Today's title is not very comforting, is it? In fact, it is downright frightening. Every parent's nightmare is the accidental injury or death of his or her child. Almost equally terrifying is the possibility of you or me accidentally killing another person. Both of these are very sobering to contemplate, and we often pray for God's supernatural protection against either circumstance.
Today's text, however, is Joshua 20, a passage that deals exactly with these situations. The ancient law of God revealed in Genesis 9:6 was this:
Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.
There were no extenuating circumstances or loopholes given in this original law. God is very serious about the taking of another's life, but in the Mosaic law He made provision for when this occurs accidentally (See Numbers 35:9-12 below). The Lord God commanded Moses to have the people designate cities of refuge after they had taken possession of The Land. In Joshua 20, we see the fulfillment of God's earlier command.
9 The Lord said to Moses, 10 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 designate cities to serve as cities of refuge for you, so that a person who kills someone unintentionally may flee there. 12 You will have the cities as a refuge from the avenger, so that the one who kills someone will not die until he stands trial before the assembly.
So, what was a "city of refuge"? There was one designated in practically every tribal territory in the Promised Land. The purpose of the city was to remove the offensive person from his community, perhaps so that the family of the deceased would not have to look at him or her every day. It was assumed that the relatives of the dead person would try to avenge themselves by taking the life of the offender. The person's trial would verify whether or not the act was intentional and willful or careless and accidental. If it were the former, the perpetrator would be put to death; if it were the latter, the perpetrator would then have to remain living in the city of refuge until either he/she died or the high priest at the time died. If the offender died first, his or her bones would be sent back to the family land for burial. If the high priest died first then the person could then return to his or her ancestral home and once again live among his or her own people.
In our present day we find these practices very foreign. However, there is application to our lives when we consider that, as Believers, Jesus Christ is our refuge.
My home church has planted a church in New Orleans. A team of between 20-30 of our members, mostly college students and their adult leaders, just returned from there. The name of the church is Refuge Church NOLA. I love the name. Our people are serving the Lord by not only providing refuge to those who have pressing material needs, but also by pointing them to Jesus, who can meet all their crucial spiritual needs, the most pressing of which is salvation.
And what about us who already believe in Jesus and have accepted Him as our Savior? Do we not still accidentally sin? Those "sins of omission" are often as painful as the intentional sins. Regardless of intent, we still need to run to Jesus for "refuge", for confession, cleansing and restoration. He IS our refuge (Hebrews 6:15-20).
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word.
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus hath fled.
Fear not! I am with you.
Oh, be not dismayed!
For I am thy God; I will still give thee aid.
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.
The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, no will not, desert to his foes.
That soul, though all Hell should endeavor to shake
I'll never, no never, no never forsake.
author: Keen 1787, composer: Schumacher 1931
"How Firm a Foundation"
Lord Jesus, thank you for being my refuge in a dark and weary land. I am so grateful that You are ever faithful to Your own beloved children. When we find ourselves "hopelessly" weighed down by sin, You are our everlasting Hope. You are the anchor for our souls, our city of refuge. Amen.
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