Cities of Refuge

In the Old Testament, God instituted cities of refuge for people to flee for refuge. Please read Numbers 35: 9-34 for all the details concerning the cities of refuge. Here I’d like to discuss what these cities really stood for.

There were 6 cities - Kedesh, Shechem, Hebron, Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan (Joshua 20:7-8).
It was put into place for those who committed unintentional murder/manslaughter to flee from the family of the deceased.
Once a person fled to one of the cities, they would explain the situation to the elders of the city. If the elders and congregation of that city are convinced, they will ensure that the person goes back to their hometown to have a trial. If the situation is indeed deemed as manslaughter, the congregation will take the guilty person back to the city of refuge.
He is supposed to stay there until the death of the high priest. If he leaves before the death of the high priest, an avenger from the family of the deceased can kill him and not be considered guilty. But if he remains in the city, he will be given safety and refuge.

God had instituted these 6 cities in a manner so that there were 3 located on either side of the Jordan River. This meant that there was no place in Israel at that time that was not just 1 day’s journey away from a city of refuge. These cities were not just for Israelites, but also for foreigners who were in Israel and committed that same crime. The roads to these cities were kept maintained and open so that a person could easily get to one of the cities in a time of need.

See the map and table below for additional information regarding the cities of refuge.

CHRIST

In the New Testament, we don’t see a focus on cities of refuge, because we have a greater source of refuge and hope - Jesus Christ.

Christ is within easy reach of any person in need. As long as we call out to Him, confess our sins, repent, and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we are saved.
Unlike the cities of refuge, you can come to Christ no matter what kind of sin you have committed. You are not defending your actions before Him, just confessing them to Him.
Unlike the cities of refuge, there is only one source of refuge and that is Christ.
Christ is our High Priest and with His death, we were saved from our sins and receive eternal life with Him as His children.

Let’s look at some verses which represent Christ as our refuge.

1 Corinthians 1:30,31 - But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
Luke 15:4 - “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?
Psalm 91:2 - I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”
Proverbs 18:10 - The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.
John 10:27-29 - My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
Psalm 9:9 - The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble.

Summary

In the Old Testament, God instituted the cities of refuge. In the New Testament, God sent His Only Son, Jesus Christ, to be our refuge and hope. Here is a summary of what we have seen with both the cities of refuge and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ and the cities of refuge are within easy reach to the person in need
- The cities of refuge were located within a day’s journey of any place in Israel
- Christ is only a prayer away and is always with us
Christ and the cities of refuge are open for all
- Both Israelites and foreigners visiting Israel could go to cities of refuge
- Christ is available to all people - Jew, Gentile, rich, poor, etc.
Christ and the cities of refuge are the only alternatives for those in need
- In the Old Testament, the only way to escape retribution for manslaughter was to flee to the cities of refuge
- In the New Testament and beyond, the only way to escape eternal damnation and hellfire is to accept Christ as your personal Savior
Christ and the cities of refuge provide protection within their borders
- While living in the cities of refuge, the guilty person is protected from those wishing to punish him for his crime
- After we have accepted Christ, our salvation is secure and we are protected from hell
Christ and the cities of refuge provide full freedom by the death of the High Priest
- For those who flee to the cities of refuge, they can only return to their normal lives and hometowns after the death of the High Priest who was alive when they committed the crime
- Christ is our High Priest. His death on the cross provided us freedom from our sins and by accepting Him we receive eternal life.