REFUGE FROM THE AVENGER Monday May 25, 2015
Text: Joshua 20:1 – 6 Memory verse: v 3
The idea behind these cities of refuge (Joshua 20:1, 2) was not to provide a screen for guilty persons, but to give someone who accidentally killed another person protection from the vengeance of the dead person’s relatives (avenger) until the facts could be established. There he would be tried by the elders of the city to determine whether the death had resulted from accident (manslaughter) or premeditated murder in the first degree (see Numbers 35:15 – 24).
If guilty, the person was turned over to the avenger. If not guilty of murder, he was expected to stay in the city of refuge he chose until the death of the nation’s ruling high priest (Numbers 35:28). At that time he was free to go wherever he wished and the avenger was forbidden to harm him in any way. If he left the city of refuge before the death of the current high priest, he could be attacked and killed. This way for handling cases of homicide represented a great advance over the law of the desert (punishment).
Our refuge is Christ as against the city in Old Testament. Devil is the avenger who is always out to destroy us because of sin but God has raised Jesus Christ as our refuge that when we run into Him, we will be saved. Even this idea was even conceived in the Old Testament (See Psalm 14:6; 28:8; 46:1; 91:2, 4; 144:2). Have you made Jesus your refuge against all forms of evil, attacks of the enemies, death, Satan, etc?
Food for Thought: Is Jesus your refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble?
Prayer: Lord, I surrender myself to you as my refuge against all evil, the world, sin and Satan in Jesus name.
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