Slices
Prepare
Is God’s justice a thing to be concerned about or to celebrate? Ponder this: ‘He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap’ (Psalm 113:7, NIV). Praise God for his justice and love.
Bible passage
Cities of refuge
20 Then the Lord said to Joshua: 2 ‘Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, 3 so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood. 4 When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state their case before the elders of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them. 5 If the avenger of blood comes in pursuit, the elders must not surrender the fugitive, because the fugitive killed their neighbour unintentionally and without malice aforethought. 6 They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled.’
7 So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. 8 East of the Jordan (on the other side from Jericho) they designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan in the tribe of Manasseh. 9 Any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing among them who killed someone accidentally could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.
Explore
In the ancient world justice was not easy to come by. There were no police investigators able to determine if a killing was deliberate or the result of an accident.
In the light of this, God’s establishing of six cities of refuge comes as an act of grace and mercy to this emerging nation. Their locations were carefully planned to enable easy access across the length and breadth of the country (vs 7,8). Careful instructions are given to ensure that the one who had committed manslaughter was protected until they could be properly tried (v 4).
The provision of these cities reflects God’s concern for both life and justice. A life is preserved from the vengeance of an aggrieved family. Yet justice is also recognised through a time of exile for the one who caused the unintentional death (v 6).
Our God delights in providing justice (see Psalm 9:9; Luke 1:52,53). Where in your local community is this needed today? What is the role of the church in modelling such mercy?
Respond
Pray for God’s justice and peace to prevail in the world. This week look out for an opportunity to act as an ambassador of God’s good news, especially for those seeking refuge.
Deeper Bible study
‘In order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.’1
God’s instruction for cities of refuge reflects his passion for justice and the sanctity of human life. While the procedure seems strange to us in our world of sophisticated legal institutions, we should recognise in it ‘a deep respect for the value and dignity of each human being, as well as a feeling of grief and outrage when the gift of life is subject to violence and death’.2
In the ancient world, there was a belief that murder and manslaughter pollute the land; both require atonement. It was the responsibility of the avenger of blood to achieve justice for family members.3 The process of refuge seems to have three aims – saving the life of the fugitive, purging the guilt of innocent blood and preventing the risk of further bloodshed.4 Note that God’s concern for justice includes both the victim and manslayer. The manslayer is simultaneously innocent and guilty. While he is protected from the avenger of blood because he has not intended to kill, he is effectively a prisoner in the city of refuge because he has taken a life.
The phrase ‘until the death of the high priest’ (v 6) is puzzling. As the high priest was the only national official at the time, his death would represent the end of an era. Another suggestion is that the refugee was assigned to work for the high priest and is released from the obligation on the latter’s death. As early as Jerome (c 347–420) the difficulty of a literal interpretation led to the high priest being seen as a prophetic reference to Jesus as the high priest in a city of refuge.5 As quoted above, Hebrews refers to Jesus as a faithful high priest whose death atones for our sins.
Over the years the Christian community has contributed much to the reform of penal institutions and practices. What injustices do you see in your society that you should address?
1 Heb 2:17 2 Hamlin, p131 3 Num 35:19 4 Num 35:6–34; Deut 19:1–14; cf Sam14:11 5Jerome, Defense Against the Pelagians, 1.33, FC 53:279
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: 1 Samuel 29–31; 1 Corinthians 2
Pray for Scripture Union
Please pray for Rooted hubs that will be developing as follow-up from outreach across Anfield in Liverpool. Pray too for Rooted groups across England and Wales who are booked onto the Rooted retreat in September (postponed from June), that this will give them an opportunity to respond to the good news of Jesus.
