Subject Thirty

THE CITIES OF REFUGE

Scripture: Num. 35; Deut. 19; Josh. 20:1-6

1. It is so easy for man to sin
   1. The cities of refuge were set up for those who killed any person unwittingly. (Killing unwittingly means killing ignorantly, unconsciously, or unintentionally.)
   2. Today man does many things unwittingly and unconsciously offends the law in his ignorance. Some might be teaching, helping the poor, working toward a promotion, or earning money, yet unconsciously in doing these things they may be committing sins which lead to death. Give some examples to illustrate the meaning of killing unwittingly.
   3. Do not think that committing sins is a light thing. Please remember that a murderer must give his life in recompense. Even though he did the killing unwittingly, he would still have to die.
2. God’s saving way
   1. During that time God set up six cities of refuge in Israel, three west of the Jordan River, and three east of it. (Three times two equals six. Three is the number that represents the Triune God, and two represents witness.) Three on each side of the Jordan were for the convenience of those who killed unwittingly, so that they could flee into one of them easily. If there had been only one city of refuge, it would have been more difficult for the guilty ones to reach that city.
   2. The Triune God comes to the eastern world and to the western world to save people. No matter where you are today, a city of refuge is close to you, because the cities of refuge on this earth are God Himself. Whenever you discover that you deserve death, just come to this Triune God and you will be under His protection.
   3. Those who fled into the city of refuge could not be released until the death of the high priest. This typifies that we could only be released by the death of Christ. Therefore fleeing into the city of refuge is fleeing into the death of Christ. The aspect of the city of refuge shows we are escaping. The aspect of the death of Christ shows we are released. The city shows God is our escape, the death of Christ, our release.
3. The way of salvation
   1. Run fast.
      No doubt the city of refuge is close to you, but you have to run fast, lest the avenger catch you. Running fast is to believe quickly, or else you will have no time to flee when the avenger comes. Whatever you have done, as long as you killed others unwittingly, you have to leave that spot as quickly as possible and run into the city. Running fast is to believe the Lord quickly, for the Lord is the city of refuge.
   2. Receive the death of the Lord.
      Those in the cities of refuge could not be released until the death of the high priest, or the death of Christ. So you must acknowledge that the Lord has died for you.