“And the Lord spake unto Moses, sang, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, “When ye be come into the land of Canaan, then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person UNAWARES. And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger.”
There were to be six of these cities, three on each side of the Jordan. It is estimated that no two of these cities were more than 70 miles apart, so that any one in any part of the land would be within 35 miles from one of them.
God had before Him Israel’s guilt in the slaying of their own Messiah. They said, “His blood be on us, and on our children.” (Matt. 27:2525Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. (Matthew 27:25)). Thus they have stained themselves with the blood of Christ.
Here we have both the judgment of God and the grace of God. The Lord Jesus prayed on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do,” and Peter by the Spirit of God in Acts 3:1717And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. (Acts 3:17) proclaimed: “I know that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.” Grace treated them as man-slayers, and the Church became a city of refuge for them. How wondrous the grace that would provide a way of escape for one stained with blood! But there were those Jews who refused the grace of God and perished in the awful judgment that overtook them when Jerusalem fell.
The manslayer who had killed another unwittingly had to remain in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest. This corresponds with the priestly work of the Lord Jesus now for He appears in the presence of God for us now after the order of Aaron. But this service shall end one day soon, which change is intimated in the death of the high priest of old. When the Lord Jesus comes out of heaven it will be as the great Melchisedek, and this will be the character of His service throughout the millennium.
The manslayer was cared for all the time he was in the city of refuge and he would look forward to the day when he could return home. God’s earthly people cannot return to their homeland until the Lord Jesus comes again, but when that day comes they will return in peace to the land of their possession, and none shall make them afraid. The blessed Saviour has died for them, He has borne the penalty of their guilt and the “avenger of blood” shall pursue them never more.
The Lord Jesus is the sinner’s refuge. All men are guilty of the death of God’s Son, but whoever flies to Him for refuge God will never judge. How sweet here are the words of the Lord Jesus Himself, “Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:33And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. (John 6:3).
ML-09/15/1974