Cities of refuge

Numbers Chapter 35

Israel was camped beside the Jordan river across from Jericho and the Lord had Moses instruct the people to give the Levites certain towns to live in, along with pastureland for their herds and flocks.He asked that the Levites have six cities of refuge where a person who has accidentally killed someone could flee for safety. They additionally had 42 other towns, all of which came from the property of the Israelites.

Then the Lord asked that when the Israelites crossed the Jordan into Canaan, they designate these cities of protection from the dead person's relatives who might want to avenge an accidental death. The slayer must not be killed before being tried by the community. These six cities would be three on the east side of the Jordan and three on the west side in Canaan.

If someone strikes and kills another with iron or a large stone, or wooden weapon, or throws a dangerous object or hits with a fist,it must be presumed to be murder and the murderer must be executed. But an accident without premeditation or hostility is an accident, then a judgment must be made between the slayer and avenger, the victim's nearest relative. And the Levites must protect the slayer from the avenger.

If the slayer leaves the city of refuge and the victim's relative finds him outside the city limits and kills him, it will not be considered murder. The slayer should have stayed inside the city of refuge until the death of the high priest and then he may return to his own property.

All murderers must be executed, but only if there is more than one witness. No one will be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. Also never accept a ransom payment for the life of someone judged guilty of murder and subject to execution; murderers must always be put to death. Never accept ransom from someone who has fled to the city of refuge, allowing him to return to his property before the death of the high priest. These rules will ensure that the land where you live will not be polluted,for murder pollutes the land, says the Lord. And no atonement can be made for murder except by the execution of the murderer.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW that if anyone died because of violence, murder was assumed but the suspect not automatically assumed guilty. The cities of refuge represented God's concern for justice in a culture that did not always protect the innocent.

How does this chapter relate to us today? Often in today's society, the adage that one is "innocent until proven guilty" gets reversed. But we don't have to judge one guilty in the courts, do we? We judge them guilty in the press, all media, in our thoughts and words. Sometimes it seems as if the accused is "guilty until proven innocent". Heaven help the innocent who only "look guilty". I think God's plan for cities of refuge were a good thing. God was trying to cover all his bases. The only drawback would be if the high priest was a young man, then the time spent in the city of refuge would indeed be a long stint.

How does the subject of revenge relate to us today? Relatives of the victim don't usually go slay the murderer. Instead the punishment is meted out by the legal system these days. Sometimes we don't agree with the legal system and would like to see abusers and murderers of children tortured. But we must remember that their punishment will be in a fierce fire burning, courtesy of Satan. The ultimate atonement for unrepentant murderers means to burn for eternity.Revenge is ugly, it is an ugly word with an ugly meaning.

Yours in Christ,
Mary