Numbers
chapter 35 instructs God’s people about two important concepts: (1)
ministers should live among the people, and (2) cities of refuge.
The chapter begins with God commanding the people “to
give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance of the
Israelites“.
Remember the Levites were to minister alongside the priests and God
said in Numbers 8, “The
Levites will be Mine… I have taken the Levites in place of the
first born sons of Israel“.
The Levites were to receive all the tithes of Israel “as
their inheritance”
in order to free up the priests to work in the Tent of Meeting
without distraction. The Levites did not have their own separate
region, but were to live dispersed among the other tribes. What a
great reminder to us today that as God’s ministers, we must not
isolate ourselves from those around us that are hurting. The primary
role of a believer is to be salt and light in the world. “Let
your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and
praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew
5:16)
Of
the forty-eight cities the Levites are given, six are to be “cities
of refuge to which a person who has killed someone may flee“.
Theses cites of refuge were established, “So
that a person accused of murder may not die before he stands trial
before the assembly”.
The chapter then reviews the circumstances that distinguish a murder
from a homicide. “If
a man strikes someone with an iron object, so that he dies… or has
a stone and he strikes someone and he dies… a wooden object hits
someone and he dies… with malice and aforethought shoves another or
throws something at him intentionally… in hostility hits him with
his fist so that he dies, that person shall be put to death“.
Notice the means of death is not important, it is the intention of
the aggressor. The text adds, “The
avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.”
It appears that it was the God-given duty of a family member to make
sure the guilty person receives the death penalty, even if he must do
it himself. Allowing the guilty to go unpunished pollutes the land.
“Anyone
that kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer… Do not
pollute the land… bloodshed pollutes the land“.
If
someone is killed “without
hostility… and he did not intend to harm him… the assembly must
protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send
him back to the city of refuge… until the death of the high
priest“.
The innocent man is safe as long as he remains in the city of
refuge, “but
if the one accused ever goes outside the city limits of the city of
refuge… and the avenger of blood finds him… he may kill the
accused without being guilty“.
If you feel like a fugitive on the run, understand that spiritually,
Jesus is our city of refuge. We are all guilty of sin and living in
Christ is our only protection. Satan is the accuser, but our God is
so merciful. “But
no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness“.
As believers, it is our “inheritance” to minister God’s grace
in our region as well. I pray that God makes you a place of refuge
for those around you today.