The Jesus Bible Reading PlanSample

CITIES OF REFUGE

As God’s people made their final preparations to enter the promised land, God commanded Moses to establish six cities of refuge from the towns given to the tribe of Levi, where both Israelites and foreigners living among them who were accused of murder could seek sanctuary. The Old Testament Law allowed for the closest male relative of a person who was killed to seek vengeance for their deceased family member. But if the death was perhaps accidental, the “manslayer” could flee to a city of refuge where the accused would stand trial and, if found guilty of intentional murder by the judges, faced the death penalty. God refused to allow injustice to go unpunished because it would pollute both the people and their land; God’s justice demanded that sin be punished.

But the cities of refuge also pointed forward to Christ, an even better sanctuary and means of dealing with the sins of God’s people. All are guilty of sin and, if forced to stand trial before God alone, would be condemned to eternal punishment; however, God’s people can take hold of Christ as their refuge. He offers them forgiveness from their sins and escape from the death they all deserve (Jn 8:51).

Jesus, I know you are purely good and completely just, so sin must be punished. Thank you for being my sanctuary, my city of refuge, so that I don’t have to bear the punishment I deserve. Amen.