Mon.’s Devo - Cities of Refuge

Read: Numbers 33:40-35:34; Luke 5:12-28; Psalm 65:1-13; Proverbs 11:23 The king of Arad in the land of Canaan heard that the Israelites were approaching his land. So far, they had annihilated every king that got in their way so he had to be shaking in his boots. Instead of going through his territory, God led the children of Israel south and around to the east and up the other side. They camped near the Jordan river opposite Jericho which was about 50 miles from Arad. As they were camped across from Jericho, Moses gave the people strict instructions that when they crossed the river they were to drive out all the people living there. They were to destroy all their carved and molten images and demolish all their pagan shrines. They were to take possession of their land and settle in it. The land was to be distributed in proportion to the size of the tribe. If they failed to drive out the people living there they would become like splinters to their eyes and thorns in their sides. They would harass the people and God would have to do to the Israelites what he had planned to do to them. The boundaries included the Mediterranean Sea, the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. There was also the territory on the eastern side of the Jordan River that was promised to Gad, Reuben and half of the tribe of Manasseh. Every tribe was to enlist a leader who were appointed to divide the land. Each tribe was to allot a piece of land for the Levites to live within their land. Six of the twelve Levite cities were to be cities of refuge. These cities were for the Israelites, foreigners living among them, and traveling merchants. If one of these people accidentally killed someone and didn’t have two witnesses, they could be escorted to one of the cities of refuge and present their case to the priests. The priests would investigate the crime and if they believed that the person was innocent or there was not enough evidence to convict them, they would allow the person to live in their city until the death of the high priest. They would then be set free and the avenger of blood (a relative of the person killed) would not be allowed to kill them. This is such a great picture of our salvation. We have all sinned without an advocate. When we come to Jesus as our advocate and trust in him, we are released from any accusation against us. We are totally released when we appropriate the death of Christ, our High Priest as our redemption. Then we are set free from the penalty of death. All convicted murderers were put to death because murder pollutes the land. Only the death of the murderer could purify the land. Only repentance can heal our land. We can repent for the guilty and intercede for them like Jesus does for us. They will still be accountable for their sin but it will not affect the land. These cities of refuge were cities of renewal and safety. They were a place that people could live in and hear the words of the law from the priests. They were safe places. We all need these places. Jesus went up on the mountain for his place of restoration. Ours is our secret place where we meet with the Lord. In Luke, a man with an advanced case of leprosy approached Jesus and told Him that he knew Jesus could heal him if he wanted. Jesus proved this was right and reached out and touched him. He was instantly healed. Jesus instructed him not to tell anyone but to go straight to the priest and show them and make it public there. This was the law and Jesus wanted the leaders of the law to see and believe. Instead the man told everyone and Jesus was mobbed with people who wanted to be healed also. One day, as Jesus was speaking in a house, a paralyzed man was lowered from the roof right in front of Him. Jesus didn’t say, ‘you are healed’, but he said, ‘your sins are forgiven’. The Pharisees were very upset that he thought he could forgive sins. Jesus knew their thoughts and asked them which was easier, to forgive sins or heal. So, to prove that he had the power to forgive sins he told the man to stand up and walk. The man did. To further prove that He could forgive sins, he went and called a tax-collector, the greatest of sinners, to come and be one of his disciples. Levi, got up and immediately followed him. Lord, thank you for showing us that the greatest sinner can be restored to right fellowship with you. Thank you for your cities of refuge that you have set up for us.