Cities of Refuge and People of Refuge

Deuteronomy 19-21; Galatians 3 

“…set aside for yourselves three cities centrally located in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess…so that anyone who kills a man may flee there…That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life…Do this so that innocent blood will not be shed in your land,…”

Deuteronomy 19:2, 3, 5, 10

God instituted cities of refuge so that innocent blood would not be shed in the Promised Land. Anyone who killed the life of another could flee to these Levitical cities and receive a fair trial. God’s desire was that his people be known for their mercy, not their revenge. “It is mine to avenge; I will repay” [says the Lord] (Deuteronomy 32:35). Cities of refuge provided protection from the “avenger of blood”, which is what Jesus ultimately has done for us by paying the death sentence for our sin. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us…” (Galatians 3:13).

Are we living and sharing this gospel of mercy as people of refuge in the world?

“Lord Jesus, thank you for offering me refuge from the curse of sin and death, for your glory.”