The Cities of Refuge Pt 2

This the second part of a study on the Cities of Refuge.

It was the express command of the Lord both to Moses and to Joshua that they mark out six cities of refuge within the inheritance of the twelve tribes of Israel. There are three key passages dealing with this topic: Num ch 35; Deut ch 19; Josh ch 20.

This provision had been foretold by the Lord to Moses as early as at Mt Sinai: Ex 21:12,13 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.

On the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho forty years later the Lord made this matter more fully known to Moses.Moses passed on this fuller information to the people, Deut 19:1-13.

Around seven years later, as the initial conquest of Canaan is coming to a close, this command is reiterated to Joshua, who is now the leader of the Israelites. Among the 48 cities that were to be given to the Levities around the land of Canaan and on the eastern side of Jordan six cities were to be marked out as cities of refuge.

They were Kadesh in Galilee, Shechem in Mount Ephraim, Kirjath-arba or Hebron in Judah; crossing over Jordan and up the other side there was Bezer in Reuben, Ramoth in Gad and Golan in Manesseh.

There is much taught by type in the existence of these cities about the work of redemption.

These cities are significant for their:

1. Desirability
2. Accessibility
3. Visibility
4. Endurability
5. Teachability