Deuteronomy 18:9-19:13
How easily we, like the children of Israel, are influenced by those around us, instead of quietly living for the glory of God our Father who has made us a peculiar people to Himself (1 Peter 2:9). Among the heathen there were many very attractive delusions of Satan, which God told His people, the children of Israel, He would not allow among them. May we be warned against the evils of our day too! We need to be watchful against the little things that would rob us of the love of Christ in our souls, for they creep in so easily and unnoticed.
The True Prophet
It is beautiful to find the promise of the true Prophet whom God would send — even the Lord Jesus Christ. God knew the people could never keep His holy law, and He always had before Him the One in whom He could, and would, find all His delight. That Prophet was coming, and they must not treat Him with indifference. God said He would require it of those who rejected Him. It was a serious thing to break God’s holy law, but it was, and is, far more solemn to reject the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Saviour, for God has no other Saviour but Him. To reject Him means eternal judgment.
If a prophet rose up and spoke in the name of the Lord, they could test and see if what he spoke came true. So God has given us “many infallible proofs” as to the Person and work of His beloved Son. To reject Him is to reject the truth, and those who reject Him are without excuse. Is this statement clear? Surely we do need to be afraid of evil teachings because they are a snare. “Thy Word is truth” (John 17:17).
Instructions for the Cities of Refuge
We now come to the instructions about the cities of refuge. They were to be conveniently located so that the slayer could flee to them. How gracious of God to provide cities of refuge for His erring people, but how much more wonderful that He has provided a shelter from coming judgment for all who flee for refuge to Christ (Hebrews 6:18). He is the true “City of Refuge” for all who put their trust in Him.
There is another point of interest of which we would like to take notice. These cities of refuge in Israel were only for a person who killed someone else unintentionally. There was no pardon under law for presumptuous sins, that is, for people who knew they were sinning and continued in it. Now the Lord Jesus was the One who was killed by His people Israel, and yet in order to provide refuge for them from the judgment they so justly deserved, He said, while hanging on the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). He called it a sin of ignorance, so that future blessing could be assured to them, instead of judgment. How wonderful His grace! These cities were within easy access of anyone who fled to them, but if someone claimed refuge in one of them, whose heart was full of hatred toward the one he killed, he would not be kept in it. He was to be put to death, for the city provided no refuge for such. And so those who continue to be willful rejecters of Christ will be cut off in judgment, and their portion will be eternal hell. An empty profession is no use, just as a man who pretended innocence could not hide in Israel’s cities of refuge.
Further Meditations
1. For what purpose were the cities of refuge?
2. How is the Lord Jesus a good picture of a city of refuge for a believer?
3. A search for “city of refuge” on bibletruthlibrary.org will provide you with many excellent articles on the subject.