march 15, 2011 City of Refuge

A Place of Refuge
Read Joshua 19-21

Josh 20:2-3 “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, 3 so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally 5 flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.”

SEVERAL times we see God giving instructions for the cities of refuge. Is God unfairly giving refuge to someone who has been responsible for another’s death?
Our heavenly Father knows that in the daily workings of imperfect humanity, accidents will happen. There’s no way around it. In a sinful world, people make mistakes, and accidental death will occur.
God realizes the relatives of the one who died could kill the one who is responsible for the accident. So the city of refuge is to protect innocent life. And it protects the victim’s family.
The one who caused the accident is safe and free to live life without fear of reprisal. And the victim’s family is free to live life free of the temptation to do harm to the one who caused the accident.
Here is God offering refuge to both sides. He offers freedom from recrimination and freedom from further tragedy. He protects all.
This is a picture of God’s eternal refuge for all. To protect us from his reprisal one day, to protect us from his judgment, he has given us refuge in the blood of Christ.
Trust Jesus to be your refuge. You will live in spiritual safety and peace in God’s sight all your days here on earth because the blood of Christ protects you for all eternity.


Pause and Consider: that peace comes in a deep trust of Jesus’ blood over you.