All right, are you in Deuteronomy
chapter 19? I want to read the first 13 verses. Deuteronomy 19 verses 1 through
13. When the Lord thy God hath cut
off the nations whose land the Lord thy God giveth thee, and
thou succeedest them and dwellest in their cities and in their
houses, thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst
of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.
Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coast of thy land,
which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit it, into three
parts, that every slayer may flee thither. And this is the
case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live. Whoso killeth his neighbor ignorantly,
whom he hated not in time past, as when a man goeth into the
wood, which he's given an example, this is not All inclusive or
exhaustive, it's just an example of what God's talking about in
this law. As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbor
to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the ax to cut down
the tree, and the head slippeth from the heave, and lighteth
upon his neighbor that he die, he shall flee unto one of those
cities and live. The death is completely accidental. with no maliciousness and no
prior thought. It is what we call an accident. But the man who is guilty of
such must still flee to one of the cities of refuge. Lest, verse
six, the avenger of blood pursue the slayer while his heart is
hot, still angry, still angry that the kinfolk have been killed.
and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him, whereas
he was not worthy of death, inasmuch he hated him not in time past. Wherefore, I command thee, saying,
thou shalt separate three cities for thee, and if the Lord thy
God enlarged thy coast, and he was going to, he was going to,
the if here is not if it might happen, it might not, but the
fact it hadn't happened yet, And if the Lord thy God enlarge
thy coast, as he has sworn unto the fathers, and give thee all
the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers, if thou
shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee
this day, to love the Lord thy God, and to walk ever in his
ways, then thou shalt add three cities more for thee beside these
three." And we know from Other passages, there were three on
the west side of Jordan and three on the east side of Jordan. And
there were to be roadways clearly set out and marked for someone
to find one of these six cities. That innocent blood be not shed
in thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance,
and so blood be upon thee. But, but, oh, what a word in
scripture. If any man hate his neighbor
and lie in wait for him, this is what we call premeditated,
and rise up against him and smite him mortally that he die and
fleeth into one of these cities. A city of refuge. What if this
man does that? Then the elders of his city shall
send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of
the avenger of blood, that he may die. Thine eye shall not
pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood
from Israel, that it may go well with thee. Now of course this
is What is, I guess we should say I should probably preface
it, this is what is called in the Western world Easter Sunday. And I was asked just a few days
ago that if I had something special for my Easter message, and I
said no, just wherever I am in the book of Deuteronomy, that
will be my message for that Easter. Now I didn't go into detail with
the individual because it was just a simple question. There
were no other desires there. And sometimes you just let a
sleeping dog lie where the sleeping dog's at. I know there are those
who say, but I've heard or gather that you folks do not celebrate
Easter as the resurrection of our Lord. And I would say we
do not. We do not celebrate any special
day as a special religious holiday or holy day. Moreover, truth
be said, we do not celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We worship the risen Christ. who was raised again on the third
day. And it was a specific day. But we're not to worship or celebrate
about a day or concerning a day or just on one day. We are to
worship this risen reigning Lord every day of our life. Now that being said, let me get
into earnest in my message. My time is moving quick by that
timer. There were six cities of refuge, as I said. This is
asylum for unintentional, unmalicious killing. Now, it is a killing
nonetheless. If you kill accidentally, or
you kill premeditated, the person still is as dead in either case. The families suffer loss in either
case, but Even that person, that is the person who killed someone
unintentionally and unmaliciously, must flee to a city of refuge
to be protected from the avenger of blood. They must, they must. Now someone says, why was that
law given? Mason, shouldn't they just held
court and presented the facts? These things are here to teach
us concerning the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it is
amazing that it is six cities. And six is the number of man
created on the sixth day. It is even the number 666 is
the number of the Antichrist, that man who will come one day,
Mason. It is his number. Six is the
number of man. Redemption, salvation, rest,
refuge is in a man. We have no salvation apart from
the humanity of Jesus Christ. God in his holiness, now listen
to me, could not merely purpose that we just be saved. He had
to satisfy divine justice. And even this unintentional killing,
the killer must flee to the city. But on the other hand, a premeditated
murderer, there was no asylum. even if he fled to a city of
refuge. Now folks, there's a lot here,
but I want to deal on these two juxtapositions. Refuge is always
only for some. And this book, from beginning
to end, always teaches, whether it's in a shadow or figure or
in direct prophecy or in the proclamation of a prophecy being
fulfilled Refuge is always only for some Let me read to you Hebrews
chapter 3 now most of you know the passage but Hebrews chapter
3 and listen to what even the writer of Hebrews wrote and This
is the New Testament equivalent, verse 15, while it is said today,
if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. He's talking about don't be like
the Jews were back during this time that we read about here,
that we've been studying about for months now. Harden not your
hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard,
and what did they hear? They heard the gospel, if you
look at chapter four. They heard the same gospel we're
hearing. Maybe not as detailed, but it's
still the same gospel that we are hearing today. Look, for
some, when they had heard, did provoke. Howbeit not all that
came out of Egypt by Moses, but with whom was he grieved 40 years. Who's the he? Not Moses, though
that's certainly true, but the he here is God. Look, 40 years. Was it not with them that had
sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom
swear he? Do you see this? To whom swear
he? that they should not enter into
his rest, but to them that believed not. So we see that they could
not enter in because of unbelief. Refuge is always Only for some. More on Hebrews 3 later. My title
is this, as many of you probably already know. Manslayer versus
premeditated murderer, but my subject is along this line. Remember,
title is this, manslayer versus premeditated murderer. And clearly
in this law in Deuteronomy 19, a separation, a difference, a
big difference is made between premeditated murder and manslaughter. Is it not? The manslaughter could
flee if he killed someone unintentionally, but he still had to flee. The
premeditated murderer, he meant to do it. He was looking to do
it. He had made plans to do it, and he could flee to the city,
but it wouldn't do him any good. That was the law, but my subject
is this. Now listen to me. I've already
given most of you. I don't know, maybe it's had
your skivvies up in the twist since I gave it to you. I don't
know. Who is truly safe who has fled to Christ? My Calvinism said when I thought
of those words, well, everybody that flees to Christ is safe.
That's not so. That's not so. My desire inside to be truly,
always, doctrinally correct and cross every T and dot every I
wondered, but how much must I explain this? I'm not gonna explain it.
I'm just gonna preach what God says in his book. Does my question
trouble you? If it does, in what way does
it trouble you? As there is a difference between
manslayer and premeditated murderer, who both could flee to a city
of refuge, even so, there is a difference in people who flee
to Christ. Do not prejudice your mind against
what I say yet. Hear thus saith the Lord first,
and then bow to thus saith the Lord. Now first of all, turn
to Hebrews 6, Hebrews chapter 6. Sounds like somebody's upset
back there. Hebrews chapter six. Listen to
what it says. Hebrews chapter six. Let me find,
I'm not gonna write. Hebrews chapter six, I will begin
in verse 17. But before I read it, let me
say this. Some flee to Christ and they are immutably safe. Do you hear what I said? Some
flee to Christ and they are immutably safe. Let's just read it. Wherein God willing more abundantly
to shew, or that is to show, to manifest unto the heirs of
promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath,
that is he swore on it, he swore on it, that by two immutable
things in which it was impossible for God to lie, We might have
strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the
hope that is set before us. And clearly the context is that
hope is Christ. Look, which hope we have as an
anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. That's another
way of saying immutable. Immutable, sure and steadfast. and which entereth into that
within the veil, whether the forerunner is for us entered,
even Jesus made an high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. So, clearly from God's book,
it teaches some flee to Christ and they are immutably safe. But the writer didn't begin with
what we have as verse 17, did he? Matter of fact, he begins,
of course, Equally in chapter 1 verse 1 but look at the subject
that he has broached in Chapter 6 same chapter, but I will begin
for sake of time in verse 4, but let me say this before I
read this some flee and yet in insult Christ by apostasy You
hear what I said? Some flee, but then they insult
Christ by apostasy Now maybe you're like me. Years ago, I
bounced back and forth as to what the meaning of the words
I'm about to read mean, but I'll tell you, they mean exactly what
they say. And when you read it, if your mind says, okay, that
seems like it's saying this, it is saying that. It is saying
that. I've read the books. About years
ago, I read the books and one would say this is hypothetical.
Others would say, no, this is real. And they'd use the words
of the Greek and for a minute, Mason, I believe this and then
I read another guy and another word and a minute, I believe
this over here. And finally, God says, just quit and just
bow down to what my word says. Here's what it says, verse four.
For it is impossible. Whatever we're talking about
here, this is impossible. It is immutably in the negative.
It's immutability, but it's immutability in the negative. For it is impossible
for those who have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made
partakers of the Holy Ghost that have tasted the good word of
God. And notice it is the good word of God. This ain't about
some perverted gospel. I'm not talking about those who
hear a perverted gospel. That's not what I'm talking about.
That's not what this is talking about. They have tasted of the
good word of God and the powers of the world to come. Now here's
what's impossible. If they shall fall away, it is
impossible then to renew them again unto repentance. So evidently
they had a repentance, right? Now, let's not argue about that.
It's to renew them again unto repentance, seeing that they
crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put Him to
an open shame. By what? By falling away. The word would be apostasy. Apostasy. Put Him to an open shame. For
the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it,
and bringing forth herbs, meat for them by whom it is dread,
receives blessing from God. But, there's that but again,
just like we read over in Deuteronomy chapter 19, right? But, he, but
that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected, and is nigh
unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. Whoever these people were, Today
whoever these people are they have had a great gospel experience
Hmm they've had a great gospel experience Our Lord gave us a
parable Luke chapter 8 and verse 13 in particular is what I'm
wanting to point out concerning this subject, that is, some flee
and yet insult Christ by apostasy. And listen to what Christ wrote
in Luke chapter eight and verse 13. They on the rock, now these
are different kinds of ground, different kinds of people who
receive what? The good word of God, not a false
gospel. We're not even talking about
a false gospel this morning. We're talking about the good
word of God, and they on the rock are they, which when they hear,
receive the word with what? Joy. That's a great gospel experience,
don't you think? You see it, I see it, they go
through it, and we all think they're saved, right? That's
just what I happen to be. The difference is the kind of
ground that you are. And look, with joy. And these
have no root. Oh, now we see some difference,
don't we? And these have no root, which for a while believed. Now
some say, well, they profess. No, they believe. They believe,
but their believing's not a work of God Almighty. It's a work
of their own desire, their own will, their own pleasure, their
own fear of hell. Maybe they got caught doing something,
and now they're ashamed. And they hear the gospel truth,
and boy, they believe it, and they're happy. And you look at
that, you say, boy, God's done a work in their heart. But it
says, which believe, and in time of testing, what do they do?
Go into apostasy. You see that? They fall away. Remember Lot's wife? You remember
Lot's wife? Two angels, and I'm not gonna
debate as to who those angels are because I don't really know
for sure. I've got my opinions about who they were, but that
don't matter. Two angels went down to Sodom to bring out Lot,
yes or no? Those two angels appeared as
men, and we know that from the context because the wicked men
of Sodom wanted to do things to those two men. They perceived
them only as men. Of course, they manifest powers
far above humankind when they blinded the men so they couldn't
even find the door. They'll say to come in and broke
the door down and raped them. Now, I know that's strong language,
but that's what it's talking about. Those two angels had four arms,
two arms each. There were four arms. There were
four people that were delivered out of Sodom. And one angel took
hold of one person with this hand. This is what it says. And
another angel took hold of this person with that hand, and the
other angel did the other two people the same way. Those angels
laid hold on Lot's wife's hand and forced her out of the city. But then she looked back. She had a great religious experience,
did she not? The same experience, as far as
experience goes, as the other three. As a matter of fact, the
two daughters had the same experience as their mother and as their
father. but it only tells us that Lot
was a just and righteous man. Do you see what I'm getting at
here? Great initial gospel experience is not the difference. What is
the difference? Here's the difference. Turn to
Psalm 147. Psalm 147. And I may not be able to read
all of this to you because time is going. Psalm 147. Before I read, here
it is, I'll give it three things quickly. God must work his work
in breaking a sinner first. God must work his work in breaking
a sinner first. If I preach a message and it's
me that breaks somebody down, it won't cut it. The person in
Hebrews 6, verses four through eight, somebody said, well, what
if they'd have never fell away? Still wouldn't have done them
any good. You think about that, because what they had was just
all on the outside. It was not a work wrought by
God, though it was a great experience that they had. Look at Psalm
147. Praise ye the Lord, for it is
good to sing praises to our God, for it is pleasant and praise
is comely. The Lord doth build up Jerusalem. So who does the work of building
this city? Look, he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.
He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds. God must start this work. If
your salvation is something that you did, even if it's under sound
gospel preaching, you're still a goner. You're still a goner. And if you make a profession
under sound gospel preaching, and you go into apostasy, and
you turn on that truth, your latter end is worse than your
first state. Peter says that. Peter says that. God will continue his to honor
and work that initial work. Isaiah 57 verse 15 tells us that
clearly. Isaiah 66, I want to read that
one to you. Isaiah 66, listen to what the
prophet Isaiah is moved by God to write. Isaiah chapter 66 verses
one through five, thus saith the Lord, the heaven is my throne
and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house that ye build
unto me? God's got to be building the house. Remember the wise
man and the foolish man? Both of them were building the
house. Both of them knew they needed a house, right? Both of
them labored to build a house. But one of them, his house was
on sand, and great was the fall of it. the house that you will
build, and where is the place of my rest? For all those things
have my hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord.
But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and
of contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. Do you see that? God will break you down to where
you've got nowhere else to flee, but to Jesus Christ, the city
of refuge. And anything short of that, you
will be nothing but he that killeth an ox as if he slew a man. And
he that sacrifices a lamb as if he cut off a dog's neck. That's
not good. But yet he's religious. You see
it? He or she is greatly religious.
So I'm saying God must work a work in breaking the sinner. And if
God breaks the sinner, God will honor that work, that initial
work, and God will continue that work. Though the righteous fall
seven times. Is that the way it says it? Yet
it'll not be utterly cast down. Why? Because the Lord does what?
The Lord upholds him with his hand. And if your brother sins
against you 490 times in one day, then you forgive him, if
he's your brother, 490 times in one day. And my idea would
be that man don't know God. Right? Huh? So it ain't all recognized
by what's out here because it's what God's doing in here. In here. But now see the opposite. Where
there is no initial brokenness and contrition. Proverbs 29 verse
one says this. A man that is often reproved
and hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that
without remedy. No continual brokenness and no
contrition means it wasn't a work of God. Look at David, the psalmist,
when he committed great crimes against God. He said, this is
the person God'll look to, a man that's a broken heart and contrite
spirit. And he said, my sin, not just
my sins, but my sin is ever before me. David knew that his outward
deeds, the problem of his outward deeds that he had done come from
his corrupt old heart inside. And who did he cry out for mercy
and cleansing? Unto none other than God himself. David is being and has been and
will continue to be broken and that's the way it's with every
believer. Here God's summary of the matter
in Hebrews chapter three. Let me change that, go back and
read God's summary. Hebrews chapter three, if ye
continue. if ye continue. God, oh God,
force me, force me, force me to have a broken heart and a
contrite spirit. And God, keep that work up in
me. Because if I ever go into apostasy,
all that went before means nothing. Preacher, I thought you believed
in once saved, always saved. I do if God does the saving.
But if you work that up yourself, even under sound gospel preaching,
it won't get you anywhere. Oh, God do this work in me. The proof is in the pudding,
as we say. Do you stick with the stuff? No matter how miserably you fall,
God Almighty lifts you up and forces you sweetly to willingly,
lovingly, believe and run to and rest in the Lord Jesus Christ. And if you're one of his, you
can't get away from that. Even if Jonah tried, but it didn't
work. Now, which one do you wanna be?
Which one do you wanna be?