In the book of Joshua, we learned how, “the LORD also spoke unto Joshua, saying, speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spoke unto you by the hand of Moses. That the slayer that kills any person unawares and unwittingly may flee there: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood”, and in chapter twenty and verse four of Joshua we learn how the LORD told Joshua what the person was to do, “that does flee unto one of those cities” where we read,
And when he that does flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.
The verse reads, “And when he that does flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, …” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and when he that does flee” which means “and at the time and moment he, the person who kills another person, departs, takes flight and escapes” “unto one of those cities” or “to a certain or particular one pertaining to those, the cities of asylum, dwelling places or places of wakening” “shall stand at the entering of the gate” which means “will remain upright and erect before the doorway, opening or entrance” “of the city” or “belonging to the dwelling place or place of wakening”. Joshua or the writer shared how Jehovah God gave instructions to the person who kills another person and runs to the entrance of the dwelling places of asylum.
The verse continues, “… and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.” Joshua or the writer added the words, “and shall declare his cause” which means “and will utter and proclaim his, the person who kills another person’s, speech, word and utterance” “in the ears of the elders of that city” or “within the hearing of the physical ears belonging to the pertaining to the aged or older men belonging to that dwelling place or place of waking”, “they shall take him” which means “they, the elders of the city, will receive, gather in and collect him, the person who kills another person” “into the city unto them” or “in the dwelling place or place of waking to them, the person who has killed another person”, “and give him a place” which means “and grant, bestow and assigned to him, the person who has killed another person, a territory, location and spot of standing”, “that he may dwell among them” or “so he, the person who has killed another person, might abide and live within in the midst of them”. Joshua or the writer said the person who kills another person would be able to tell the “elders” within the city of refuge their “cause” and the “elders” were to receive and provide a location for the person to live in the midst of them.
When we think through the words in this verse, we learn how Jehovah God gave instructions to “Joshua” concerning the time and moment a person who kills another person runs to the entrance of the “city of refuge”. The person to present their “cause” in front of the aged and older men within the city, and these men were to receive and find a location where they could dwell within the midst of them. This place of asylum was to be used to avoid being killed by the next of kin, (See Numbers 35:15-24) so the city was to be a place of refuge, salvation and preservation. A personal relationship with Jehovah God through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days is similar to a “city of refuge”. When we submit our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and help us to live in His “refuge” and presence all the days of our lives. (See John 3:16; 16:13; Acts 1:8; Revelation 4:11)
Next time we learn how the LORD told Joshua, “if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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