All right, here's one record
of the cities of refuge in Joshua 20. The Lord also spake unto
Joshua, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint
out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the
hand of Moses. that the slayer that killeth
any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither. and they shall
be for your refuge from the avenger of blood. 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,
give him a place that he may dwell among them. And if the
avenger of blood pursue him, then they shall not deliver the
slayer up into his hand, because he smote his neighbor unwittingly
and hated him not before time. 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, come into his own city, unto his own house,
into the city from whence he fled. And they appointed Kedesh
in Galilee in Mount Naphtali, Shishim in Mount Ephraim, and
Kirtjarth Abba, which is in Hebron, in the mountain of Judah. And
on the other side, Jordan, by Jericho eastward, They assigned
Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of
Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and
Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh. These were the cities
appointed for all the children of Israel, for the stranger that
sojourned among them, that whosoever killeth any person unawares might
flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood,
until he stood before the congregation, that is, until his case was heard
and considered." Now notice something in the end of the third verse. and they shall be your refuge
from the avenger of blood." I think there were about three mentions
in this chapter of an avenger of blood. So evidently this passage
of Scripture involves the establishment and the using of the cities of
refuge which Moses had already enjoined them to appoint. Now, before we go too much further,
if you're interested in carrying this study a little bit further
and looking at it more in depth, there are other texts that relate
specifically to these cities of refuge, the same subject. You'll find them once in the
book of Numbers, chapter 35, verse 9 through verse 29, and
again in Deuteronomy, you'll find it in chapter 19, verses
1 through 3. Well, we read here that Moses
had before spoken unto you of these cities of refuge. Now these
others, along with Joshua 20, are kind of lengthy passages
describing the establishment of the cities of refuge and how
they were to be operated. Now, in every instance, it will
be seen that the purpose of the cities of refuge had to do with
someone who had taken the life of another person, and inadvertently
and not willingly, who killed a fellow man who had shed the
blood of another individual. These cities were then established
in regard to those that had ended the life of another. And strictly
speaking, they were not for the adulterer, They were not for
the idolater, they were not for the thief, or the abuser of their
parent, or the blasphemer, or the reason and distinction that
we will make soon as we go along in our study. But now, let's
recognize a distinction which was made and established in and
with the giving of the law and the cities of refuge. Now there
were two ways for one person to kill another and to end the
life of another so that they die and be no more. Number one, of course, there
is willful, deliberate intentional, with evil and malice aforethought,
out of hate or anger, planned and deliberate murder of another
individual. An act of violence intentionally
done. But then secondly, This text
speaks of unintentional, unaware. This is a word that you will
see may not even realize that he had killed another person.
But we use the word accidentally perhaps, quote, unquote, and
we understand how it is meant. Not accidentally with God, but
accidentally from human standpoint perhaps. But first let us understand
that even from the flood, God had commanded that murderers
that manslayers should be severally punished, and that a murderer
forfeited his own life by taking the life of another. No lesser
penalty was proper for that individual than the loss of his own life. Not life in prison, but being
put to death himself. And so 20 years in prison is
not capital punishment, not one and the same thing. We read in
Genesis chapter 9 verse 5 and 6 that after the flood and the
repopulation of the earth that God had instituted the penalty
of death for the killing of another. Also we read in Exodus 21 and
verse 12, he that smites a man so that he die shall surely be
put to death. That is willfully, intentionally,
deliberately. And then we read in Leviticus
24 and 17, he that kills any man shall surely be put to death. Let's drop back to the book of
Numbers and chapter 35, if you want to go there, that's where
I'm going. Chapter 35, and read verse 30
and verse 31 out of this passage of the Scripture. Whoso killeth
any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth
of witnesses, but by one witness, shall not testify against any
person to cause him to die. Moreover, ye shall take no satisfaction
for the life of a murderer which is guilty of death, for he shall
surely be put unto death." There is that blessed word. Now, the New Testament text would
be Matthew 26, 52, Romans 13, 1-9, having to do with that one that
is in authority. Let's consider the reason given
in Genesis 9 and verse 6 why a manslayer, a murderer, was
to die. And the reason is this, for in
the image of God made he man. You see that, 1 Corinthians 11
and 7. James also mentions it in chapter
3 and verse 9, that men should not be murdered for man was created
at the first in the image of God, Genesis 9, 6. In the similitude
of God, James 3 and verse 9, especially in the original form,
it existed in Adam in the likeness and image of God, Genesis 1,
27. And even after the fall, We can find at least two references
to image and similitude. Now, to kill an animal is nothing
and requires no penalty, for they have not the likeness nor
the image of God. There is to be considered when
a person kills another, they are, number one, killing one
of the same nature and essence as themselves. When one man strikes
another to death, he has killed one of his own nature. Secondly,
they are killing one who, according to Scripture, bears the image
of God. And that's the reason why a murderer
was not to be committed. Thus, because of the highness
of their crime, God therefore commands the manslayer to be
executed. For He takes the life, He takes
the most precious thing that another might have, life, unless
it could be the soul itself, of which we have but one. And
that life is the gift of God, for He gives and He sustains
life. Now, the first murder on record
anywhere in the scripture is that one in Genesis chapter 4
and verse 8, when Cain rose up and slew his brother Abel, which
was doubly wicked because Cain killed one, number one, made
in the image of God, Number two, who was righteous before God,
he killed a righteous man and for his righteousness. Three,
he killed one who was his own brother, his own kin, his own
flesh and blood. Remember Genesis 50 and verse
25, men of blood that shall not live out half of their days. Psalm 5 and 6. the Lord will
abhor the bloody and the deceitful man. So let's return to the pursuit
of our text and our subject, the cities of refuge, in relationship
to one who had killed another. We need to further study and
develop the distinction that God makes between intentional
killing, because the safety of the cities were only for those
who had unintentionally, not planned or designed, the death
of another. Now, the distinction between
the two appears. It appears in Exodus 21, 12-14.
It's in Deuteronomy 19. 4-13, and it's also in Numbers
15-25, and it's there in good detail. We might draw a little
bit from all of them. First of all, the deliberate
murderer who kills intentionally and willfully. We see that every
day in our society, in our city on the news. Exodus 21 and verse
14, if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor to slay him
with guile, in Numbers 35, 20 and 21, but if he thrusts him
of hatred or hurt him by lying in wait, or in enmity, smite
with his hand. Deuteronomy 19, 11 has it like
this. But if any man hate his neighbor,
lie in wait for him, rise up against him, and smite him that
he mortally die. Now, if this type of killer fled
to one of the cities of refuge, his case was to be heard, he
was to be refused safety, and then delivered back into the
hands of the avenger of blood that he might himself be put
to death without pity, by the way. Deuteronomy 19. 11-13, Numbers
35-32. Secondly, there was the manslayer
who did kill, but unintentionally, and even the word unaware. Exodus 21 and verse 13. He did not ambush. That is, he's
not lying in wait for Him to pass by. Numbers 35-15, that
killeth any person Unaware. I wonder how somebody
could kill somebody and not be aware of it. Well, there are
ways that that can be done. Verse 23, "...was not his enemy,
and sought him no harm as a neighbor." Deuteronomy 19 and 4, "...who
kills his neighbor ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past."
In Joshua 20, verse 3 we read there, "...that kills any person
unaware and unwittingly. Now, the cities of refuge were
for this sort of manslayer. And immediately, of learning
of the death of his victim, he immediately set out as fast as
he could to the nearest city of refuge. And they were scattered
around so that there was easy access unto him. And they shielded
him in the city of refuge from the avenger of blood, as we read
in chapter 20 of Joshua and verse 4. And he stayed in that city
of refuge until the death of the high priest. Deuteronomy
35 and verse 25. And he stayed there at that time,
if any man slayer, out of the city of refuge and caught there
by the avenger of blood, it was allowable for him to be put to
death. Deuteronomy 35, 26 through verse
28. Now we are taught by these statues of God that each loss
of life and each killing must be dealt with, and killed by
another must pass the ordinances of God from one generation to
another. If God would have murder severely
punished, then as Calvin said, God appointed the cities of refuge
not only to distinguish between sins of malice and of error,
but also lest innocent blood should be rashly shed, unquote,
by the avenger of blood when his blood was hot within him
for the loss of his neighbor, brother, friend, or kinsman.
Now, to develop an earlier point, that such cities of refuge were
not only for the benefit of accidental or unintentional murderers, why
not for adultery, thieves, and liars? Perhaps the answer is
twofold. These carried a penalty of death
as well. And also, it is almost impossible
to accidentally, unintentionally commit adultery, idolatry, theft
or such like. So let's further consider the
unintentional or the accidental killing by calling attention
to a statement in Exodus chapter 21 And verse 13, pertaining to
one delivered by a stroke of divine providence. Listen to
this carefully, how the providence of God works in all things. And if a man lie not in wait,
that is, to kill, if a man lie not in wait to kill, but God
deliver him into his hand, unquote, there is divine providence in
the matter. Then I will appoint him a place
to flee, but God deliver him into his hand so that the man
is killed. And really an act of providence
with a human instrument. Calvin called it, I guess it's
a good term, accidental homicide. Yet the point is strongly made
that nothing falls out by fate or chance or luck or what we
sometimes say as accidental. What are so often termed accidents
unto men are in fact works of divine provident and the stroke
of his hand. What a man is ordered or caused
to do by provident. Nothing so vital as the loss
of a life is left up under chain. There are some examples of these
passages of how an accidental homicide could occur so that
one unintentionally cause the death of another. Here's an example,
Deuteronomy 19 and verse 5. When two men go into the forest
to cut wood and an axe head flies off the handle and hits the other
in the head and kills him. Shall we confess providence guided
the axe head? For it might have missed as well
as it struck him in the head. Numbers 35 and 23, when a man
throws a stone, does not see that another man is nearby who
is then hit with a tall stone and dies. I read in our city
of a woman driving the freeway one day going to work and a chunk
of concrete either fell or was thrown from an overpass and struck
her through the windshield and killed her. Can you imagine?
Can you imagine being on your way to work and such a thing
happened? Could we not say the same of
numbers 35 and 23? that God guided the stone, for
like the axe head, it might have missed if God so willed it and
His providence ordered it. Listen to this. Every hunting
season, almost without exception, we hear of hunters shooting at
something they see rustling or hear rustling in a bush. A bullet
meant for a deer kills their dear friend who they were hunting
with. in the woods. I know a family
that happened under them. Quickly let us consider from
these texts the instruments that are used to kill. Numbers 35
verse 16, it could be an instrument of iron, an axe, or to modernize
it, a hammer, a tire too, or a crowbar, a shovel, a pick sack.
Something of that nature. Verse 17, it could be a stone
as we read already. Verse 18, it could be a wooden
hand weapon of some kind or another. Yes, and it could be the bare
hands of one individual taking the life of another. You ever
wonder, as you read the account of Cain and Abel, you ever wonder
what Cain used to kill Abel on that day? Was it a farming tool? They were in the field. Did he
pick up a rock? They were out yonder in the way.
A stick? A wood? A knife? a belt, a rope,
choke him. What in the world did he do to
take the life of his brother? But the truth is he killed and
killed out of a wicked heart. God did not command Israel to
ban instruments of iron or register weapons of wood or enact a five-day
waiting period on buying rocks or something like that because
they were instrument of murder. Instead, God commanded that the
fault lie where it should, and that is with the murderer himself. He was to be put to death. Now in all these texts regarding
this, we see two things. Number one, there are those cities
of refuge. six in number and scattered well
around so that they were accessible. And the second thing that we
see is the avenger of blood. I just said the cities were six
in number and were easily accessible and we read them for they were
listed. It was said that any of these
cities could be reached, one of them, could be reached from
anywhere in the country in a half of a day. In Exodus 21-13, I
will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee." Now we next consider
what the text calls the avenger of blood. It is revenger simply
in Numbers 35 21 and 27. It is the avenger of blood, Deuteronomy
9, 6 and verse 12. And in Joshua 20 and 3 and verse
5, the man who killed unintentionally might be pursued by an avenger
of blood. Now first of all, we notice the
relation of the avenger of blood in regard to the two kinds of
men-slayers that we have noted. The willful, deliberate murderer,
if he fled to a city, the elders might deliver him into the hand
of the avenger. But the unintentional murderer,
having reached a city of refuge, was not to be handed over at
first to the avenger of blood. So then, who are what? Is this avenger of blood that
we keep reading about in connection with these cities of refuge?
And then the question, what is represented or is typified by
it or by him? Now there's a strong clue, I
think, in Deuteronomy chapter 9 and verse 6. And it says this,
what lest the avenger of blood, lest the avenger of blood come
or overtake him in the way and in his anger and the hotness
of his anger slay him. Obviously, the avenger of blood
was a person being referred to as his. in Deuteronomy 19 and
verse 6. In other passages it is simply
the avenger or the avenger of blood. For what it is worth,
weigh it if you will, I agree with those such as John Gill,
Matthew Henry, there's Calvin and others, that the avenger
of blood in many cases was a next of kin or a near of kin, such
as a brother, a father, an uncle, or something of that order. Now
consider, number one, the brother of a dead man was to marry his
brother's widow, have children, raise up the name of the dead.
That was allowed. Secondly, a nearer kinsman was
to redeem the property of one that had been sold in the market. We see that in the book of Ruth,
chapter 3 and chapter 4. Even so, the near kinsman, the
kinsman of blood, was to avenge the blood of a murdered kin. It was his calling or obligation,
even as it was to raise up the name of the dead or to redeem
a brother who had fallen into slavery. By the way, I for one
favor, letting the close kin of the One that has been murdered
in our society, be the one to pull the switch or fill the vessel
or whatever. That's just my point of view.
And I'll get back off of the soapbox. But such a one as kills
unintentionally is not worthy of death, Deuteronomy chapter
19 and verse 6. But he still must flee the avenger
of blood immediately. Or if he's found, if he's caught,
He will be killed. The way is long. In verse 6,
it is a foot race. It is a race against time. Lest the avenger overtake him
and slay him, he must not stop to take a rest or to take leisure,
nor eat or pursue any pleasure. but make haste and go to the
city of refuge. The pursuit of life is therefore
abruptly interrupted. Reaching the city of refuge ahead
of the kinsmen of the blood is the important objective of the
one fleeing under the city. Some cities, so they say, were
set upon a hill. for easy visibility. And so the last part of the course,
of course, was the hardest. We can imagine that man running,
his heart pounding almost out of his chest, the avenger of
blood on his trail. Perhaps he hears the threats
from the avenger of blood He shouted death to the poor manslayer
who is fleeing under the city. The city of refuge was his only
hope of not being put to death. The city of refuge was his hope
that he might not be himself. put to death and his life lost. He shouted death at the poor
manslayer as he ran. And when he reached the city,
he was brought as a shield against the avenger of blood. His safety was bound up in the
life of God's great high priest that ruled in that day over that
city. In some way there was life as
long as the high priest lived and safety. Like Matthew, Henry,
I see gospel truth under the type and under the figure of
the cities of refuge that we are considering today. Especially
remember or consider Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 18. We who have fled for refuge. The cities of refuge were appointed
for that end. Flee! Refuge! Safety! The manslayer cannot enter and
take you. And in the manslayer we see a
picture perhaps of an awakened convicted an alarmed sinner. His conscience is hot with guilt
because of his sin. His soul feels the fire of wrath
pursued by conviction. He has had his former peace and
his former tranquility shattered absolutely until he is a man
not at rest. and on his trail the avenger
of blood. A.W. Pink wrote in his commentary
on Joshua, and I'm quoting, intolerable dread now fills him as the fire
of hell is felt in his spirit and the underlying worm gnaws
in his conscience, end quote. Perhaps the manslayer before
gave no thought of the cities of refuge. What need have I of
them? I shall never go there. What
love have I for religion? Or what need have I for religion? Why religion? Christianity is
just a scam. It's for the weak and little
old ladies. I don't care for, I don't need
the gospel and religion. Ah, my friend, but when God shoots
the arrows of His conviction, and the threat of death. And
that sinner, for the first time, sees himself under the condemnation
of sin. He, directed by the truth of
the Gospel, flees for refuge in the Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. Even as Noah took refuge in the
ark from the wrath of God in the days of the flood. Even as
Noah fled into the ark, the man-slayer fled to Kadesh or to Shechem
or to Hebron or Ramoth or one of the cities of refuge in that
day. And so the elect, sometimes sinning
ignorantly, sometimes deliberately and willfully, find a refuge
in Christ. when we think the avenger of
blood is on our trail. It is a place that God has appointed
for the sinner to flee, that he might find refuge. The ark
was but a type of Christ, and it took the flood, and it bore
up Noah and his family. But Christ is the antitype of
that ark, and in Him is their safety, and in Him is their mercy,
and in Him is their protection, in him is their life. It is the
one that God has appointed. There are not six saviors scattered
all around. There is one. One Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
and as Hebrews said, to whom we have fled for refuge, perhaps
an allusion to the Old Testament cities of refuge. But almost
everything in the Old Testament and the ceremonial law was typical
of something under the gospel and the new covenant. When the
shadows faded, the reality came in their place. So cities of
refuge, we have not. But we do have a refuge. Our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And we have fled, we have fled
the avenger on our trail to be safe and kept in the Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ, our great refuge.