Since the Levites were not given a territory in the land of Canaan like the other tribes, they were given “forty-eight cities” (Numbers 35:7). Six of these cities would be designated as “cities of refuge” (Numbers 35:6). If someone killed someone else unintentionally, he could flee to one of these cities.
“Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, ‘Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, “When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall select for yourselves cities to be your cities of refuge, that the manslayer who has killed any person unintentionally may flee there. The cities shall be to you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands before the congregation for trial”’” (Numbers 35:9-12).
In this article, we are going to notice five key points about these cities of refuge and how they parallel the church today.
Key Points About the Cities of Refuge
The cities were specifically designated – “Then you shall select for yourselves cities to be your cities of refuge, that the manslayer who has killed any person unintentionally may flee there” (Numbers 35:11). These cities were chosen after they reached the promised land (Joshua 20:1-3, 7-9). If someone accidentally killed another person and wanted to flee to safety, he had to go to one of these six cities. If he went to another city, he would not be protected.
The cities were accessible to everyone – “You shall give three cities across the Jordan and three cities in the land of Canaan; they are to be cities of refuge. These six cities shall be for refuge for the sons of Israel, and for the alien and for the sojourner among them; that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there” (Numbers 35:14-15). When we read about which six cities were chosen, we can see that they followed the instruction to designate three on each side of the Jordan river (Joshua 20:7-8). These cities were open “for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them” (Joshua 20:9).
Not everyone could be accepted in the cities – “But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death” (Numbers 35:16). Those who were guilty of murder were subject to the death penalty (cf. Genesis 9:6; Exodus 21:12). When someone fled to a city of refuge, he was to “stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and state his case in the hearing of the elders of that city; and they shall take him into the city to them and given him a place, so that he may dwell among them. Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver the manslayer into his hand…” (Joshua 20:4-5). When the manslayer stated his case to the elders of the city, that was not the final trial (Joshua 20:6; Numbers 35:12); but there had to be reasonable cause to accept him. These cities were “cities of refuge…for the manslayer” (Numbers 35:6), not sanctuary cities for murderers.
One had to reach the city to be safe – “The cities shall be to you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands before the congregation for trial” (Numbers 35:12). One who accidentally killed someone else was only safe in the six designated cities. The “blood avenger” was seeking to kill him “when he meets him” (Numbers 35:21), wherever that might be. This means that he was not safe in his home, on his own land, or in any other place. He was only safe in one of the six cities of refuge.
One had to stay in the city to remain safe – “The congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he fled; and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. But if the manslayer at any time goes beyond the border of his city of refuge to which he may flee, and the blood avenger finds him outside the border of his city of refuge, and the blood avenger kills the manslayer, he will not be guilty of blood because he should have remained in his city of refuge” (Numbers 35:25-28). After judgment had been handed down by the congregation and it was determined that the manslayer was not guilty of murder (Numbers 35:24), he was to remain in the city of refuge to which he fled. If he left the city any time before “the death of the high priest,” he would no longer be protected. It would be his own fault if he was killed.
Parallel to the Church
Safety is found only in the Lord’s church – Salvation is found in the church because Jesus is “the Savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23). While there were six cities of refuge, Jesus only built one church (Matthew 16:18). We cannot join the church of our choice and be safe. Jesus said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted” (Matthew 15:13). If we are part of any church other than His church, we cannot expect to be saved.
The Lord’s church is open to everyone – Isaiah prophesied that people from “all the nations will stream to it” (Isaiah 2:2). When Jesus gave His apostles the Great Commission, He told them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15) and they carried out this commission (Colossians 1:23). The way that God calls people to Him is through the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14). Therefore, through the word of God, the Lord’s church is accessible to everyone wherever they are. Peter said, “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him” (Acts 10:34-35). All who obey the Lord are “one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28; cf. Colossians 3:10-11).
Not everyone can be part of the church – Jesus spoke of those who “shut off the kingdom of heaven from people” and who “do not enter in [themselves]” (Matthew 23:13). The reason why was because they “were unwilling” to come to the Lord (Matthew 23:37). There are certain conditions that must be met in order to be part of the Lord’s church and not everyone is willing to meet those conditions. God adds people to the church (Acts 2:47) after they have met these conditions – belief, repentance, and baptism (Acts 2:37-41). Those who refuse to do these things will not be added by God to the church.
We have to be in the church to be safe – Again, Jesus is “the Savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23). The apostles declared that salvation was only in Christ (Acts 4:12). How do we get in Christ? Paul wrote, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Galatians 3:27; cf. Romans 6:3). Through baptism, we get into Christ and, therefore, into the church (Acts 2:41, 47; 1 Corinthians 12:13). It is not enough to simply be a good person. Cornelius was a good person (Acts 10:1-2), yet he was “ordered…to be baptized” (Acts 10:48). It is also not enough to believe in Christ. Even “the demons also believe” (James 2:19). Those who believed on the day of Pentecost were told to “repent and…be baptized” (Acts 2:36-38). We have to be baptized into Christ to be added to the church in order to be safe.
We have to remain in the church to be safe – After the Lord adds us to the church, we must continue in faithful service to Him. Paul told the Christians in Philippi, “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). If we “drift away” from the word of God and “neglect so great a salvation,” we can be lost (Hebrews 2:1-3). It is possible to “shrink back to destruction” (Hebrews 10:39). We cannot say we have been in the church long enough and can, therefore, go back to the world without consequences. Jesus said, “The one who endures to the end, he will be saved” (Matthew 24:13; cf. Revelation 2:10).
Conclusion
Examples in the Old Testament like the instructions about the cities of refuge are useful to us. They help explain principles about how we can be saved and what our responsibility is in our salvation.
If we want to be saved today, we need to be in the Lord’s church. Once there, we need to remain faithful to the Lord so that we do not forfeit our salvation.
