“And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities. So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs” Numbers 35:6-7 (KJV)
God instructed Moses to create certain Cities where those who committed murder could run to for protection from the avenger of blood. The avenger could be a relative of the one who had been murdered. Deuteronomy 19:5-8 refer to the avenger of blood pursuing the killer “in rage.” These cities allowed tempers to cool down without anyone being killed in the meantime. God in his mercies must have given this escape laws because some of the killings were not intentional.
The Levites lived with the people who had killed someone accidentally. This was so because the accused or murderer would be in the greatest need of spiritual counseling. The question is: Do we guide sinners into freedom or we simply concern them as unfit for salvation? How quick and often we call someone a harlot just because she has HIV? Accidental killing would include someone who was negligent? Someone who drove 50 miles an hour through a school zone while reading a text message on their cell phone? (Read Deuteronomy 19:4-6. The key is a lack of “malice aforethought.” The killing was unintentional.)
Mind you, those cities were not jails. We find that, everybody took advantage of them, whether their murder cases were intentional or not.
Today’s city of refuge is Zion (Church), which is the city of the Levites (Men of God). Sinners can take advantage of these cities today. The devil, that old serpent, the dragon is the men slayer and the avenger seeking to steal, kill and destroy. The name of the Lord is also in Zion amongst other forces like: The blood of sprinkling; angels; etc. for our defense and rescue. The Name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and they are saved. “God is our refuge and our strength: A very present help in times of trouble”. – Psalm 46:1(KJV). The bible says: Whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. At the mention of the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess. Use the Name of Jesus today and hang around Zion, and your defense and rescue shall be secured. Call on the name of Jesus today.
Prayer: Father as I run to you today deliver me from the men slayers.
Bro Ejemi Favour