Joshua 20:1
The Lord also spoke to Joshua, saying,
This is the first time since chapter thirteen we’ve heard the Lord speak. For the last seven chapters we listened to detail after detail after detail, about the land divided by lot, to the children of Israel.
Actually, since the dividing of lots was Divinely orchestrated, I guess you could say, we’ve been hearing from the Lord continuously. (NOTE: back then, casting lots was one of the ways by which God revealed His will.)
Finally, like a good leader, Joshua was the last to receive his inheritance. Joshua 19:49.
But wait. There’s one tribe still sitting there. Their name was never called in the reading of the will…they didn’t receive a grain of sand, a blade of grass, in the allotment of the Promise Land.
Who?
Levi.
Oh yeah. Their inheritance is the Lord. Rather than living off the land, they live off the Lord of the land. They work for God.
However, they have to live somewhere, so they're given forty-eight cities, also by lot. (Joshua 21). The Divinely orchestrated locations are such that they influence the entire nation.
Perhaps God does the same with His Church today. Not just Church as in stained glass and steeple, but His Church—His people. Perhaps, where you live, and work, and play, is by Divine orchestration, so He can influence His world, through you.
Now, six of the forty-eight Levitical cities are designated as cities of refuge; three on each side of the Jordan river. Exodus 21:13, Numbers 35:6-34, Deuteronomy 19:1-9.
The Cities of Refuge
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,
Refuge, by definition is a place of protection, shelter, sanctuary.
Although these cities are at the end of the line, after all the others have gotten their share, they are not an afterthought by any means. God talked about them, planned for them, long before they ever entered the Promise Land.
3 that the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there; and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
Slayer. Avenger of blood. Sounds like one of those bloody video games kids play.
Accidentally. Unintentionally. Sounds more like life.
God is so smart. He knows us so well. He doesn’t just plan for perfection. He doesn’t just make provision for when we do good, when things are going great. He even prepares, especially prepares for, and makes a way of escape for us in our mistakes. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8.
This was wise and necessary to avoid defiling the land with innocent blood.
What? Why?
Well, put yourself in their shoes.
For seven years you’ve been a warrior. Now, everybody heads off to their inheritance. Instead of slaying giants, you’re building houses and fences, plowing fields and planting seeds. Rather than swinging swords, you’re swinging axes.
Accidents happen.
Your axe head flies off the handle. Your neighbor gets hit, and dies. (You are now considered a slayer.)
Your neighbor’s kin flies off the handle, and tries to take off your head. (He is now considered an, avenger of blood).
You run.
But where?
A city of refuge. Of course.
It’ll be simple to find since every major crossroad has a sign pointing the way. The road is solid and straight, built on a firm foundation, not sinking sand. When you get close enough, it’ll be easy to see; it’s a city on a hill, shining like a beacon in the night. No matter where you start, it won’t be too far; they’re Divinely, strategically spaced not more than a day’s journey from anywhere in the Promise Land. Whenever you get there, is fine; a gatekeeper is ready and waiting to let you inside, no matter the time, day or night.
Welcome to your city of refuge.
Psalm 91
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
4 And when he flees to one of those cities, and stands at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declares his case in the hearing of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city as one of them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.
You make it to the city and bang on the gate. You’re given asylum, protection. Sanctuary. Innocent until proven guilty, you’re given the benefit of the doubt.
You’re given an audience with the elders. You state your case, and an investigation takes place.
God’s ministers, (Levites) are the judges; they run the judicial system. They know His laws; they’ve studied His statutes. Of all people, they should have God’s wisdom and discernment.
Just imagine what it’d be like if only Godly, God fearing folks ran our government, our world? That’s how He meant for it to be.
Lord, help us, walk in wisdom and discernment, able to settle disputes with peace and harmony, and the mind of Christ. Please keep us from taking a brother or sister to courts of the ungodly.
If the investigation finds you innocent, you’re given a place to live in the city of refuge, as one of them. Like a safe house—only this is a safe city.
It’s important to highlight the fact that the city of refuge is for the innocent. Not the perfect, the innocent.
So it is, with our refuge in Christ. No one can take refuge in Christ, and remain in sin.
Surely your sin will find you out. Numbers 32:23.
5 Then if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, but did not hate him beforehand.
The innocent are protected from vigilante justice, revenge killing—the avenger of blood. As long as you stay within the city of refuge.
On the other hand, the guilty are turned over to the avenger of blood, for execution.
That’s all well and good, but not that good. Afterall, if you did nothing wrong, and it was an accident, why are you stuck in a safe house, for God only knows how long; while the person who wants to kill you runs scot-free?
There are two sides to every story. We usually only see ours. God always sees both.
Kick off your shoes for a moment, and slip on those of the avenger of blood.
No way.
I know, avenger of blood, sounds scary, but his bark is way worse than his bite. Try on his shoes for size, just walk in them a minute or two and you’ll see.
Okay? Ready?
Now you’re in the avenger of blood’s shoes. Not that you want to be. Neither did he. He wasn’t an avenger of blood yesterday.
He was just a normal guy, walking behind his mule plowing a garden.
When all of a sudden she came, screaming and crying.
He couldn’t understand her at first for her sobbing. But she finally got it out. In spurts and sputters. “He’s d-dead. He k-killed him. Axe…ahhhwwww!” She points to the next field and collapses in a weeping heap.
You run toward the field where she pointed.The axe head lay near him. The handle, at least ten feet away. You can’t see reason, you just see red. The next thing you know, you’re in hot pursuit. You know he’s headed to the city of refuge. You’ve got to catch him, it’s your sacred duty to avenge…your brother’s blood.
And just like that, you’re a, goel; a kinsman redeemer, also known as—an avenger of blood.
They didn’t have jails or prisons or court systems like we do today.
The avenger of blood; the Hebrew word is Goel. Goel literally means a kinsman redeemer.
You see, a Goel is a family member, a kinsman. He has various obligations. He's not a hit man, or the grim reaper. For the most part he's a redeemer, of land, person, lineage, and blood.
1) If land was lost because the family became poor, the Goel could buy it back, redeem the land, for the family. Leviticus 25:23; Ruth 4:4.
2) If a family member was enslaved, due to poverty, the Goel, the kinsman redeemer, could buy them back, redeem the person. Lev. 25:47.
3) If a man died and left his wife without children—his brother could marry the wife, to redeem his brother’s name, and carry on his brother’s lineage. Ruth 3:13.
4) If a family member was killed, The law of blood-revenge made it the sacred duty of the nearest relative to avenge the blood of his kinsman. He was called the go'el ha-dam, the avenger of blood.
This law was based on Genesis 9:5, "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed”
The law of exact retribution was common law used by ancient societies. Lex talionis. Eye for an eye, tooth for tooth. Exodus 21:23-27.
Some fourteen hundred years later Jesus mentions this and shows a better way. You’ve heard it said, and eye for an eye, and tooth for tooth, but I say, If someone slaps your right cheek, turn to him the other; if someone wants to sue for your tunic, give him your cloak as well; and if someone forces you to go a mile, go with him two. Matthew 5:38-42.
Now that you’re standing in the shoes of the goel, consider the anguish of seeing, day by day, the person who killed your brother, whether by accident or not.
The city of refuge was an act of mercy, not only for the slayer, but for goel and family, as well.
6 And he shall dwell in that 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.’ ”
Time will allow emotions to settle, truth to be uncovered, hopefully, prayerfully, hearts to heal.
As long as the priest lives the slayer is safe as long as he abides, within the walls of the city of refuge. However, if he leaves, and the avenger of blood kills him, (slays the slayer). His blood is on his own head. He should’ve stayed in his refuge.
Jesus says:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:5-6.
It may be several years, or five minutes, only God knows. However, after the death of the high priest, the slayer is free to go.
Now if the avenger of blood purposely kills him–it’s murder. He will be considered the slayer, and an avenger of blood will be coming after him. Only, since he did it on purpose, the city of refuge won’t help him.
Consider this.
Up until the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, all mankind was bound to the law of sin and death. For any relief, they had to stay within the walls of a system that offered only temporary and limited refuge.
But after the resurrection of Christ, the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus set us free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2.
And who the Son sets free is free indeed. John 8:36.
The next two verses list the cities. Joshua 20:7-8. We’ll drop to verse nine and close out this chapter.
9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and 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.
God commanded Israel to offer refuge, for all who dwelt among them–even the stranger.
Refuge in Christ is for all. Red and yellow, black and white... For God so loved the world.
Have you noticed the city of refuge is a shimmering reflection of our refuge in Christ?
It’s simple to find. All of creation is a sign pointing to the Creator.
The road is solid and straight, a firm foundation, not sinking sand.
It’s a shining city on a hill, a beacon in the night.
It’s near. No matter where you are, it’s never further than a prayer.
It’s open. Whenever you come, the gate is ready and waiting, to open wide and let you inside.
This is a type and shadow, a pattern, a picture, of how the Lord wants His Church to be. Places of Refuge, Divinely placed, to effectively saturate the entire planet. If you are in Christ, you are part of His mission. His rescue operation. His refuge. For you, and through you.
Let’s pray.
Lord, You know, sometimes we’re the slayer, sometimes, the avenger, help us in all ways, to run to You, our refuge.
IN CHRIST ALONE - The Passion of the Christ
Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the LORD. Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19, Hebrews 10:30.
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