"Refuge"
Anyone who kills another person accidentally and unintentionally can run to one of these cities; they will be places of refuge from relatives seeking revenge for the person who was killed. (Joshua 20:3 NLT)
Cities of refuge are seen throughout the first few books of the Bible. Frequently mentioned, God's heart was that innocent people would have a safe place to run in case of an accidental death. They were to run away so that they would avoid being killed by the avenger. The avenger was the nearest relative to the person who was accidentally killed. God reminds his people to set these cities up at every discussion of the land & its allotment.
These cities of refuge were not just for the people then. God was painting a picture. A picture of a true & better refuge that would come. Only, this refuge would not be a place for innocent people but rather a place for the guilty to run for safety. This would be a place where truly guilty sinners could go & be hidden from a certain pursuer. There is no question of their guilt & the fact that they deserve to die. The avenger is coming, death is sure, & there is only one refuge.
Psalm 2:12 says, "Submit to God's royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him!" This Psalm is spelling out how the world will rebel against God & his anointed servant. God warns that everyone who does not submit to the Son of the king will be destroyed but great is the joy of those who find refuge in him!
God, in Christ, has provided the guilty a refuge. He who knew no sin became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. He is our refuge! Our only hope of avoiding what we deserve & getting what we don't. We must flee to him today! Our lives depend on it!
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