Can Your Soul Find Safety?

Can Your Soul Find Safety?

Text: Joshua 20

Introduction

Story — My grandparents cellar during storms.

What we see God doing is setting up six cities of refuge, safe places of compassion a person could flee too. Specifically, anyone who killed someone without intention could go to one of these cities and get a preliminary hearing from the elders. If the elders could validate that there was no premeditation and the death was brought about by nothing more than an accident, that person would be granted asylum. He would then live in that city until he was granted a public hearing. If the same conclusion was met in the public hearing, the person would live in that city protected by the community. Not one person could harm him. If the high priest died during this persons living, then they could return to their home as a free man.

1) Cities Of Refuge

God’s intention for His people was for them to always live in peace.

Then and now, we all know well that humanity will find a way to not live in peace.

Taking a life:

Premeditated, act of passion, accident...

It should always be handle in a way that is fare to that person and society.

Overall purpose of refuge cities:

This was not an effort to repudiate capital punishment.

God was guaranteeing that both justice and mercy would prevail.

The innocent, not the guilty were to be protected.

Protection from those who would abuse the “eye for eye” approach that applies to the next of kin.

Who did it extend too?

These cities extended both to the Jews and Gentiles (ALL).

That person was entitled to the same justice, welcome, living place, protection, and atoning grace as the native-born Israelite. Jr. Huffman John A. and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Joshua, vol. 6, The Preacher’s Commentary Series (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1986), 211.

2) A Picture of Jesus

A. These cities of refuge were of God’s sovereign choosing.

We get a clear picture that God’s cares about the balance between mercy and justice.

These were certainly not by man’s choosing.

PICTURE — Jesus himself was appointed by God’s sovereignty before the world was formed.

Rev. 13:8 “8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

B. Due to the avenger, these cities were a provision of shelter.

There was NO OTHER OPTION to flee from wrath that justice demands.

PICTURE — No sinner can flee from God’s wrath through any other source; JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY!!!

C. Notice the elevation these cities were constructed.

Built up on hills and mountains.

They were easy to be seen by the one seeking asylum and safety.

PICTURE — Jesus was HIGH AND LIFTED UP! Jesus’ NAME is above every name! Jesus is seated on the RIGHT HAND OF GOD.

You and I are privileged to lift Jesus up for all to see.

D. The roads were kept clear

Jewish writers say that there was a law in Israel that, one day in every year, people were sent to repair the roads leading to these cities so as to remove all stumbling stones and to make certain that the signposts were clear.Jr. Huffman John A. and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Joshua, vol. 6, The Preacher’s Commentary Series (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1986), 212.

PICTURE — Christians today need to stop sending MIXED SIGNALS to those around us.

Let us always endeavour to clearly and fully make the gospel known.

E. Access to these cities were made easy.

Illustration: Our anniversary cabin in Tenn. / up a mountain / tucked back in this little clearing.

These cities were not somewhere remote or tucked away where it was hard to find.

PICTURE — Psalm 34:18 “18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”

F. Protection provided from the revenger of blood.

Only for the accidental homicide.

The deliberate murderer was always executed.

PICTURE — No salvation for those who deliberately continue to love and chase after their sin.

PICTURE — Soul protection for those who FLEE TO HIM!

They will find generous redemption.

G. The duration of that person’s stay.

They had to remain in that city.

PICTURE — The believer is to ABIDE in Christ.

Time with Christ does not begins and end at our conversion.

1 John 2:27-28 “27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. 28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”

H. These cities were available to all.

The invitation to these cities were extended to all.

PICTURE — We see Christ’s universal invitation to all.

John 7:37 “37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”

I. There would be a day of final deliverance

Only after the death of the high priest could the one fleeing from the revenger return to his home an innocent man and free from death.

PICTURE — It was in the death of Jesus that our full redemption was accomplished.

Notice the meaning of the city names:

Kadesh = holy

Shechem = shoulder

Hebron = fellowship

Bezer = fortified place

Ramoth = height or exultation

Golan = exultation or joy.