“Refuge of Grace”
“These
were the appointed cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who
sojourns among them, that whoever kills
any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the
avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation.” (v.9)
The cities
of refuge (listed in ch.20) were not for Hebrews only, but for whosoever had killed any person without
malice or forethought, but quite unintentionally. If some poor Gentile,
sojourning among the chosen people, suddenly found himself liable to the
pursuit of an avenger of blood - the gates of the refuge city were open to him.
And the elders of the city were bound to give him a place that he might dwell
safely and rest in peace (v.4) until justice was served (v.6).
If the
accused was convicted of murder, a relative of the victim was permitted to
avenge the murder by taking the life of the guilty person (v. 19). Even if he
was deemed innocent of malicious, intentional murder, causing a death was still
a serious offense, and the offender couldn't leave the city of refuge until the
death of the high priest without fearing for his life (vv. 26-28).
We may
wonder at this, but God wanted to stress that all life is valuable, and there
is punishment for murder and consequences even for accidents. Yet God still
demonstrated His mercy by instituting protections in the legal system and by
providing cities of refuge.
God places
tremendous value on human life. He would do anything to save a life, but He
can't ignore justice to do it.
The Truth
“Now I saw
heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness
He judges and makes war.” (Revelation 19:11)
