The Cities of Refuge

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Numbers 35:9-29
Psalters: 86, 179, 161, 71
  1. The need.
    1. Scripture’s presuppositions:
      1. We are guilty of many more sins than we think: sins of omission and unintentional sins.
      2. All sin must be punished, and the wages of any and all sin is death (Rom. 6:23).
      3. Capital punishment is God’s statute (Gen. 9:6) established long before Sinai; and it was never repealed.
      4. The responsibility to execute God’s justice fell on the avenger of blood.
      5. God’s grace is greater, able to protect from deserved punishment and even to wipe it out clean.
    2. The procedure was precise.
      1. One who did something which resulted in the death of another was to run to one of the cities of refuge for asylum.
      2. Then they would take the manslayer to the place where the death occurred, where the trail took place.
      3. If it occurred “unawares,” then the manslayer would continue to live, but must remain within the walls of the city.
      4. The only time the manslayer might leave the city of refuge was if the High Priest would die (25b,28).
    3. This procedure was right.
  2. The significance of the cities of refuge.
    1. The “avenger” of blood is the “redeemer” or “kinsman-redeemer.”
      1. The blood shed cries to God for justice (Gen. 4:10).
      2. God’s law is as the blood-avenger, which pursues every sinner.
    2. The six Cities of Refuge afforded protection from receiving the deserved punishment.
      1. The slayers would be housed and fed gratuitously, with every need provided.
      2. Their safety was because the city was God’s designated shelter, which is Jesus Christ.
      3. When the High Priest would die, then (and only then) could the slayers be set completely free.
  3. Implied admonition to flee to and hide in Jesus Christ.
    1. The way to Jesus is the direct way to safety.
      1. It is straight (believe and live), not round about.
      2. Jesus is the true City of Refuge, Who saves and keeps safe all those who flee to Him for mercy.
    2. May we learn to flee to Jesus.
    3. God will have mercy and will ever keep safe all those He gives to see their danger and desire to fly to the Refuge.