1Then the Lord said to Joshua:
2"Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses,
3so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.
- P94
7So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.
8East of the Jordan (on the other side from Jericho) they designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan in the tribe of Manasseh.
9Any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing among them who killed someone accidentally could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.
- P95
God makes provision for unintentional homicide. While this seems like an obvious decree in case of accidental death, it is actually a form of grace and a foreshadowing of God’s providence of a greater refuge for the guilty. - P96
Through Jesus, God provides the ultimate refuge for transgressors. When we commit a wrong, whether or not we meant to do it, we can flee to Christ. Satan may chase us and accuse us of wrongdoing, but in Christ, we are declared guiltless once and for all because He took the punishment that we deserved upon Himself. The next time you sin, even if you did not mean to, run to Christ for refuge. He has promised to never cast you to your accuser.- P96
God decrees that the cities of refuge admit not only Israelites but alsonon-Israelites who live within the community. Throughout the Law, Godmakes clear that He cares for foreigners, even when they were bornamong His chosen people. The Law makes provision for the neof bothIsraelites and foreigners, with the non-Israelites benefitting from their closeness with God‘s people. - P96
When people are part of a local body of Christians,
they experience something of the grace that God pours out on believers. Inother words, you bless others near you because God has blessedhas chosen those who believe in Christ to receive His blessings and to carryyou. Goda taste of those blessings to those around them.- P96
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the many blessings You have lavished upon me and for those that You are still promising to give. Open my eyes to Your merciful provisions and use me to help those around me taste how good You are. In Jesus’ name, amen.- P97
