The LORD speaking to Moses here opens His directions for setting apart the cities of refuge and the laws governing them. The law restrained blood vengeance by letting one who killed without intent flee to one of six cities for a fair trial before the congregation, while willful murderers still faced death and one witness alone could not condemn. The unintentional slayer who stayed in the city remained safe from the avenger until the death of the high priest, but leaving beforehand forfeited that protection. The cities foreshadow the refuge sinners find in Christ Jesus, in whom those who remain are sheltered from the law's demand for their life because He lives forever to intercede for them. Remaining in Him gives safety from wrath and a life of mercy unto obedience, while departing from Him leaves one exposed to judgment and destruction.
Setting and Legal Provision
The LORD's word to Moses opens the setting apart of refuge cities for manslayers, introducing the directions of chapter 35 concerning those cities and the laws governing them. Those directions provide refuge for one who has slain another by accident and set out the process of judgment for such a case. The instruction stands in the closing chapters of Numbers and begins the provisions for the cities given to the tribe of Levi, the laws concerning murder, and the marriage of heiresses.
The legislation tempered the custom that required a victim's next of kin to avenge a murder by killing the murderer. A homicide could flee to a city of refuge and claim a fair trial before the congregation. The protection lasted from private vengeance only until the accused stood trial, and it did not allow a guilty murderer to escape legal consequences. The killing had to be judged, with accidental killing distinguished from willful, premeditated, deliberate murder, so that the death penalty fell on murder and not on accidental loss of life. One witness alone could not condemn a person to death.
One who took life without intending murder could flee for protection to one of six cities. He could remain there safe from vengeance until the death of the high priest. Leaving the city before then meant losing that protection and facing judgment. The provision thus allowed one who had killed unintentionally to escape death, extending life and mercy to transgressors who repent and return, not to continue in sin but to live in obedience to law.
Refuge in Christ Applied
The cities of refuge are a type of the refuge found in Christ Jesus. The instruction about them belonged to the great Levitical system that taught the plain truths of the gospel of Christ with the light of broad day, showing beforehand the secrets of Christ and even the very manner of His death, so that the whole gospel could be preached from it. It was designed that every time an Israelite looked upon a city of refuge he would be reminded of Christ, the Tower of the flock and Stronghold of the daughter of Zion, to whom every sin-burdened soul can flee for shelter.
One who had unintentionally taken life could flee to one of the six cities and remain there safe until the death of the high priest. In this the cities picture Christ as a safe refuge for sinners, while the avenger of blood pictures God's law demanding the sinner's life. Those who flee to Christ and remain in Him are safe, and because He lives forever and intercedes for them they remain safe eternally and the demand of the law is satisfied. The same law shows that Christ is the believer's refuge: those who remain in Him are safe from wrath, but those who leave the city before that time lose that protection and face judgment and destruction.
The provision shows God's way of extending life and mercy to transgressors who repent and return to Him, not that they may continue in sin but that they may live in obedience to His law. The cities appointed by God for His people stand in contrast to worldly cities that men mistakenly trust as places of safety. The city of refuge is a safe place for Jewish converts facing persecution, where they can find work and be trained to help others. Such cities served as places where people could hide from danger threatening the community, and Shi Bao Dzai was originally one of them. God's appointment of cities of refuge means cities made clean and bright by the gentle touch of Christ the Great Physician, given to aliens through glad songs of victory and hymns of praise to the Redeemer, to the black man through training of head, hand, and heart unto perfect manhood and a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and to poor struggling women and helpless little children suffering and dying in tenements and sweat-shops.
The LORD speaking to Moses here opens His directions for setting apart the cities of refuge and the laws governing them. The law restrained blood vengeance by letting one who killed without intent flee to one of six cities for a fair trial before the congregation, while willful murderers still faced death and one witness alone could not condemn. The unintentional slayer who stayed in the city remained safe from the avenger until the death of the high priest, but leaving beforehand forfeited that protection. The cities foreshadow the refuge sinners find in Christ Jesus, in whom those who remain are sheltered from the law's demand for their life because He lives forever to intercede for them. Remaining in Him gives safety from wrath and a life of mercy unto obedience, while departing from Him leaves one exposed to judgment and destruction.
Setting and Legal Provision
The LORD's word to Moses opens the setting apart of refuge cities for manslayers, introducing the directions of chapter 35 concerning those cities and the laws governing them. Those directions provide refuge for one who has slain another by accident and set out the process of judgment for such a case. The instruction stands in the closing chapters of Numbers and begins the provisions for the cities given to the tribe of Levi, the laws concerning murder, and the marriage of heiresses.
The legislation tempered the custom that required a victim's next of kin to avenge a murder by killing the murderer. A homicide could flee to a city of refuge and claim a fair trial before the congregation. The protection lasted from private vengeance only until the accused stood trial, and it did not allow a guilty murderer to escape legal consequences. The killing had to be judged, with accidental killing distinguished from willful, premeditated, deliberate murder, so that the death penalty fell on murder and not on accidental loss of life. One witness alone could not condemn a person to death.
One who took life without intending murder could flee for protection to one of six cities. He could remain there safe from vengeance until the death of the high priest. Leaving the city before then meant losing that protection and facing judgment. The provision thus allowed one who had killed unintentionally to escape death, extending life and mercy to transgressors who repent and return, not to continue in sin but to live in obedience to law.
Refuge in Christ Applied
The cities of refuge are a type of the refuge found in Christ Jesus. The instruction about them belonged to the great Levitical system that taught the plain truths of the gospel of Christ with the light of broad day, showing beforehand the secrets of Christ and even the very manner of His death, so that the whole gospel could be preached from it. It was designed that every time an Israelite looked upon a city of refuge he would be reminded of Christ, the Tower of the flock and Stronghold of the daughter of Zion, to whom every sin-burdened soul can flee for shelter.
One who had unintentionally taken life could flee to one of the six cities and remain there safe until the death of the high priest. In this the cities picture Christ as a safe refuge for sinners, while the avenger of blood pictures God's law demanding the sinner's life. Those who flee to Christ and remain in Him are safe, and because He lives forever and intercedes for them they remain safe eternally and the demand of the law is satisfied. The same law shows that Christ is the believer's refuge: those who remain in Him are safe from wrath, but those who leave the city before that time lose that protection and face judgment and destruction.
The provision shows God's way of extending life and mercy to transgressors who repent and return to Him, not that they may continue in sin but that they may live in obedience to His law. The cities appointed by God for His people stand in contrast to worldly cities that men mistakenly trust as places of safety. The city of refuge is a safe place for Jewish converts facing persecution, where they can find work and be trained to help others. Such cities served as places where people could hide from danger threatening the community, and Shi Bao Dzai was originally one of them. God's appointment of cities of refuge means cities made clean and bright by the gentle touch of Christ the Great Physician, given to aliens through glad songs of victory and hymns of praise to the Redeemer, to the black man through training of head, hand, and heart unto perfect manhood and a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and to poor struggling women and helpless little children suffering and dying in tenements and sweat-shops.