Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
"On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the Lord said to Moses, "Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns. Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for their cattle, flocks and all their other livestock. "The pasturelands around the towns that you give the Levites will extend out fifteen hundred feet from the town wall. Outside the town, measure three thousand feet on the east side, three thousand on the south side, three thousand on the west and three thousand on the north, with the town in the center. They will have this area as pastureland for the towns.
"Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee. In addition, give them forty-two other towns. In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands. The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few."
Then the Lord said to Moses: "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee. They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that a person accused of murder may not die before he stands trial before the assembly. These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge. Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge. These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites, aliens and any other people living among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.
" 'If a man strikes someone with an iron object so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. Or if anyone has a stone in his hand that could kill, and he strikes someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. Or if anyone has a wooden object in his hand that could kill, and he hits someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies or if in hostility he hits him with his fist so that he dies, that person shall be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
" 'But if without hostility someone suddenly shoves another or throws something at him unintentionally or, without seeing him, drops a stone on him that could kill him, and he dies, then since he was not his enemy and he did not intend to harm him, the assembly must judge between him and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send him back to the city of refuge to which he fled. He must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
" 'But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which he has fled and the avenger of blood finds him outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder. The accused must stay in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may he return to his own property.
" 'These are to be legal requirements for you throughout the generations to come, wherever you live.
" 'Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
" 'Do not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. He must surely be put to death.
" 'Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge and so allow him to go back and live on his own land before the death of the high priest.
" 'Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites.' " Numbers 35
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As we have seen in prior instances in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, God held a special place in His heart for the Levites. And in Chapter 35, we see where He gives them special attention as He has in the past.
For after He addressed Israel's territorial boundaries in Canaan and how the land would be divided, He takes time to ensure the Levites will be cared for as well. We read where he tells Moses to "Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns. Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for their cattle, flocks and all their other livestock. The pasturelands around the towns that you give the Levites will extend out fifteen hundred feet from the town wall. Outside the town, measure three thousand feet on the east side, three thousand on the south side, three thousand on the west and three thousand on the north, with the town in the center. They will have this area as pastureland for the towns…In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands. The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few." The Levites had spent their wilderness time camped out around the tabernacle. Now that they were entering the Promised Land, they would enjoy the same improved living conditions as the rest of Israel with ample space for their animals. And they wouldn't be segregated from the people. No, they would live in the midst of each of the tribes. God's people would all need assistance in spiritual worship and guidance…just what the Levites could provide.
So the Levites would have 48 cities with a few on the east side of the Jordan where the Reubenites, Gadites and half of the tribe of Manasseh would be settled. And of these 48 cities, God commands that six be set apart as "cities of refuge" where "a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee". The cities of refuge, "three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan", were to be places safe from an avenger "for Israelites, aliens and any other people living among them" so that a "person accused of murder may not die before he stands trial before the assembly". In other words, justice would not be at the hands of an avenger but determined by trial. One would not be guilty unless proven so.
This didn't mean that everyone was deserving of trial for God takes time to distinguish accidental killing from willful killing. The latter would not be deserving of trial, only death for their murderous actions. God gives this guidance:
"If a man strikes someone with an iron object so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. Or if anyone has a stone in his hand that could kill, and he strikes someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. Or if anyone has a wooden object in his hand that could kill, and he hits someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies or if in hostility he hits him with his fist so that he dies, that person shall be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him."
In other words, pre-meditated, conscious murder disqualified one from refuge and the avenger was permitted to claim revenge.
In regard to an accidental killing, God gave this direction:
" 'But if without hostility someone suddenly shoves another or throws something at him unintentionally or, without seeing him, drops a stone on him that could kill him, and he dies, then since he was not his enemy and he did not intend to harm him, the assembly must judge between him and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send him back to the city of refuge to which he fled. He must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
As long as the person who killed accidentally remains in the city of refuge, they would be protected and safe. However, if he or she chooses to leave and go "outside the limits of the city of refuge to which he (or she) has fled", that protection would be gone and they could be killed by the "avenger of blood" without the avenger "being guilty of murder".
In the end, God reminded Israel of His expectation that the Promised Land be treated with the sanctity it deserved. He said:
"Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites."
Too bad Israel didn't heed these words from God because there would be murderous actions and bloodshed to come, all which would serve to pollute the land God provided as a blessed inheritance. Indeed, God's Promised Land would be defiled over and over and over.
I often wonder how God feels about our world today. Although it isn't the Promised Land, it is the land that He created…inhabited by the people He created. And just as He had expectations for Israel, so too does He hold expectations for us. Don't think for a minute that the 10 commandments issued in Exodus, Chapter 20, are any less relevant today than they were back when they were first given. God's command to not murder led to His words in Numbers, Chapter 35. It wasn't acceptable then and it isn't today either. Ditto for disrespecting one's parents, stealing, committing adultery, worshipping false idols or gods or giving false testimony about another. And yet, too often we snub our nose at these expectations like they no longer apply. If God were to review our lives and judge each of us, how well would we stand up? Not well. In fact, we would be doomed by our sins if keeping all of God's commandments were our requirement for salvation. This is why God had to send His Son to us all…and watch Him be sacrificed on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. Jesus became our personal city of refuge, the only place where we could go for protection from our wrongs. He was the eternal High Priest who would rise from the grave and live forever…so that anyone who entered Him would never be permitted to return to their past…back to their sinful lives…because He would never die again to permit it. Truly, as in God's word from Romans tells us:
"…there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:1-2
Question: Do you know Jesus Christ? Do you wish to enter His city of refuge, leaving your sinful past behind for a new life…one predicated on righteousness not sinfulness?
If you know Jesus, celebrate this in your life and revel in being an inhabitant of His city of refuge. If you don't know Jesus, don't delay in coming to Him. For truly Satan is looking to claim you for his own and lead you to destruction through appealing to your sinful desires, keeping you on the path to destruction. Know you have a choice and can leave your past behind right now. Come to Jesus, become a new creation in Him, allow the Holy Spirit to free you from the law of sin and death and introduce you to real life…life that springs eternal now and forever more. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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