Cities of Refuge

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Introduction

In one of Brother Frank’s Bible Classes he mentioned the Cities of Refuge - which is something I didn’t know a whole lot about.

Hopefully some of what I studied after will be helpful for you this evening.

We learned in Public Speaking class that you first tell people what you’re going to tell them, then you tell them, then you tell them what you told them

So I’m going to do some of that tonight

First, let’s turn in your Bibles to...

Joshua 20:1-9

1 Then the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,

2 "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'Designate the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,

3 that the manslayer who kills any person unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall become your refuge from the avenger of blood.

4 'He shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and state his case in the hearing of the elders of that city; and they shall take him into the city to them and give him a place, so that he may dwell among them.

5 'Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor without premeditation and did not hate him beforehand *.

6 'He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the manslayer shall return * to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.' "

7 So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron ) in the hill country of Judah.

8 Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh.

9 These were the appointed cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation.

After reading this passage - I’m going to ask and then subsequently respond to several questions

One, what is the true purpose of the COR?

Second, where did they come from?

Third, how did they help the intended beneficiary?

Fourth, what is significant about their names and locations? In other words, why were certain cities selected?

And then finally, I’ll make some connections that some mayonnaise not have seen before… or maybe just everyone except for me. :)

One, what is the true purpose of the COR?

Based on this reading, we know that the COR are designed to protect a person who accidentally took the life of another individual

We know that God didn’t invent the world with a police force, and that’s a pretty modern innovation.

Instead, crimes were to be dealt with by the people themselves - and for the Jews, in keeping with the Law.

For example, if you took something from someone, then you had to pay restitution.

If you killed someone, then you died yourself.

Turn to… Exodus 21:23-25

23 "But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life,

24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

With that in mind, turn over to Numbers 35:19 and let’s read about what happens when they killed someone.

19 'The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he shall put him to death when he meets him.

20 'If he pushed him of hatred, or threw something at him lying in wait and as a result he died,

21 or if he struck him down with his hand in enmity, and as a result he died, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death, he is a murderer; the blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

I read somewhere in preparing for this study - I just can’t remember where it was - that it is as if the blood of the murdered poisoned the earth. Their spilt blood. And retribution was needed.

Second, where did they come from?

Let’s read Joshua again, verse 1:

1 Then the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,

We need to consider the messenger here.

The passage does not indicate that the COR were designed by anyone but the LORD himself.

Additionally, these cities provided a way for someone who would have SURELY died in their sin to live.

Now, folks often say - and I’ve heard this misunderstanding addressed her before - that the God of the Old Testament was unforgiving and the God of the New Testament is forgiving.

Here we see an example of where this is just not the case.

God wanted to teach murderers that there is a cost for sin, but he also wanted to provide mercy.

Folks, God is God. He has always been God. He could have allowed the manslayer to just die - but in his Grace, he found a way to help.

Some of you may be picking up on where I’m going with this, but God’s mercy runs the Bible through and through. It all points to the same thing...

Let’s keep going...

Third, how did they help the intended beneficiary?

Well, let me ask you a question...

What do you think would have happened if someone left the city gates? Maybe they fled to Golan after accidentally hitting someone with a rock, or whatever else happened… and then they run into a family member of the deceased outside Golan?

They would surely die.

These cities kept the sinner safe by keeping them inside the city walls, inside the gate… dare I say, inside the fold.

Fourth, what is significant about their names and locations? In other words, why were certain cities selected?

7 So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron ) in the hill country of Judah.

I took this opportunity to look up the names of the cities and their meanings.

Kedesh means Sacred Place, Sanctuary

Shechem means Shoulder, Personal Interest

Hebron means Alliance, Place of Joining, Fellowship

Bezer means Fortress

Ramoth means Heights, High Places

Golan means Joy

These cities were available to anyone - and they were accessible. In fact, the Lord designated cities on both sides of the Jordan and geographically dispersed.

In fact, many were on top of mountains - sort of like a city sitting on a hill. They were always prepared to receive “refugees” - the gates were never closed, and the roads were always open.

And then finally, I’ll make some connections that some mayonnaise not have seen before… or maybe just everyone except for me. :)

Some of you may have picked up on what I’m getting to as my primary point here this evening.

Folks, you may think that Jesus Christ is only in the New Testament. But I’m here to tell you that every page of the Bible - including the Old Testament - can point you toward him. It’s as if his fingerprints are always there.

We are ALL sinners. And those sins have to be dealt with.

The LORD HIMSELF has designated a plan though, in his infinite mercy, that we all may be saved.

If he didn’t, we would be put to death. Eternal death. It’s as simple as that.

He created a PERFECT PLAN that teaches us that sin has a cost, but He also prepared a gracious way in that we might be protected.

However, there are steps we must follow. We must VISIT THAT CITY, so to speak.

And importantly, we MUST STAY INSIDE THE GATE. Folks, here - you are inside the city gate. When you become “of the world” - you’ve left the city.

The Lord’s Church is a SACRED PLACE, like Kedesh. It’s where you can lean on the SHOULDER of the Lord, in reference to Shechem. It is a strong FORTRESS that will withstand the test of time, like Bezer. It is the HIGHEST place you can be, like Ramoth. It’s full of JOY AND PEACE - like Goaln. It is a place of FELLOWSHIP, like Hebron.

It’s accessbile to all. You can visit the Lord’s Church just about any place you go. The gates are always open, and the roads are neer closed.

Conclusion

Let me tell you a story. It can be read in 2 Samuel. A man named Abner is pursued by a fellow another person. Abner is carrying a spear and, unfortunately, in some sort of accident the other fellow runs into the spear and dies.

Later, Abner is found at the gates of Hebron while fleeing as a refugee. Do you remember that city name from our list?

He’s met by Joab who catches and kills him to avenge the death of his comrade.

Skipping ahead, to 2 Samuel 3:32 -

32 Thus they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.

33 The king chanted a lament for Abner and said, "Should Abner die as a fool dies?

34 "Your hands were not bound, nor your feet put in fetters; As one falls before the wicked *, you have fallen." And all the people wept again over him.

David is lamenting here. Abner, Abner, why didn’t you walk through the gate? You weren’t tied up by the hands or feet. Don’t be a fool.

Remember, he was at the gate of Hebron which means fellowship. Tonight, you’re at the gate to enter into fellowship with the most high. And with like minded Christians from this area. Don’t be a fool. Your hands aren’t tied, and your feed aren’t bound. Walk through the gate.