Joshua 20 - 21

Bruce Thompson

Joshua • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

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Cities of Refuge, Joshua 20

Chapter 20 Cities of Refuge

Read 20: 1- 9

This was instituted by Moses back in .

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c. And they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood: Such a person needed protection against the avenger of blood. The Hebrew word for this phrase is goel, and in this context means the representative from the victim's family charged with making sure justice is carried out against the murderer of the family member.

i. God had a passion to make sure that murderers were punished in ancient Israel, and in that culture, the final responsibility for justice rested with the designated goel (avenger of blood) in the family.

ii. The principle for capital punishment goes back to : Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man. The state's right to use the sword of execution is also stated in the New Testament ().

iii. God said also that unpunished murderers defiled the land: Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death … So you shall not pollute the land where you are; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it. Therefore do not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel. (, ).

iv. How long will our nation be polluted by the stain of unpunished murders? Not too many years ago, over one year in Los Angeles County, they averaged more than five murders a day. The blood of the slain cries out before God.

d. The avenger of blood tracked down the murderer, and if necessary, delivered him over to the authorities for execution. This was providing the testimony of two or three eyewitnesses could confirm the guilt of the murderer according to .

e. Since the avenger of blood might set himself against a person really guilty of manslaughter (accidental or unintentional killing) instead of murder, the cities of refuge were established to protect the person innocent of murder.

2. () Entrance into the city of refuge.

And when he flees to one of those cities, and stands at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declares his case in the hearing of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city as one of them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.

a. And declares his case in the hearing of the elders of that city: According to custom, the elders of the city spent much time at the gates of the city. When someone fleeing from an avenger of blood came to a city of refuge, he stated his case to the elders at the city gates.

b. They shall take him into the city as one of them: After explaining the case, the fleeing person could expect to find protection within the walls of the city of refuge, though he would have to stay there, and live in the city, to enjoy that protection.

3. () Protection against the avenger of blood.

Then if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, but did not hate him beforehand.

a. They shall not deliver the slayer into his hand: The leaders of a city of refuge were obliged to protect the one who had fled to the city. The avenger of blood had no legal standing to deliver the slayer over to execution.

b. Because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, but did not hate him beforehand: Israel had a sophisticated legal system, with judgments often based on intent and premeditation.

4. () Freedom for the slayer.

And he shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the slayer may return and come to his own city and his own house, to the city from which he fled.

a. He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the one who is high priest in those days: To be protected against the avenger of blood, the slayer had to stay within the walls of the city of refuge until his case was fully heard by the proper authorities, and until the death of the standing high priest.

b. Then the slayer may return and come to his own city: After being declared innocent of murder by the proper authorities, and after the death of the standing high priest, the slayer could go back to his home and be protected against the wrath of the avenger of blood.

Six cities chosen

a. On a map, we see that the cities of refuge were well spaced throughout the country. No matter where you were in Israel, you were not very far from a city of refuge.

b. tells us that proper roads were to be built and maintained to these cities of refuge. The city was not much good to the slayer if they could not get to it quickly.

c. The cities of refuge were not only for the benefit of the Israelite, but also for the stranger who sojourned among them. God's justice applied to all without partiality.

The city of refuge should give you a picture of something. Who or what? Jesus is our city of refuge. We run to Him for safety!Jesus as our HP never dies, He is eternal, therefore we are eternally safe while we abide in Jesus.Safety is only guaranteed while we remain in the city. If we go outside the city of refuge we are in jeopardy. See

- Both Jesus and the cities of refuge are within easy reach of the needy person; they were of no use unless someone could get to the place of refuge.

- Both Jesus and the cities of refuge are open to all, not just the Israelite; no one needs to fear that they would be turned away from their place of refuge in their time of need.

- Both Jesus and the cities of refuge became a place where the one in need would live; you didn't come to a city of refuge in time of need just to look around.

- Both Jesus and the cities of refuge are the only alternative for the one in need; without this specific protection, they will be destroyed.

- Both Jesus and the cities of refuge provide protection only within their boundaries; to go outside means death.- With both Jesus and the cities of refuge, full freedom comes with the death of the High Priest.

A crucial distinction between the cities of refuge and our refuge in Jesus.

- The cities of refuge only helped the innocent, but the guilty can come to Jesus and find refuge.

Example - Joab killed Abner outside the gate of Hebron.

- Levite Cities

The Levites received no "province" of land such as the other tribes did; however, they had to live somewhere. So, each tribe gave certain citiesand common-lands (land immediately surrounding the cities) to the tribe of Levi.

The tribe of Levi had no "province" of land because God had declared that He would be their inheritance (, and 13:33).

The striking thing about this list is that God wanted the Levites "sprinkled" all throughout the land of Israel. He never intended there to be one "state" of Levi, but every tribe was to have the priestly influence and presence in their midst.

Application - In the same manner, Christians (being priests, and 2:9) are to be "sprinkled" all throughout the world and society, instead of heading off to make a "Christian country" somewhere.

Perhaps it is also significant that the priests received their cities last of all the tribes. Priests are appointed to serve, not to be served, and there is something priestly about letting others go first.

() Not a word of God fails.

a. Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken: God was completely faithful in regard to the land; but Israel was not. Any failure to fully possess was not because God had not made adequate provision, but because Israel had failed to fully follow the LORD.

b. God has been completely faithful to you, and made provision for continual victory. He has given greatly unto you, but what do you possess?

i. "In the light of the Cross, is it not true that the enemy has no right to dwell in the land? Is it not true that Satan's claim to your life was taken from him at Calvary? Is it not true that sin has no right to a foothold in the life of the child of God? Is it not true that Satan has no power in the presence of Omnipotence? Is it not true that by virtue of His blood and His resurrection, Jesus Christ is pledged to destroy the enemy utterly? Is it not true that in the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit there is strength for every temptation, grace for every trial, power to overcome every difficulty?" (Alan Redpath)

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