Joshua
chapter 20 establishes the “Cities
of Refuge”
within the nation of Israel. Remember the purpose of these cities
was to provide protection for the innocent accused of murder. So
many caring people try to defend any taking of a life as wrong, but
that is simply not biblical. The penalty for murder was established
in Genesis 9:6, “Whoever
sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image
of God He made man“.
Numbers chapter 35 defines the difference between murder and
manslaughter: “If
a man strikes someone with an iron object, so that he dies… or has
a stone and he strikes someone and he dies… a wooden object hits
someone and he dies… with malice and aforethought shoves another or
throws something at him intentionally… in hostility hits him with
his fist so that he dies, that person shall be put to death“.
Notice, the means of death is not important, it is the intention of
the aggressor. It appears that it was the God-given duty of a family
member to make sure the guilty person receives the death penalty,
even if he must do it himself. “The
avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.”
God then says categorically, allowing the guilty to go unpunished
pollutes the land. “Anyone
that kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer… Do not
pollute the land… bloodshed pollutes the land“.
Joshua
chapter 20 begins, “Tell
the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge… so that anyone
that kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there
and find protection from the avenger of blood“.
The chapter continues, “When
he flees to these cities, he is to stand in the entrance of the city
gate and state his case before the elders of the city. They are then
to admit him into the city and give him a place to live with them.
If the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the one
accused“.
The accused is to “Stay
in the city until he has stood trial before the assembly and until
the death of the High Priest… then he may go back to his own home
town from which he fled“.
It is important to note that guilt could only be established “on
the testimony of two or three witnesses… no one is to be put to
death on the testimony of only one witness”
(Deut 17:6). The chapter adds that these cities of refuge were for
“any
of the Israelites, or any of the aliens living among them“.
There were six cities of refuge established, three on the east side
of the Jordan, and three on the west side. These cities were evenly
spread through the land and were easily accessible to all.
For
believers today, we have only one place of refuge from our sins,
Jesus Christ. He is open to all and easily accessible. “Everyone
who calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved”
(Romans 10:13). In Christ there is abundant life. “I
have come that you may have life, and have it to the fullest”
(John 10:10). In Christ, Satan cannot bring any accusation against
us. “Therefore,
there is no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus”
(Romans 8:1). And unlike the city of refuge, even the guilty are
welcome. “God
made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might
become the righteousness of God”
(2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus is speaking to you and me when He calls,
“Come
to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”
(Matthew 11:28). May you find refuge from your burden in Christ
today!