THE CITY OF REFUGE PART ONE

>God commanded that “cities of refuge” to be established. These six cities were to be made available to someone who has killed someone by accident. They could flee to one of these cities and find safety and help. They clearly represent for us a picture of the salvation that is to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Numbers 35:1-34; Joshua 20:1-6 

When a man accidentally killed someone he could flee to one of these cities, and if it was determined that his act had indeed been an accident, then he could find refuge from the “avenger of blood.” 

An avenger of blood is a person legally responsible for carrying out vengeance when a family member has been unlawfully killed or murdered. Mosaic Law allowed vengeance killings carried out by an avenger of blood: “The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when the avenger comes upon the murderer, the avenger shall put the murderer to death” Numb. 35:19; 26–27 and Deut. 19:11–12. 

This Old Testament law is rooted in God’s requirement of a life for a life in cases of murder. Gen. 9:5–6. 

The Mosaic Law regulated the actions of the avenger of blood by providing cities of refuge for the accused. An individual who committed manslaughter, or the unintentional and accidental killing of a person, could find sanctuary in any of designated cities of refuge throughout the land of Israel Numb 35:10–15, 22–25; Deut 19:4–6; Josh 20:1–6. 

Examples include:  

1. Gideon avenge for his brothers who were murdered by the Midianite kings Judges 8:18–21, 

2. Joab avenged the blood of his brother Asahel 2 Sam 3:27–30. 3. And so forth. 

 

In the New Testament, the reverse is the case, ‘NO REVENGE’ Matt. 5:38-45; Rom 12:17–19; 1 pet. 2:21-23; Heb. 10:30