Shadows of Christmas: Cities of Refuge - Numbers 35; Hebrews 6:18

3:00The whole concept of refuge, the word miklot, which means refuge, asylum, is first used here, means a haven, a place of safety. And what this word, this Hebrew word is used here throughout, it is used to refer to the place of refuge from the blood avenger. A place of refuge from the one who seeks another person's life. The question is, why did he have to flee? Why does a person who accidentally kills somebody have to flee? It's because in that day, pretty much everybody was part of the voluntary police department. You could be drafted at any minute. In other words, if you were the nearest of kin, kind of the same concept as a kinsman redeemer, you'd have to redeem. You also, that same individual, would have the responsibility to the avenge your blood should somebody shed it. And so it was the avenger's duty before God, before country, and before family to avenge your blood.

4:19Very profound police force. And in verse 9 of Numbers of 35, then the Lord spoke. To Moses, saying, Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall select for yourselves cities to be your cities of refuge, that the manslayer who has killed any person unintentionally may flee there. The city shall be to you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands before the congregation for trial. He goes on to give some more instructions. And then in verse 25, he says, The congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the blood avenger. That is the one who accidentally killed somebody from the blood avenger. And he shall live in it, in the city, until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. Make a note of that.

5:23The high priest, if you were to flee to a city of refuge, you would be there for some unknown duration, which was linked until the passing on of the acting high priest. And in verse 29, God says, These things shall be for a statutory ordinance to you throughout your generations. Statutory law. Goes on. Numbers, from Numbers to Deuteronomy, again, this concept of refuge cities comes into focus. In Deuteronomy 19:1, he. He says they are to be in the midst of the land. They are to be conveniently located. And he gives a reason in verse 4, chapter 19. Now, this is the case of the manslayer who may flee there and live. When he kills his friend unintentionally, not hating him previously. As when a man goes into the forest with his friends to cut wood, and his hand swings the axe to cut down the tree, and the iron head slips off the handle and strikes his friend, so he dies. He may flee to one of these cities and live. So you can get the picture, cutting an axe. There goes the head of your axe, hits your friend in the head, he dies.

6:40You may flee and live. Otherwise, if you don't, the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in the heat of his anger and overtake him because the way is long and take his life, though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated him previously. He goes on in verse 10. Why all this? So innocent blood will not be shed in the midst of your land, which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance, and blood guiltiness be upon you. God did not like the shedding of innocent blood upon the land. The blood cries out, and he wanted to keep the land clean by not slaying innocent life. Well, again, in Joshua, the refuge cities in Joshua chapter 20 are actually established.

7:30By Joshua. He carries out the commands given in Numbers and Deuteronomy. And they set apart Kadesh and Galilea. They set apart Hebron, Bezer, Ramoth, and Gilead, and Golon in Bashon. And these were the cities of refuge that God envisioned for the nation. You see, God stressed the importance of these special places. And he did that by repeatedly talking about them. I mean, they show up in Exodus, they show up in Numbers, they show up in Deuteronomy, they show up in Joshua. They were very important.

8:14Extensive instruction was given. Why did he do this? Well, they're important. Well, they're important, number one, because refuge cities were a civil necessity. They were intended to reduce murder. Think about Numbers 35, 33 that says this, so you shall not pollute the land in which you are, for blood pollutes the land, and no expiation can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it. In other words, the only way that the land can be expiated of innocent blood is that those who shed it would be slayed. So obviously this puts a damper on murdering science. Somebody, right? It also reduces accidental death. Just think about what care you would take in whatever you were doing, whether you're an employer or whatever, that you would be careful. Because if you slayed somebody, accidentally killed somebody, your whole life changed. You had to flee to a refuge city. You had to take on a whole nother life there.

9:26You see, these were, it's important to realize that these were an intrinsic part of ancient life in the land. They served as a very important role judicially, the civil affairs. This is where your murder trials would be. They were a very intricate part of Hebrew life. And for many, they were an asylum. They were a safe haven, a place of refuge, a place to flee from those who sought your life. So they're important because they were a civil necessity. But number two, they were important because they revealed something about God.

10:07You see, refuge cities were not, they were not man's idea, but they were God's. But the whole idea of the refuge city was born in the mind of God, not in the mind of man. God is committed to innocent life, God is impartial. As Numbers 35, 15, both Jews and Gentiles could use God's. God is merciful. God is proactive. He didn't just set up these cities of refuge after the fact. He knew ahead of time man would need refuge. And so he set up and made provision ahead of time.

10:47But even more than that, and all of that, what this tells us is that God was committed to deeply embedding the idea of refuge in the Hebrew mind, into the Hebrew mind, into the Hebrew culture, because it was through them that one would come that would give refuge to all the nations. And so this whole idea of refuge, God instilled, it was part of their daily world, the idea of refuge. So let's just suppose. Suppose you are living at the time, and this law is in force. Just step into a scenario with me, if you will. Suppose you're cutting down a tree, you and a friend, and all is well with you. Maybe you're going to build a bonfire, right? Or maybe you're going to get some wood for something. But whatever, you are there. All is well. You live a simple life in peace and comfort.

11:52And then something happens that changes your life and turns your whole world upside down. The head of your acts, some freak accident. The axe head flies off and kills your friend. And then all of a sudden, your peace is completely shattered. Everything suddenly changes. There on the ground lies the body of another person, dead because of your own carelessness. Now, think of the distress and dismay which now begins to overwhelm your mind. Not only do you have the loss and remorse you feel for your friend, but fear and terror of the Avenger of blood. You will be treated as a murderer unless you flee and confess to the right authorities. And you know that the closest relative has the duty before family, before country, and before God to take vengeance upon the slain and slay you. And if he does catch you and he does slay you, you will be remembered in history as a murderer. Both you and those you leave behind will bear the stigma of murder. You are no longer safe in your own home. You are unable to find security on any property or any building you own. So where do you go? Up until this time, you gave little or no thought at all to the cities of refuge. You knew about them, but since you had no need of them, you didn't give them much more thought. But all that happens. Changed now. You have killed a person. The places of refuge are now of utmost importance to you. But merely knowing about them is not enough. You must leave all and flee for your life to the place of refuge. You must make haste and flee.

13:52You must flee your former life and flee to a life of unknown duration in refuge. So you hastily make your way to the nearest city of refuge. But you're not safe until you get through the gates. And once you do, then relief begins to calm your soul. You will be safe from the Avenger. And your thoughts now turn upward and you begin to express appreciation to God for His merciful provision. Such is the biblical picture of refuge. But ultimate refuge, as the Bible will go on to reveal, it's more than just a physical location, it is a spiritual condition. And God was committed to the idea of refuge because He Himself would establish Himself as the only sure refuge for humanity. So God is Committed to making himself known as a refuge for his people. And that's what the Bible goes on to teach.

15:12Cities of refuge. Now I want to talk to you about God as refuge and how the Old Testament went ahead and developed this thought. David, 2 Samuel 22, after he was delivered from the hand of his enemies and the hand of Saul, he says this: The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of Sheol surrounded me. The snares of death confronted me. In my distress, I called upon the Lord. Yes, I cried to my God, and from his temple he heard my voice, and my cry for help came up to him. And then in verse 17, he says, He sent on high, he took me, he drew me out of many waters, he delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. And he goes on in verse 31, he is a shield to all who take refuge in him. Therefore, I will give thanks, he says, in verse 50, O Lord, among the nations, and I will sing praises to your name.

16:31David knew God as a refuge. The Psalms, the word specifically for refuge is used at least 40 times, and the concept of refuge far more than that. Psalm 18:30, as for God his way is blameless. The word of the Lord is tried. That is, it proves true. He is a shield to all who take refuge in him. Psalm 38, 8, O taste and see that the Lord is good. How blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Verse 22, the Lord redeems the soul of his servants, and none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. All who flee to him, all who run to him, none of them will be condemned. And that beautiful Psalm 91, he who dwells on the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust. And that whole psalm is one of refuge in God. Psalm 118, 8, it is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. Something everybody needs to learn. Taking refuge, whatever reason for your flight, it is better to take trust in God. The prophets, Isaiah uses this. Concept extensively. In fact, he deals with Israel's problem. Israel's problem was that they kept trusting in man, that they thought safety was in man. In fact, you remember Matthias a couple weeks ago as he shared about the modern state of Israel, that prophetically, there is a day when Israel is going to stand alone. Why? So that they will learn to trust in God alone and not alliances.

18:33In fact, in Isaiah 30, he speaks about how Egypt took, or how Israel took refuge and safety in Pharaoh and sought shelter in the shadow of Egypt. In 57, 13, he says, but he who takes refuge in me, says God, will inherit the land and will possess my holy mountain. I love how the Nahum puts it. The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble. He knows those who take refuge in him. Are you taking refuge in him?

19:08Then he knows you. You see, the need for refuge. Why do we need refuge? Well, divine justice. Divine justice pursues us all like an avenger with a duty and a right to bring every sin and every act of disobeying. Obedience before God and to deal with it as a holy God would. Zephaniah 33:8 says this: Therefore, wait for me, declares the Lord, for the day when I rise up as a witness indeed, my decision is to gather the nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out on them my indignation. All my burning anger, for the earth will be devoured by the fire of my zeal. You see, divine nation pursues every nation and every individual. And the only safety in flight is to God alone.

20:12In fact, coming into the New Testament, what does John the Baptist start with his whole ministry? But when he saw the Pharisees coming, what did he call them? He said, You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? The wrath to come. Where is that refuge? And John will go on to speak about the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, that shelter. So the cities of refuge provide a framework to understand God is our refuge, which then the Bible also develops the truth, the revelation that Christ is our refuge. Christ is our refuge. In fact, Psalm 2, really, this whole concept of Christ, the Son being our refuge begins in the Old Testament. Psalm 2, if you'll remember, why are the nations in uproar and the people devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth have taken their stand and the rulers take counsel against the Lord and against his anointed one, saying, Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us. So the kings of the earth, the picture of Psalm 2, the kings of the earth have assembled together and taken counsel against the Lord and against his Messiah, against his Christ, saying, We don't want them to rule over us. Let us cast away their cords from us. And in verse 12, he said, Well, God laughs at them, and then he says, I have installed my king upon Zion. And he says, He will rule. He will break all other kingdoms and crush and bring them to an end.

22:02He says, Now, therefore, O kings, shown discernment. Worship the Lord. And then in verse 12, he says, This, do homage to the Son, that he, the Son, not become angry and you perish in the way, for his wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in him. It's interesting that Psalm 1 speaks about the blessed individual is the one who. Who meditates upon God's word? Psalm 2 talks about the blessed individual as the one who takes refuge in Christ alone.

22:38And that sums it up: the state of the blessed. Coming into the New Testament, this word for refuge is only used two times. In Acts 14, Paul is in Iconium. The Gentiles and the Jews get together, they're going to stone him, and so he flees to the cities of Lystra and Derby and the surrounding area. A second use, which I want to draw your attention to today, is in Hebrews 6. Hebrews 6. And this is where the hope of the nations is laid out before us. Hebrews 6, look at verse 18. And I'll be looking at all this a little bit, but just real briefly. But in verse 18, I'm going to pick up reading. He's talking about how God made a promise to Abraham and then solidified it with an oath, a promise saying, this is going to happen.

23:38And he did this so that by two unchangeable things in verse 18, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast, and one which enters within the Veil where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. There are several aspects of this text that I want to briefly mention. First of all, the writer is speaking to a mixed group of Hebrews. Some are believers and some are not. There is persecution involved in this context, and some were shrinking away from Christ and being identified with Him.

24:33And then He uses language reminiscent of these refuge cities of old. And he wanted to exhort those who were on the fence to flee from their what I'll call near-salvation condition, what he mentions in verses 4 through 6, which is some of the most frightening words in the New Testament and one of the most controversial issues in the whole book of Hebrews itself. But let me just read it to you. Looking back at verse 4, he's speaking to those, let's press on to maturity, let's press on growing into growing up in Christ, let's press on going forward with Christ. And then he says, This, for in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew. Them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put him to open shame. Wow. What is that? Well, frightful words. Deep warning. I'll tell you this much. Many have thought this, well, what he's saying here is you can lose your salvation. No. I can tell you what he's not saying, because look at verse 9. But contrary to this condition, Beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking to you in this way. Whatever that condition is there in verses 4 through 6, it's not speaking about salvation because shrinking away does not accompany those, is not a sign of salvation. But what he is speaking about there is that there are these people who are vacillating between two opinions, like that generation in the wilderness who saw God do all those miraculous things and drawing them out of Israel, but they still failed to believe and trust him completely. And he's saying, don't be like that. He's saying, get off the fence. Go forward. Take complete refuge in Christ. Don't waver between two opinions.

26:53Listen, this applies to those who are here today who are. May have been intellectually persuaded, but you remain disobedient to the gospel demands of repentance and trust in God. Near salvation. It applies to those who are cultural in their Christianity. Some of you have grown up in the church. Some of you have sung songs all your life, but you have never fled and taken hold of Christ. Leave, flee this condition. This is a frightful condition. That's what he's saying, exhorting. Whatever you do, flee from that. Don't just almost be saved. It doesn't do good enough just to know that there are cities of refuge, but you must leave your country and go to them.

27:52Some people say, never question your salvation. I tell you what, question it. Examine it. Make sure you're in the faith that what is true, what you see in your life is that which is true of a true believer. I tell you what, you don't question, you do not question God's word. But you do need, I mean, your heart is deceitful above all things. If anything that needs to be questions, it's that. Are you really in the faith? Does forgiveness for others pervade your soul? Can you rest in sin? Then you're not a believer.

28:30Test, see if your heart is in the faith, and flee. Make haste to do this. Is your salvation will never question God's word. Listen, don't wait until you're in hospice to start trying to get right with God. I've been there. They get you so doped up on morphine and everything else that it's hard to even have a coherent conversation. Today is the day of salvation. Now, flee now. Make certain. So he wants to exhort those to get off the fence.

29:11But he's second, he wants to encourage those who have taken refuge in Christ. Look back at verse 18. You see, these, like the writer, have fled to faith, to Christ, fled to Christ for a righteous covering. He says, We who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope that is set before us. You see, he wants his audience to take hold, that is, to grasp, to seize, to internalize, to realize the benefit. Take hold.

29:47Take hold. Take hold of the hope that is set before you. And it's a present that is literally setting before you right now. You, brothers and sisters in Christ, take hold of the hope that is literally setting. Setting before us right now. There is hope setting before us today. You see, the writer does not want them or us languishing in despair. He wants us living a vibrant life that is based upon the most solid hope anyone could ever have.

30:24So, how do you live? How do you live? Listen, living your remaining days as a person who's hoping to be saved is very different from living as a person who has a sure hope that he's going to be saved. You understand? In other words, if you're going through life, man, I just hope I get saved. I hope I don't fail. Man, I hope I'm in. I hope at the end of time, that's a very different life than I know the promises of God, and I am going to live my life upon the promises of God, and salvation in him is a given. It's the beginning.

31:02Very different life. And he wants you to live a life built upon a vibrant hope. Two unchangeable things. Verse 17, as he looks back up there. God's promise is unchangeable, and God's oath is unchangeable. So he wants them to live. Look at verse 19. The writer describes this hope as an anchor. This hope we have is an anchor of the soul. A hope both sure and steadfast, and one which enters within the veil. So now the metaphor image is that of a ship at sea in the midst of a violent storm, needing anchor. Refuge is the anchor. And he describes it as a sure anchor, as a sure refuge, a certain one, a sure anchor, a certain one. Think about it. If you've got an anchor, you need about three points. It needs to be connected to the ship. The rope itself needs to be sure, and you need to be locked into the right rock. It's a whole concept: a certain hope, a steadfast hope, one that's going to endure, and one that's into that immovable place. He speaks of that as the holy place within the veil, not just the one that's in Jerusalem, the mere copy, but the eternal one that is in heaven itself, one that ties us to the very heart, soul, mind, and unique presence of God in heaven himself, in heaven itself. That's the kind of anchor. One that isn't has a hope just on this side of heaven, but one that goes through into heaven, into the very throne room of God. Now that is an anchor point.

32:50You see, there's all of us are going to face storms in life, right? There'll be trials, there'll be tribulations, temptations. Perplexities, losses, failures, and all that, Christ is the anchor. And the anchor that all is going to end well, and that everything we go through and everything that we experience has a good and glorious purpose, everything. And that gives stability of soul, does it not? But one of the most troubling storms in all of Scripture is being pursued by divine justice, like the Avenger, but not just a human avenger, a divine Avenger, who has purposed according to his own nature to bring every act of disobedience, to expose it, to punish it, to make his holiness known. And we are not just innocent of unintentional crimes, are we?

34:07But for willful disobedience. We have known his ways and we have rejected them in spite of it. How much more should we fear divine justice? Isaiah 13:11 says this: Thus I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. Writing. God says in Hosea 13, 9, it is to your destruction that you are against me, against your hope. Some of you are living against God, and that is your only hope. And it is to your destruction to be running from God, because he is your only hope.

34:50Isaiah 57, 12, God says this, I will declare your righteousness and your deeds, but they are not going to profit you. So if you're thinking you're going to stand before God in your own righteousness, he's going to declare it to you. He says, let me tell you about your righteousness, and let me show you how woefully inadequate it is. It's not going to be profitable. No, there is only one safety place, and that is in Christ. The wrath of God is like a raging storm of judgment. But knowing, listen, knowing that there is safety is not enough. You must flee for refuge. You must throw the anchor out. You must call upon him. You must put your faith and trust in him. That's the idea of fleeting. And he goes on. In verse 20, the writer gives the basis of the Christian hope. Look at verse 20. Within the veil, in that holy place, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever. According to the order of Melchizedek. You see, Jesus is the anchor. God's salvation promises through Jesus are the anchor for the soul. That is the Christian hope. And listen, Jesus made some incredible promises while he was walking around this earth. Matthew 11:28, he says this: Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. All of you, come. You will find rest. John 6:37 says this: All that the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me, I will certainly not cast out. That's Jesus making an oath. I certainly, there isn't anybody higher to swear by. So he says, I certainly will not cast you out. So our hope, really, in heaven, is not so much on us, but our hope is that Jesus is not a liar. And that's a pretty solid hope.

37:08He says, For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of him who sent me, that of all that he has given me, I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. See, if you are in Christ, know this for sure, that you will see an end to sin in the world. You will see an end to temptation to sin in your own heart, and you will look back upon death through resurrection eyes.

37:42Death will hold no sting for you. John 14:1, here's another one of those incredible promises: Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many dwellings. If it were not so, I would have told you, for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. It's important to understand that Jesus uttered these words, guess what? Before he went to the cross. I will come back for you. And he goes right through the cross, crucified in the most brutal fashion. Death. You see, the resurrection was necessary, right? Because Jesus had made a promise that he was going to come back, and he couldn't come back if he remained dead, and so he rose from the dead.

38:37You see, Jesus made some incredible promises, and guess what? God the Father heard them, and he glorified Jesus anyway. You see, Jesus has entered into heaven. And don't fail to understand what entered into heaven. Jesus took upon himself flesh, and then they crucified him. That flesh, and then he was raised again in that flesh. And what ascended into heaven was glorified human flesh behind the veil in the true heaven. Human flesh in the presence of God. That he didn't just throw his human flesh aside.

39:22He entered into heaven, glorified human flesh, and he entered as a forerunner. Now, what does forerunner mean? It means that some others are coming after him, doesn't it? Yes? And he entered as a high priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. And then the writer of Hebrews launches into this long chapter 7 about the kingness of Melchizedek, but also about his eternal priesthood. In other words, that priesthood is not changing ever. So Christ is our sure hope because, guess what? He is forever our high priest. You know, we're going to stay into that refuge city until when?

40:11Until the passing of the high priest. Guess what? There is no passing for this high priest. He is established forever. And that is the hope that we as Christians have. That our high priest has gone in, glorified humanity, has gone into the presence of God. And he remains there forever. So, you see, we're not going back to our former lives. We are forever in refuge. Or, should I say, our refuge is our eternal home. Our refuge is our inheritance. Daniel described it: that his kingdom will fill the whole earth, it'll crush and put an end to all the others. Isaiah says, At the increase of his government, there will be no end.

41:02And now, looking this side of the cross, having his words written down for us, now that God has walked among us and has spoken to us plainly, we who have taken refuge in him can have a confident hope based upon an eternal fact. It is impossible for God to lie. Hebrews is going to go on and talk about Abraham, chapter 11. He went out when he was called, he left his city to receive an inheritance. For he was looking for the city which has its foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Christ has shown us that way. So, the cities of refuge lay a foundation that we can understand God is our refuge, which then shows us that Christ is our refuge, and this is never going to change.

42:00Christ is our hope. So, as we celebrate the baby in the manger this season, let us look at him in the light of his entire ministry. He is our covering. He is our refuge. He is our eternal righteousness. And he is our living hope. Let's go to him. Heavenly Father, we thank you for what you've laid out before us here in Scripture. We thank you for the hope that we who've come to you, Father, know that it is impossible for you to lie, for you have promised to receive us. We have this confidence, Father, not on this side of heaven, but a confidence that has entered into heaven on our behalf. And so, Father, our hope is sure.

42:57And Father, help us to live in the light of its truth. And Father, for those who do not know you today, Father, I just pray for a regenerating miracle. Father, that you would open eyes, awaken hearts, Father, and let all of us be diligent, never to fall away, Father, but to go on, completely and totally, not content, until we make it to the refuge and through the gates, which is in Jesus your Son. In Jesus' name, amen.