Such arrangements may seem a little primitive to us but it is important to bear in mind that there is no evidence of any similar sort of arrangement in other ancient near eastern cultures. There is a degree of sophistication in Israel's approach to murder and manslaughter then and no doubt important principles of jurisprudence are contained in the idea and should shape legislation and practice in the nations of the world.
At the same time in the city of refuge we have a wonderful picture of part of what the Lord Jesus Christ does for sinners. As the Puritan Thomas Manton once put it “Christ is a believer's City of Refuge, or the alone sanctuary for distressed souls.” One 19th Century writer, a W J Armitage, so warmed to this theme that he went to town on it and wrote a book spiritualising all six cities of refuge in different ways to bring out various aspects of this truth (See here).
Without condoning all such spiritualising we ought to remember that Jesus Christ is the only refuge for sinners. The idea of God as a refuge, the one to run to in trouble, is everywhere in the Scriptures especially in the Psalms. In Psalm 2:12 we read of the Son Blessed are all who take refuge in him. The IVP Dictionary of Biblical Imagery suggests that the idea of refuge was very much informed by the existence of these cities and says that for the average Israelite provided "an image at once of safety, protection from pursuit, a renewal of life that would otherwise be doomed and a kind of salvation."
Such thoughts inform some of our hymns - Let me to Thy bosom fly ... Other refuge have I none; Let me hide myself in Thee, etc. Charles Wesley wrote this short poem on the subject
Our City of defence, to Thee,
From the avenger, Lord we flee,
Who in Thy Death confide;
Justice divine pursues in vain
The men who God Himself have slain,
When sheltered in Thy side.
Jesus is indeed a city of refuge for all who flee to him. It is important then to do two things:
1. To flee to him. We are sinners. We are guilty. However, if we hide in him, we will be safe – in this case, even though we have deliberately sinned against God. He will keep us safe and we will be spared. If a person should leave the city of refuge then he had no protection. There is no protection for us outside of Christ. We must go on hiding in him.
2. Further, we must not only hide in Christ ourselves but be eager to see others saved too. Just as the cities of refuge were numerous, near to all and with good roads so we must do all we can to make Christ available to all through the preaching of the Word. They say that the roads to the cities of refuge were not only good but well signposted – that is how it must be today with regard to Christ. We must cry out to people 'This way! This way!' We must do all we can to bring them safely to Jesus.
Matthew Henry says rightly (commenting on Deuteronomy 19:11-13) “It may be alluded to to show that in Jesus Christ there is no refuge for presumptuous sinners, that go on still in their trespasses. If we thus sin wilfully, sin and go on in it, there remains no sacrifice, Hebrews 10:26. Those that flee to Christ from their sins shall be safe in him, but not those that expect to be sheltered by him in their sins. Salvation itself cannot save such: divine justice will fetch them even from the city of refuge, the protection of which they are not entitled to.”
The cities of Refuge were not designed to protect murderers and salvation in Christ was never designed to give sinners an excuse to go on in their sins. No, those who take refuge in him must break with their sins and be done with them. They cannot hold on to their sins. It is vital that we see that. Do we? Flee to Christ and turn from sin.
One other anonymous verse I came across says
Six Refuge Cities all in one -
For Christ is all in all!
And they who are in Him, are where
No evil can befall.
But out of Him no Refuge is
No other Name neath heaven
To be the sinner s hiding place
Hath God to mortals given.
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