Deuteronomy 19:3–5: “You shall prepare roads for yourself, and divide into three parts the territory of your land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, that any manslayer may flee there. And this is the case of the manslayer who flees there, that he may live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, not having hated him in time past—as when a man goes to the woods with his neighbor to cut timber, and his hand swings a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies—he shall flee to one of these cities and live.”

March 6th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

The 6 cities of refuge are named in Joshua 20:7–9. There were 3 on the west side of the Jordan River and 3 on the east side. All 6 were Levitical cities from among the 48 cities set aside for the tribe of Levi, according to Numbers 35:6–8. They were not places to escape justice, but rather places where justice was upheld. Safe places set aside where someone who had accidentally killed another person could flee to escape the vengeance of outraged relatives or friends. Once there, they could safely await a fair trial by the city elders, determining their guilt or innocence.

These cities of refuge are a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ. Just as the manslayer, in danger of losing his life, could run to the city of refuge and hide safely; so the sinner in danger of eternal punishment can flee to Jesus Christ and find safety. As Paul the Apostle wrote in Colossians, “your life is hid with Christ in God” (3:3). Jesus is like a city of refuge that goes out seeking the weary and broken wherever they are. He shines out like a brightly-lit city in the darkness of sin where there is no light. His gates are always opened wide, waiting to provide shelter for all who run in.

Is there an adversary closing in on you, nipping at your heals? Are you desperately searching for a safe shelter from your enemies? No one needs to look any farther than Jesus, the city of refuge who already waits for us. We can flee into His gates with gratitude because our case has already been decided. The verdict is in and we have been found innocent because of the blood of the Lamb of God, who came to take away the sins of the world. There is no difficult journey required; we need only run into the waiting arms of our Savior.

“LORD, we run again into the safety of Your presence. Thank You for forgiving our sins again this day.”

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Deuteronomy 19 KJV

¹ When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;  ² Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it. ³ Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORDthy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither. ⁴ And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;  ⁵ As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:    ⁶ Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.  ⁷ Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee. ⁸ And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers; ⁹ If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three: ¹⁰ That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and soblood be upon thee. ¹¹ But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:  ¹² Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. ¹³ Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee. ¹⁴ Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it. ¹⁵ One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. ¹⁶ If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; ¹⁷ Then both the men, between whom the controversy is , shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; ¹⁸ And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; ¹⁹ Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. ²⁰ And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you. ²¹ And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.