Numbers 35:10–11: “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall appoint cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person accidentally may flee there.'”

February 14th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

In the Old Testament, if someone was killed, either intentionally or accidentally, the victim’s family would gather and appoint one of its members to be an avenger for his relative. God was not condoning or recommending that relatives take revenge, but He was introducing vengeance as a means to control the existing practice of murder. Remember these were slaves who did not yet have anything like a standing police force in place. The word translated here manslayer is where we get our own justice-system concept of manslaughter. An accidental death is an important part of how we view and sentence people for 2nd degree murder. And here in Numbers, God was making a way of escape for the person who accidentally killed someone.

God instructed Moses to set aside 6 cities, among the 48 cities of the Levites, and establish them as cities of refuge. If a death was accidental, the defendant could flee to one of these cities for safety. Once there, the avenger could not harm him and the defendant would appear before the elders for a judgment on his case. Most cities of that time locked their gates to protect their citizens from danger. But the gates of these cities were always to be unlocked and open. However, if someone accused of manslaughter did not flee to one of these cities, there was no hope for him. There was no other provision by which he might be saved from death at the hand of the avenger.

There is an untiring and inescapable avenger pursuing each one of us. His name is law and death. But God has made a city of refuge for us as well. “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Prov. 18:10). Jesus is our only way of escape, the only place we can flee to; and when we do, we will find that just as the gates to the cities were open wide so are the arms of Jesus. They are never locked. They are always ready to receive anyone who will come to Him. “And the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out” (John 6:37).

“LORD, we flee into You. Save us and forgive us.”