Cities of Refuge

Then Moses set apart three cities across the Jordan to the east. Someone could flee there who committed manslaughter, killing his neighbor accidentally without previously hating him. He could flee to one of these cities and stay alive: Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau land, belonging to the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead, belonging to the Gadites; or Golan in Bashan, belonging to the Manassites.

This interesting passage seems just “stuck” into the narrative of Deuteronomy 1-4, and at first glance doesn’t fit the context. Deuteronomy 19.1-13 and Numbers 35.9-30 expand on the Concept of Cities of Refuge.

We could summarize the concept in this way.

There were to be 3 Cities of Refuge on the East of the Jordan (which is what our passage today speaks of), and 3 more designated cities on the Western side (the main part of the Holy Land). Furthermore, if Israel had obeyed God and occupied all the land He promised to them, there would eventually be 3 more designated cities.

These cities had a very specific purpose: to provide safety to a person who had killed someone unintentionally, until his guilt or innocence could be proven.

There is not a single recorded time in the Bible when anyone used a City of Refuge, but that doesn’t mean they were not used.

What I want to do today is to make a few specific applications to the thought of loving protection and mercy that is shown in these verses.

Capital Punishment

Deuteronomy 4:42 HCSB

Someone could flee there who committed manslaughter, killing his neighbor accidentally without previously hating him. He could flee to one of these cities and stay alive:

Boy doesn’t sound out of place. But the immediate context speaks of this.

Chapter 4 is the end of Moses’ first Message and 5 will begin the second. Chapter 5 begins with the 10 commandments. The first 4 commands relate to God and the last six to how we should act to each other.

Out of all those, thou shalt not murder is the most serious.

KJV says thou shalt not kill. You might get from that that all “killing” is equally wrong.

The point of Cities of Refuge was to provide protection until guilt or innocence could be established. If someone accidentally took a like it did not carry the consequences that deliberate killing did. The punishment for murder was forfeiture of the life of the murderer.

Even though the LAW lays this out clearly, the concept of Capital Punishment precedes the giving of the Law.

Genesis 9:6 HCSB

Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in His image.

When Noah got of the ark, God told him the people are image bearers of God. To in intentionally take a human life was the highest crime, because we are made in God’s image. It is because of the seriousness of murder that God says the murderer has forfeited his right to live, and Law establishes Government as the agent for carrying out that punishment.

Fairness

We often say that something is not fair. And often it is true that life does not seem fair. But we see here something about the character and nature of God that He is Fair. He wants to insure that someone who commits an accidental death is treated with fairness.

Protected from those who would seek revenge. We learn that God is a God of justice, and fairness, and equity. Sometimes our heart can’t see it, but I believe it really is the truth.

Mercy

I believe this is really at the heart of these verses. Although they deal with one specific concept, I believe there are many extension of this.

There are many ministries across the nation that have taken some form of the name “Cities of Refuge”

They feed folks who have found themselves down and out.

They shelter folks who have made some choices with unintentional consequences.

They show mercy and grace (remember what those words mean)

Mercy and grace are all over the pages of God’s Word.

Think of the Prodigal Son who squandered all he had, eventually reached rock bottom, and came, hat in hand, humbly back to his father. That father showed extravagant grace and mercy to his son.

A lot of us can get bent out of shape for the grace and mercy that is shown to others. We might think or say things like “why does that drug addict get all the attention to try to straighten up, when I have never been an addict, and I work hard to make my way.”

Let me remind you that this sounds a lot like the prodigals brother who was upset that the prodigal was getting undeserved attention.

If you don’t understand that ALL OF US NEED MERCY AND GRACE AT CERTAIN TIMES AND FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, you miss the point.

Woodstock’s City of Refuge.

I guarantee you the Pricketts would not be here at Riddles Bend, together, if it were not for kind and extravagant grace and mercy lavished on us.