In the Mediterranean Sea off the east coast of Spain is an island called Mallorca. It is the largest of a group of islands owned by Spain, and it has an interesting history.
One of the interesting things on the island are tall stone towers all along the shoreline. They are close enough that each tower can be seen by the next one in line. In this way, every bend of the shoreline can be watched from one of the towers.
These towers were built and used hundreds of years ago when pirates cruised the Mediterranean, looking for easy victims. Before the towers were built, the pirates would come ashore, often killing, robbing and kidnapping people whenever they caught the islanders off guard.
At the same time as they built the towers, the people built a city with a wall around it on the north side of the island. This was called the “city of refuge.” This provided a safe place for the islanders if they needed to escape from the pirates.
When an unfriendly ship came into sight, it was carefully watched from the towers, using lanterns to communicate from tower to tower. If it came in to shore, an alarm was sounded. Everyone who heard the alarm ran for safety with their loved ones and all they could carry to the “city of refuge” with the wall around it.
What good news it is that God, too, has provided a place of refuge for all who know they are sinners and wish to “flee from the wrath to come” (Matthew 3:77But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Matthew 3:7))! “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust” (Psalm 91:22I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. (Psalm 91:2)). Have you run to the Lord Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins? Then you will not have to be afraid of God’s judgment on your sins, because the Lord Jesus paid the price for the sins of all who believe in Him.
Messages of God’s Love 11/3/2024