at the far end of the country. God actually lined this out so it would be easily accessible to all in Israel. So there were six of them. Three were placed on the west side of the Jordan River, which was the Promised Land. Three were placed on the east side of the Jordan River. There is where Gad, Reuben, and half of Manasseh had settled. Okay, it was all called Israel, but the land of Canaan across the Jordan, three on one side, three on the other. But the point was they needed to be built in a way that you could get there easily. And how they were laid out in the geography was you were never more than a day from a city of refuge. So again, this is a point of all of Israel knew, if you killed somebody, and frankly if a murderer murdered someone with intent, they would seek to get there as well. And maybe there would be something they could come up with to get off on their end. But the fact is it was designated to be in range within a day. And other writings outside of the Bible that have Jewish history in them show that it was very important that they be accessible that there were signs. Like you came to a crossroad and here was a sign that pointed. It was like refuge this way. And as they outlined and established themselves in the promised land, as they built roads, it was broken into regions. And these roads led directly into the city of refuge as well from various directions. And so it was God's purpose that they would be able to get there. Now, Numbers 35, as we're continuing in here, verse 16, then begins to make a distinction between what is an intentional killing versus an unintentional killing and how that would be judged.

Verse 16 says, but if he strikes him with an iron implement so that he dies, you know, run him through with a spear, hit him with a sword, some kind of, you know, a iron pipe, whatever it might be, so that he dies, he is a murderer and the murderer shall surely be put to death.

And if he strikes him with a stone in his hand, by which one could die? He just, he picked up this rock and he bashed the guy in the head and he killed him. All right, it says he is a murderer and the murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he strikes him with a wooden hand weapon, again, we see it's a weapon that's being referenced here. It goes to intent. It goes to what, what was this person's motive predisposition to go after this person. If he strikes him with a wooden hand weapon so that one could die and he does die, he is a murderer and the murderer shall surely be put to death. Again, we're talking about intent. We're talking about pre-meditation, in some cases, intent to kill. And such a person was worthy of the death penalty in God's system.

And even if they made it to the city of refuge, there would be no long-term refuge for them if they were found guilty of murder. They were worthy of death. Now verse 19 carries on. It says, the Avenger of blood himself shall put the murderer to death. So it was the family who could, I don't know if take vengeance is too strong of a word. I think that probably meets the intent, but the family could be the one that exacts the punishment on this person through the Avenger of blood. The Avenger of blood himself shall put the murderer to death. Verse 19, when he meets him, he shall put him to death. So you're trying to get to the city of refuge, and if you're this person, and the Avenger of blood is coming after you. Verse 20 says, if he pushes him out of hatred or while lying in wait, he hurls something at him so that he dies. Or in enmity, he strikes him with his hand so that he dies. The one who struck him shall surely be put to death. He is a murderer.

The Avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him. Verse 22, however, if he pushes him suddenly without enmity, and I don't know exactly how that would be, maybe somebody jumped out and scared you, you know, and you're just frightened, and out of a reflex, you push him away, they fall over, hit their head, and die. Somebody was killed, but this is a little different than murder. It goes too intent. All right. Pushes him suddenly, again, verse 22, without enmity, throws or throws anything out him without lying in wait. Verse 23, he uses a stone by which one could die, throwing it at him without seeing him so that he dies. You know, maybe you're taking your cart pulled by your ox into market, and you know, you're going along the road, and there's some rocks that rolled off the cliff and now are strewn across the road, and you just go to, you clear the road, you pick up one of these rocks, and you huck it off the bank down the lower side of the road, and somebody's down there picking berries, you know. No clue they were there, and that rock strikes them and kills them. Completely unintentional, completely accidental. There was still, though, a life that has been lost, and in accounting, that must take place. This is what is now laying out the unintentional. All right. Throwing at him, verse 23, without seeing him so that he dies while he was not his enemy or seeking his harm, then the congregation shall judge between the manslaughter and the avenger of blood according to these judgments. So the congregation shall deliver the manslaughter from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where he fled, and he shall remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. So again, if somebody killed somebody unintentionally, you know, no malice in their heart, and they ran for their life for the city of refuge, and they made it, they could have their moment. They could plead their case. They could have a trial and assessment of their circumstances. The avenger of blood could not touch them at that period of time, and if they were found innocent of murder, they would then be returned to the city of refuge, and the avenger of blood then would have to go on his way.

Verse 26, it says, But if the manslayer at any time goes outside the limits of the city of refuge where he fled, and the avenger of blood finds him outside the limits of the city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood, because he should have remained in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest, but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession. What we find is the city of refuge was essentially a prison without bars. Right? It was a prison without bars. He could leave at any time. You know, he wasn't a murderer, so they didn't put him to death at the time of his judgment. He was a manslayer, but you know, he could leave that city of refuge at any time he wanted to, but what's the problem? The problem is he'd always be looking over his shoulder, wouldn't he? Because who knew when the avenger of blood was going to come for him? And I suppose there were times maybe where an avenger had let his grudge go. You know, there probably were times when some left the city of refuge and they lived, but that was always such a risk. You didn't know if it was one month, six months, five years later, the avenger of blood may find you and you would die.

And so the manslayer always lived with the fear of death over their head, again, if they left the city of refuge. And so the best option for them was to remain within the city of refuge until the death of the high priest. Whoever was the high priest at the time that they committed the killing and they were sentenced, all right, to the city of refuge, whoever that high priest was, the best option was to wait until the death of the high priest. And you know what? That could take a few years if he is 85 plus, or it could take a really long time. You know, what if the high priest just died last year and the new guy is 40? You know, how many decades might you be in the city of refuge? And what if you're 65? You know, you may live out the entirety of your life without ever living leaving the city of refuge because, frankly, the high priest outlived you. And so either case, the life of a manslayer within that city would be a challenge. He was still a part of society, you know, it's not like prisons in our day where you take somebody and you lock them up and you feed them, you clothe them, you give them medical dental, all these sorts of things. Now, if you were in the city of refuge, you lived a life and you weren't necessarily like a despised, condemned criminal, you just couldn't leave. But you still had to make your way. Had to see if Home Depot was hiring, you know, you had to go find a house, you had to do whatever it was to then be established for probably a very lengthy period of time. And it would be a challenge because you're removed from your inheritance, right? From, you know, the place that your grandpa and your parents and you worked and, you know, that was life that was comfortable. You were removed out of that. And you had to, again, begin now to make your way. Cut off from family support, cut off from your family land, and likely cut off from a lot of your economic support as well. And so this manslayer, even who killed someone accidentally, still paid quite a penalty, frankly, for killing someone. They didn't pay for their life, but they paid for the fact that another life had been cut short by their actions. Verse 29 says, And these things shall be a statute of judgment to you throughout your generations in your dwellings.

Whoever kills a person, okay, the person is a murderer, they shall be put to death.

On the testimony of witnesses. It says, But one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty.

So, you know, murder was such a capital offense that you didn't want to put an innocent person to death.

And so one witness was not sufficient. And someone might say, well, you know, I saw him.

I saw him kill my father and I came after him. You know, and he had the right to go after him until he reached the city. But you might show up at his trial before the congregation and say, He killed him. I saw him. But if there were no other witnesses that could give cooperating evidence, that person would not be guilty as a murderer. Again, on two or three witnesses. In fact, we see that example. We won't turn there, but Deuteronomy 19.15 says, one witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits.

By the mouth of two or three witnesses, a matter shall be established. So it was more important that you did not put an innocent man to death than it was to release a guilty man. And what we understand is a guilty man who maybe wasn't convicted of murder was still a man-slayer.

Still bound to the city of refuge until the time of the high priest. But the accountability that you would have to carry was you don't put an innocent man to death. And as we know the end of the age, right, two witnesses will come forth proclaiming judgment on the world. God says, must be at least by the mouth of two or three witnesses that these matters would be established.

Verse 31, Moreover, you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death. You shall take no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the high priest.

So there wasn't going to be any bribery going on here. You weren't going to pay off the officials or the Levites. Remember, these were Levite cities that were the refuge cities. So it would have been Levites, probably making much of these judgments as well. But you weren't going to distort judgment by bribery. And you weren't going to pay someone to get them off the hook of death if they were a murderer. And you weren't going to bribe to get somebody out of the city of refuge and outside of the ability of the Avenger to touch them if they had legitimately taken a life as well.

We need to understand why God said that. You're not going to take a bribe against these things verse 33. It says, "'So you shall not pollute the land which you are in. For blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, except for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of the man who shed it.'" All right, so you can't make atonement for that, except by the blood of the man who shed it. "'Therefore do not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell. For I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel.'" God says, "'I'm here.' Right? "'You're my people. My presence is here with you. I dwell here. Blood defiles the land.'" So you're not going to pervert judgment and justice, right, that will be taken out.

We're talking about purity and holiness that must be in the land among the people of God and among the presence of God who dwelled in their midst. So it's really an interesting thing to look and walk through and consider. This is just one point of ancient history of Israel and how they function.

There's many other examples of how that governance would function among the people of God, but it's interesting to take a sliver and say, all right, what can we learn about God and what can we learn about principles that he applies to our spiritual life today? Because as it comes to the city of refuge, the avenger of blood, the high priest, there are a lot of things, brethren, that apply and point spiritually to what God is doing. Israel's structure of law and order recognized who their God was and the holiness of him and the sanctity, again, that he placed on human life.

He said everybody must regard human life at this incredible level because mankind was created for a purpose. Whether the death was accidental or intentional, there's still a reckoning.

So for the remainder of the message, I want to jump through here briefly three points of parallel.

Okay, three points in which we look at an aspect of the city of refuge and what surrounded that and look at how it applies to us spiritually as the people of God today. Because just as those six cities served in an important function, we need to understand how God and Christ interact with us for safety and refuge and protection as well. So parallel number one, between the cities of refuge and the people of God today, parallel number one, God is our refuge.

Right? God is our refuge and we must run to him in our times of distress.

Right? God is our refuge. We must run to him in the times of our distress. And just as the sanctuary cities—and that's probably not the right term, that's a modern term—as the cities of refuge provided protection, they provided safety for those in need, so does our relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ offer us refuge from life's distresses. We need to run to him.

We need to seek him. We need to know where it is we go in times of distress.

Psalm 46, verse 1, exemplifies this point for us. Psalm 46, verse 1, King David had a lot to say about the God that he sought as his refuge.

Psalm 46, verse 1, familiar passages to us, says, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though the waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Again, the point, God is our refuge in the midst of all these things, though the earth be moved. And we sing about that, don't we? We've sung about that for years. This psalm is in our hymnal. It's Psalm 27, God is our refuge. And so the assurance is that whatever obstacle we face in life, whatever distress arises in an adversary way against us, we can be assured that we have refuge in the storm by running to the God whom we serve, by seeking His protection and the safety that He offers. Psalm 61 in verse 1.

Psalm 61 in verse 1 says, Hear my cry, O God, attend to my prayer. This is the Psalm of David.

V.2 From the end of the earth I will cry to you, when my heart is overwhelmed.

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Verse 3, 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. Again, David had no question who it was he turned to for refuge in his time of trouble. And he said, God is like a high tower. It's like if you're out on the plane and the enemy's pursuing you and you look and there's the high tower, there's the fortress, and you know if I can just make it there, there's safety, there's refuge. Just as somebody in ancient Israel fleeing for the city of refuge, you know your life depends on making it to refuge. And David said, that refuge, that high tower is God. And he likens him to a hen. You've probably seen pictures, these hens, these birds, where they gather their chicks under their wings. They stretch out their wings and the chicks gather in and they just kind of hunker down and they offer protection under their wings from the storm. And that's what David is comparing to God. Psalm 91 verse 1. Psalm chapter 91 verse 1 says, He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Again, protection, refuge, safety. Verse 2, I will say to the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God. In Him I will trust. Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler, from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge. His truth shall be your shield and your buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. Verse 7, a thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it should not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look and see the reward of the wicked. Verse 9, because you have made the Lord who is my refuge even the most high your dwelling place. No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling. I've seen this verse posted over and over. Facebook shared other places in the time we're currently living in, and I guess the question becomes, do we trust in it that it is true? Again, verse 9, because you have made the Lord who is my refuge even the most high your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling. Verse 11, for he shall give his angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways, and in their hands they shall bear you up lest you dash your foot against the stone. So, brethren, these are very encouraging words about peace and safety and the protection that God offers if we understand the source of who it is that we run to. Who is our high tower? Who is the stronghold? Who it is that will watch over and protect us in our times of distress? Again, it is God, and he is our refuge.

Now, parallel number two from the cities of refuge to our spiritual lives today, parallel number two, it is the death of our high priest that has released us from the penalty of our actions.

Very important point, right? It is the death of our high priest who has released us from the penalty of our actions. Just as the man slayer in ancient Israel had a penalty hanging over his head until the death of the high priest released him, right? He couldn't go outside to that city of refuge because of fear of death until that high priest died. So, just as that was in place for him, likewise, you and I existed under the penalty of sin until we came under the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our high priest. And it was the death of Jesus Christ that released us from the penalty of our actions. The wages of sin is death. The gift of God is eternal life and Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Hebrews chapter 2 gives us an incredible New Testament parallel as we consider this concept.

Again, refuge, adventure, protection, high priest. I want you to just consider this parallel. Hebrews chapter 2 is in here this morning. There it is. I knew somebody didn't rip it out. Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14. Let's pick it up here. Hebrews 2 verse 14 says, "...inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same." It means that Jesus Christ, we live in the flesh, and Jesus Christ who came as our high priest lived in the flesh as well.

Right? He experienced what we experience. He likewise shared in the same. Notice that through death, he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and release those who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Incredible parallel to consider.

And more than a parallel, it is a spiritual fulfillment. Remember, remember, because of his actions, this man fled for refuge. The Avenger was after his life, and only the death of the high priest could release him. And you and I ourselves, again, inasmuch, verse 14, "...as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and release those who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Manslayer was all his lifetime subject to the bondage of his actions until the death of his high priest. He wandered outside the city of refuge.

He lived under the fear of death, and it is the death of our high priest, Jesus Christ, that has released us from the death penalty over our head. And the point of the scripture is, the Avenger cannot touch us, brethren. Right? The adversary, the one seeking our life, cannot touch us, because our high priest has died, but even more than that, we've come under his sacrifice, and he now lives. We are saved by his life. But the point is, the Avenger cannot touch us. Hebrews chapter 6, verse 18. Hebrews 6, verse 18. Again, who do we run to? Where is our safety?

Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 18. It says, breaking into the middle of the context here, that by two immutable things, in which is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, you and I, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge.

That's how it describes us. Right? The people who have come out of sin, come out of this world, we have fled for refuge, we have run for refuge, run for our life, okay? That we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have is an insurance or an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, which enters the presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become high priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. So again, God through Jesus Christ is our refuge.

You and I have fled from sin towards Him, and brethren, we've laid hold of the hope of eternal life, and by coming under the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the penalty has been relieved, and life has been set before you and I. Now, parallel number three, the final one I'll cover today between the cities of refuge and our spiritual lives today, is that refuge is available to the stranger and the sojourner, not just the Israelite. Right? Refuge is available to the stranger and the sojourner, not just the Israelite. I'll remind you of Numbers 35, 15, which we read.

It said, these six cities shall be for a refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally may flee there.

God also stated in Numbers 15 verse 16, that one law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who dwells with you. So the question for us is, who does the sacrifice of Jesus Christ apply to? Who does the refuge of God apply to? Is it just for the native-born Israelite?

Indeed, the Scripture shows us it is not. Let's go to Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 verse 38, we go here every year on Pentecost, but it contains a foundational principle for us to remember who Christ died for. Acts chapter 2 and verse 38.

This is Peter giving that memorable sermon on that day. And Peter says to them, Repent. Let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children.

Okay, he's talking to the Israelites. Okay. Promises to you and to your children, and to all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God should call. So clearly, it's to the Israelites, right? But who are those who are far off? Well, it was those who were the Gentiles.

It was the nations who were not of Israel, but who would come under the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, acknowledge God, and enter into the covenant by sacrifice. All right? It was the Gentiles. It was the stranger. It was the other nations. And we see that confirmed in Ephesians chapter 2. They are those who were far off compared to Israel, who were close, who were near to God. They were the the covenant people of God, but God brought the Gentiles near as well by the sacrifice of His Son.

Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 11. Ephesians 2, 11, the apostle Paul writing, and he says, Therefore, remember that you once Gentiles in the flesh, he's talking to the church of Ephesus, a Gentile community. Remember that you once Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by what was called the circumcision made in the flesh by hands, that at the time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off, okay, those who were far off, have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolishing in His flesh the enmity, that is the law of commandments contained in the ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace. And that He might reconcile them both the God and one body through the cross, therefore and thereby putting to death the enmity. Verse 17, And He came and preached peace to you, who were, notice, far off, into those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

So, brethren, it's clear that spiritual refuge, running to that refuge, opportunity to receive that refuge, is available not to just the Israelite alone, but to all whom God would call those near and those who were far off. As we consider the ancient cities of refuge that God had His people establish, we come to understand that He can be viewed again as a foreshadow of God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. Not every single aspect, but so much of what God did in Israel's governing system foreshadowed what He purposed for the church and for the rest of mankind. And in many ways, maybe even unknowingly, they rehearsed it like a play of these are the actions.

But there is the fulfillment which are fulfilled of God through Jesus Christ. We don't have today any time to go any further. I'm going to give this to you for homework. But just if you went back to Joshua 20, where we started today, and you pulled the names of the six cities of refuge, research those names in the Hebrew. See their Hebrew meanings. And what you're going to find is the six cities of refuge. They reflect attributes of God the Father and Jesus Christ, of their character, of their nature, and the manner in which they work with us. Because that is the refuge that the people of God seek. Brother, looking into the history of ancient Israel is a worthwhile study. Not only does it reveal how God worked with the physical nation in the past, but it also points to the manner in which God is working with His spiritual nation of called-out ones today. A place of refuge. It was important to the people of Israel in the past. And, brethren, it is important to the people of God today.