The City of Refuge

Joshua 20:1-6

1 Then the LORD said to Joshua, 

2 "Say to the people of Israel, 'Appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, 

3 that the manslayer who strikes any person without intent or unknowingly may flee there. They shall be for you a refuge from the avenger of blood. 

4 He shall flee to one of these cities and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and explain his case to the elders of that city. Then they shall take him into the city and give him a place, and he shall remain with them. 

5 And if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not give up the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unknowingly, and did not hate him in the past. 

6 And he shall remain in that city until he has stood before the congregation for judgment, until the death of him who is high priest at the time. Then the manslayer may return to his own town and his own home, to the town from which he fled.'"

Some have actually willingly committed murder, others have thought it in their heart and not acted upon it and still others have only inflicted bodily harm by putting up their fist and knocking people in the middle of next week. Ha! Some have killed due to negligence. Some have killed because they feared for their own life or their families lives. I will admit that recently I had murder in my heart. When a person wronged my child in the worst possible way, I felt it there deep in side of me! I went to my city of Refuge, Jesus Christ. He let me know that He alone will judge! You are to forgive even when you do not want to! Even when you think you can't, do it!
Ps.46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.


If you think it impossible to forgive, think of this verse, because we were forgiven while we were still in our sin by a holy God who hates all sin and will judge it in truth and righteousness!
Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.


Jer.16:19 O LORD, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in the day of trouble, to you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth and say: “Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit.

Deut.33:27 The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemy before you, saying, 'Destroy him!'

Unlike the cities of refuge who were for the innocent, Christ Jesus is for the guilty and you will find refuge in Him!!