Joshua chapter 20, verse 7 begins to name the Cities of Refuge!

I maintained in an earlier Lesson that they (clearly) are pictures of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Let’s see now.

“And they appointed KEDESH in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and SHECHEM in mount Ephraim, and KIRJATHARBA, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.” Joshua 20:7

These first three are located west of the Jordan River. (The next three will be east of the Jordan River!) Also these three (in today’s verse) are listed north to south. (As are the next three, tomorrow’s verse!)

Hint: the cities are evenly distributed through the whole Land! So that ANY innocent (though erring, having inadvertently slain someone) man can flee for refuge! (Sounds to me like a God Who is no respecter of persons! A “whosoever will” God indeed!)

Today’s places again, Kedesh and Shechem and Kirjatharba.

“Symbols” or “Types” of Jesus?

Well, when “Kedesh” is defined it (always) means “Holy Place.”

Could I convince you that Jesus is Holy? That He is the Old Testament Fulfillment of the Tabernacle’s and Temple’s HOLY PLACE, in fact MOST HOLY PLACE?

Wow!

And Jesus also is our Place of Refuge!

Next, “Shechem,” meaning “back” or “shoulder.” I mean as parts of the body, “back” or “shoulder.” This name may not be as clear as “Kedesh” (“Holy”) but it is equally appropriate of Jesus. The back or shoulder of a man (for that matter of an animal) is picturesque of that one’s “strength, might, ability!”

I therefore advance the thought that Jesus is our STRENGTH, MIGHT, ABILITY! He is the Strong Man of Almighty God! God’s very ARM, the Almighty’s RIGHT HAND!

Jesus, the One of Whom Paul could write: “I can do all things THROUGH CHRIST which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

Wow!

Then lastly, for today … “Kirjatharba” meaning “town of Arba” (?) … but with “Arba” meaning “four, foursquare, squared, cubed.” Not much yet, about Jesus, you may be thinking! But “foursquare” also means, in other words, “PERFECTLY PROPORTIONED!”

Something like “altogether lovely!” As in Song of Solomon 5:16, spoken (typically) of Jesus. “His mouth is most sweet: yea, HE IS ALTOGETHER LOVELY. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.”

JESUS, PERFECTLY BALANCED, PROPORTIONED IN ALL THE GRACES OF GOD! “For in Him (Jesus) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Paul wrote in Colossians 2:9.

Hebrews 1:1-3 of Jesus too. “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by HIS SON, whom he hath appointed HEIR OF ALL THINGS, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS GLORY, and the EXPRESS IMAGE OF HIS PERSON, and upholding all things by THE WORD OF HIS POWER, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Count the lines describing Jesus’ foursquare beauty, perfect Essence!

Wow!

By the way, Kirjatharba also was known later as the town of “Hebron.” (As our Text implies.) And Hebron is a Hebrew noun meaning “fellowship, association, communion!” Yes, Jesus too is our “Friend,” the one in Whom we can have fellowship and communion and company!

Wow, for the fourth time this Lesson!

Jesus indeed … our Refuge!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Today we see an epochal event in the life of an accidental “manslayer,” one living in a City of Refuge … “until the DEATH of the HIGH PRIEST that shall be in those days.” Joshua 20:6, mid-verse.

The erring Jew, protected (but still somewhat incarcerated, unable to leave the city limits of his refuge) by law … was still not allowed to go home, to see his family, to love his children!

He was “safe” for sure, from any avenger of blood, but NOT at “full liberty” to go where he pleased!

That is … “until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days.”

At that point … “then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.” Still verse 6 of Joshua 20.

Watch this …

Jews in the Old Testament could (if guilty of neglect, of killing a man inadvertently) flee to a specified city and be protected by law from any vengeful relative of the deceased!

But that Jew (picture of an erring man who had found protection) could NOT exercise complete liberty!

For example, Numbers 35:26-27 legislates: “If the slayer shall at any time COME WITHOUT THE BORDER OF THE CITY OF HIS REFUGE, whither he was fled; and the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood KILL THE SLAYER; he shall NOT be guilty of blood.”

Wow!

BUT … once the High Priest died … FULL LIBERTY was granted the manslayer!

Amazing!

It’s a Picture of Jesus, folks!

Clearly … Old Testament believers were safe in a (Jesus) Christ Who was promised to come … once they had placed faith in His Name!

They lived in a (so to speak) place of Refuge!

But not at complete liberty, not yet!

Many restrictions applied!

But once the High Priest died, which Jesus (the great High Priest) died on the Cross … liberty was completely instituted! One could then go home! Safely go home!

Yes, the Old Testament saints are “at home” now!

In Heaven … with Jesus!

Before Jesus’ Death, Burial and Resurrection/Ascension … they were in a place called Paradise, Abraham’s Bosom! NOT in the Third Heaven!

But the High Priest’s victorious, vicarious Death took care of all that!

Hallelujah!

Free … in Jesus!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

All of Joshua chapter 20 discusses the Old Testament Cities of Refuge.

A man who had accidentally killed someone could find safety within the walls of that place, that city, free from the fear of reprisal from some angry family member of the deceased.

Of course, he had to prove his innocence! That he was not guilty of premeditated murder, a crime punishable by death! (Having ended the life of a human being, made in the image of God.)

This was done first through a preliminary hearing … as is depicted in verse 4 of our chapter. “And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, AND SHALL DECLARE HIS CAUSE IN THE EARS OF THE ELDERS OF THAT CITY, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.” Clearly, he “passed the test!”

But then later … he stood before some sort of fully empaneled court, jury … “And he shall dwell in that city, UNTIL HE STAND BEFORE THE CONGREGATION FOR JUDGMENT, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: THEN SHALL THE SLAYER RETURN, AND COME UNTO HIS OWN CITY, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.” Joshua 20:6, obviously with the whole congregation agreeing with the finding of the smaller body of elders!

We shall tomorrow discuss, the Lord willing, the issue concerning the death of the current High Priest! Very interesting indeed!

But for today, my “thought” this morning, focuses on the agreement between the elders’ judgment (the first and preliminary trial) and the congregation’s judgment (the final and exonerating trial)!

I would observe that those “elders” in the specified “City of Refuge” were pretty accurate in their assessment of the situation! Their ruling was not overturned by the higher court!

And that sets me to admiring them, their discernment!

Their ability to sense the truth, the “right” in a given situation!

I conclude this accurate “sensitivity to right and wrong” is a product of God the Holy Spirit! One of His “attributes!”

He is indeed the Spirit of Truth!

1 John 4:6 applies here: “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, and the spirit of error.”

Wow!

Not everyone has this capability, this ability, this discernment.

For example … “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20, seared consciences indeed! Spiritually blind!

Point being today … how good am I at “discerning” right and wrong? You too?

Paul addressed this theme in Hebrews 5:14. “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

Their senses “exercised” … to tell the difference between evil and good!

These believes are “mature.”

Able to handle “strong meat!”

But HOW did they reach such a high level of growth, spiritual growth?

“By reason of use!”

In Greek, “dia exis,” meaning “through habit,” literally!

Learn to consistently view life (with a Bible in your hand) through the lens of “right” and “wrong.”

“Truth” and “error!”

Yes, in these last days of apostasy … sensing things (the issues of our time)  in “black” and “white,” not much “gray” left, really!

That’s how the elders of the Cities of Refuge, long ago, were most often 100% in their findings!

Oh, to be that sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s Leading!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

“But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

I just had to share the verse again!

 

I am amazed at this Bible concept known as the “Cities of Refuge.”

Today’s Verse adds to the beauty of the whole arrangement, in fact. “And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.” Joshua 20:5

Let me identify the pronouns now. “And if the avenger of blood (angry relative) pursue after him (the ‘accidental’ killer), then they (the elders of the City of Refuge) shall NOT deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he (the ‘perpetrator’) smote his neighbour unwittingly (no premeditation here), and hated him not beforetime (without malice).” Joshua 20:5

Yes, the one being “chased” in our verse is a man who had “accidentally” killed a human being! It might today be called “involuntary manslaughter.” And even though the mishap was not preplanned … human life had been “taken.” And if the deceased man had living relatives (nearly everyone did) … his next of kin (a brother or father or even cousin) might pursue the so called “killer” … desiring to execute “wrath, vengeance, retribution” on him!

In our Text the pursuer is called the “avenger of blood.”

So six places (the “Cities of Refuge”) … scattered evenly throughout the little Nation of Israel … were established. Places of safety, where the inadvertent manslayer could find asylum.

Where he could be shielded from this “avenger of blood.”

Yet … through all the Bible accounts (in 4 different Old Testament Books, yesterday’s Lesson) of the “Cities of Refuge” … not once can I find a detrimental word against those “avengers of blood!”

Wow!

Apparently God understood their rage?

No laws about “locking them up,” those hot-headed chasers of their relative’s killer!

No vile adjectives hurled their way!

Yes, I was surprised … until this thought came.

IF these Cities picture Jesus our Refuge, our Saviour! (And they do!)

And if the manslayer was indeed guilty of some (minor) error (he certainly might have been “neglectful” in some small measure) … slightly culpable … then the accidental slayer is a picture of a “sinner.”

One fleeing to Jesus!

This is Bible typology I’m sharing.

Then … that “avenger of blood” could be a “symbol” of the Law.

The Law of Moses.

The Law of God!

The Law that emphasizes what WRONG we have committed!

(No matter how small the sin!)

James 2:10 fits here rather well. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

Indeed … the Law chased me, calling me a sinner … seeking my death. (Remember: “For the wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23a)

And I had nowhere to run … but to the Refuge Place, to Jesus Christ my Saviour!

(This scenario may be why the Bible says nothing against the “avenger of blood!”)

“Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” Romans 7:12, Paul taught us this long ago.

The Law … chasing me to Jesus?

Yes, I think maybe so! “Wherefore the law was our SCHOOLMASTER to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Paul again, Galatians 3:24.

Wow!

And that, fellow Bible students, may be why the “avengers of blood” were not criticized in any of the Bible accounts of the Cities of Refuge!

Oh, I feel so safe this morning … in the Arms of Jesus!

In MY “City of Refuge!”

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Specific directions are often given by the Lord concerning legal procedures, in the Old Testament particularly. Much of it, after all, is the “guidebook” for the Nation of Israel, legislatively speaking. In fact, whole chapters of the Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy) are given to areas of “civil law!”

And Joshua chapter 20 fits into that designation, though it is not Pentateuchal. Instructions about the “Cities of Refuge” are found there.

For example, today’s Text … “And when he (the accidental manslayer) that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city (where court was held), and shall declare his cause (innocence, lack of premeditation) in the ears of the elders (leaders, Levites if not priests) of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place (of protection), that he may dwell (abide) among them.” Joshua 20:4

And lest a true killer, murderer (having ended some man’s life deliberately and with malice in his heart) sneak into the City of Refuge … a “preliminary hearing” was conducted … insuring (at least on the evidence then available) the applicant’s innocence!

Wow!

But, Preacher Bagwell, is all this important, that important? A whole chapter of Joshua, dedicated to these “Cities of Refuge?”

Six (now, after so many years) ancient cities, and some point of law being discussed?

Read carefully now …

YES, it must be that important! (We shall learn soon that these cities are pictures of our Lord Jesus Christ, our TRUE PLACE of Safety!)

I say this concept is of vital significance … because these cities of refuge (this “mercy” principle emanating from the Heart of God) because they are discussed in no less than FOUR Books of the Old Testament!

Pretty astounding!

Four Books, as demonstat4ed here …

1.Exodus 21:12-14 … “He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.”

“Lie not in wait” … did NOT plan to kill the man. An accident occurred!

2. Numbers 35:9-11 … “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan 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 at unawares.”

3. Deuteronomy 4:41-43 … “Then Moses severed three cities on this side Jordan toward the sunrising; that the slayer might flee thither, which should kill his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in times past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live. Namely, Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, of the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, of the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, of the Manassites.” More information yet!

4. Then, finally our Text: Joshua chapter 20, all nine verses! Verse 1 … “The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying, ² Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses.”

Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua!

Hence, I would say QUITE IMPORTANT, these Cities!

So in the next few days we are going to more carefully investigate this concept of God’s mercy, these six Cities! And, I promise you, it will be an enjoyable time of study, of learning!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Oh, one more thing.

These cities of Refuge just “might be” mentioned in the New Testament as well.

Paul preaching about Jesus, says in Philippians 3:9 … “Being found in Him (as our city of Refuge, Place of Safety), not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”

But more clearly, Hebrews 6:18. “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.” See it? “We who have fled for refuge?”

Wow!