Jesus Is Our City of Refuge (Numbers 35)

Each city of refuge served as a beautiful type and shadow of our Savior, Jesus Christ. As Hebrews 6:18 says, "We who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us." Table of contentsThe Cities of Refuge (Deuteronomy 19:5-6 and Numbers 35:9-12)Christ Is Our City of Refuge (Hebrews 6:18)Pursued by an Avenger (Numbers 35:19)Refuge from Death (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)The City of Refuge Is Accessible by All (Numbers 35:15) The City of Refuge Is Near to All (Deuteronomy 19:3)Released from the City of Refuge by the High Priest’s Death (Numbers 35:25)Life Ensured in the the City of Refuge (Numbers 35:26-28)No Other AlternativeHelp for the GuiltyApplicationSpread out for MinistryAre We Welcoming?Are We Content with Christ?Do We Recognize Your Guiltiness? The twelve tribes of Israel were given a portion of the Promised Land as their inheritance to live in. The exception was the tribe of Levi: “The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the Lord's food offerings as their inheritance” (Deuteronomy 18:1, see also Numbers 18:23-24; Deuteronomy 12:12, 14:27; Joshua 14:3, 18:7). Instead, the Levites were assigned the duties associated with the sanctuary and religious activity of the nation, including being the nations’ priests: “The Lord your God has chosen [Levi] out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for all time” (Deuteronomy 18:5). Even though they weren’t given an inheritance in the land, they needed places to live, so God assigned them areas throughout the nation. By providing cities for the Levites throughout the land all the people had access to them and their ministry: The Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, “Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites some of the inheritance of their possession as cities for them to dwell in. And you shall give to the Levites pasturelands around the cities. The cities shall be theirs to dwell in, and their pasturelands shall be for their cattle and for their livestock and for all their beasts. “The cities that you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit the manslayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities. Numbers 35:1-3, 6 The Cities of Refuge (Deuteronomy 19:5-6 and Numbers 35:9-12) The Levites were given a total of forty-eight towns to live in, and six of them were special, being called, cities of refuge. In the ancient world, there was no police force; therefore, it was up to each family to avenge murders. Under the Old Covenant: “If there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (Exodus 21:23-24, see also Leviticus 24:19-20, Deuteronomy 19:21). The nearest blood relative to the deceased was charged with the responsibility of executing the murderer, so there was “life for life.” But the nearest blood relative’s own emotions, passion might cloud his judgment. He could end up avenging his relative’s death by indiscriminately killing someone who wasn’t guilty of a capital crime. For example, what if the murder took place in self-defense, or even by accident. Here's a description of such accidents: When someone goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and his hand swings the axe to cut down a tree, and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies—he may flee to one of these cities and live, lest the avenger of blood in hot anger pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him fatally, though the man did not deserve to die, since he had not hated his neighbor in the past. Deuteronomy 19:5-6 Imagine two men are working in the field and one man trips and falls in front of the other man’s plow and animals. Perhaps the injured man later succumbs to his injuries. Although the man plowing is innocent, the nearest blood relative might seek vengeance anyway. The cities of refuge provided a haven for the accused to flee to while the death was investigated, and guilt or innocence was determined: The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there. The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment. Numbers 35:9-12 Christ Is Our City of Refuge (Hebrews 6:18) The ancient world could be a terrifying place to live. Without the cities of refuge if people were accused of murder, it would seem like a hopeless situation. Where could they go for protection? Who could they look to for help? Police officers couldn’t be sought. Lawyers couldn’t be appointed on their behalf. Justice could be swift and lethal. The cities of refuge gave people feeling condemned the hope they wouldn’t otherwise have. The typology with Christ is established in Hebrews 6:18: “we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.” In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament), the word for “fled for refuge” is the same word used of the cities of refuge. Let’s consider how the cities of refuge service as strong types of Christ. Pursued by an Avenger (Numbers 35:19) Numbers 35:19 says, “The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.” The avenger wanted to put to death the accused, and Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). The avenger of blood pursued the condemned and we are pursued too. First Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Jesus told Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat” (Luke 22:30). Unlike the avenger of blood in the Old Testament, we are pursued by an avenger who never sleeps, tires, or rests. Just as the accused finds refuge from the avenger, and Christ will find refuge from destroyer of our souls. Just as the city of refuge delivered the inhabitants from the wrath of the avenger, so too does Jesus “deliver us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10). Refuge from Death (1 Corinthians 15:54-57) Romans 3:23 says “all have sinned” and Romans 6:23 says “the wages of (or punishment for) sin is death.” Christ is our refuge from the punishment we deserve for our sin: death. First Corinthians 15:26 says, “The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” Death is an enemy that Christ defeats for us: So when this corruptible (referring to our earthly bodies) has put on incorruption(referring to the glorified bodies we’ll receive), and this mortal has put on immortality(when we’ve received eternal life), then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”“O Death, where is your sting? (in other words, death can no longer hurt us)O Hades, where is your victory?” (Hades is another way to refer to death)The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. First Corinthians 15:54-57 Death is many people’s greatest fear, but God gives us victory over this enemy through Christ. In most Bibles, the word Death is capitalized to personify it, so that it seems more like an enemy Jesus defeated. Showing just how clearly Death is defeated, Revelation 20:14 says, “Death [is] cast into the lake of fire.” When Christ is our city of refuge, God wants us so confident in over our victory Death that he sends it to hell! The City of Refuge Is Accessible by All (Numbers 35:15) Numbers 35:15 says, “These six cities shall be for refuge for the people of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills any person without intent may flee there.” The cities weren’t just available to the Israelites, but all people. So too, God’s offer of salvation in Christ is not just available to the Israelites, but to all people: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Just as no one needed to fear being turned away from the city of refuge in their time of need, no one needs to fear being turned away from Christ in their time of need. As we sing, “The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.” The gates of the cities were always open and unlocked, and there is no time Jesus is inaccessible to us. We don’t need to discover any secret, spiritual insight with him. There are no religious locks and keys. Access to the cities was taken so seriously the roads leading to them: Had ordinances to ensure proper maintenance , such as inspections and repairs every spring after the heavy rains. Had bridges built over every ravine so the accused did not have the hazard of descending and ascending. Were to be clearly designated by signposts at crossroads marked Miklat (Refuge). Were made twice the normal width of other roads and were to kept clear of debris. The Jews went to these lengths because they could mean the difference between physical life and death. Spiritually speaking, so too is it an issue of life and death with Christ: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14). Just as the cities were open to all who fled to them for safety,