PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Joshua 19-20
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“He is to stay in that city until he stands trial.” (Joshua 20:6)
When we’ve been wronged, we are often quick to blame, criticize and accuse.
We like ‘innocent until proven guilty’ unless we’re the victim.
The ‘cities of refuge’ were set up for the accused to get justice…
Not to be prejudged, or treated as guilty before all the facts are known!
Even if they were guilty, they were not to be abused by their accusers.
Jesus reminds us to treat others as we want to be treated (Matthew 7:12).
If I have wronged others, and also want mercy, shouldn’t others get it too?
I see the fellowship of Jesus followers as a city of refuge… or ought to be.
A safe place for people to come before Jesus, a fair and merciful Judge to all.
Sadly, I am not convinced that the ‘church’ is a place of refuge.
Without knowing the whole story, assuming we know the whole story…
There’s a whole lot of pre-judging going on, spoken and unspoken.
I see in these ‘cities of refuge’ a hint of how God wants us all to be.
God is is refuge (safe place) for me, am I a refuge for others?
PRAYER
Lord, help me to be a safe place for those who struggle and need help, not to pre-judge them but to pre-mercy them… like you do to me!
Places of refuge – towns located throughout the territory so that people who accidently kill someone could flee too. God provided that the anger of families seeking revenge on someone would no lead to the death of the innocent. God knew people would take the law into their own hands. I’ve seen this in Asia and have intervened to defend even the guilty from the harsh revengeful treatment people were ready to mete out. Justice in the face of anger – mob frenzy – does not work – whether innocent or not. God provided an outlet and these cities of refuge knew what they had to do. God provides – he understands! The temptation to seek revenge is in all of us – Lord help me to be fair and just and to show mercy as you exemplify it Lord Jesus!
The people had received their allotted land and it would be theirs if they but obeyed the Word of the Lord. Do this and live is what the Master had said. Live in my Word, in my presence and I will be with you. Like the cities of refuge, the land, their inheritance was also a refuge if they but obeyed His Word.
1 God is our refuge and our strength,
in straits a present aid;
therefore, although the earth remove,
we will not be afraid:
2 Though hills amidst the seas be cast;
though waters roaring make,
and troubled be; yea, though the hills
by swelling seas do shake.
3 A river is, whose streams make glad
the city of our God;
the holy place, wherein the Lord
most high hath his abode.
4 God in the midst of her doth dwell;
nothing shall her remove:
The Lord to her an helper will,
and that right early, prove.