Joshua Chapter 20
The LORD commanded Joshua to speak to the children of Israel to appoint for themselves cities of refuge; three cities namely Kedesh, Shechem and Hebron on the west of the Jordan, and three cities namely Bezer, Ramoth and Golan on the east of the Jordan (20:2; 7-8).
These cities served as refuge for the slayers who killed another person accidentally or unintentionally. A slayer may escape from the avengers of blood and flee to one of the cities of refuge, stand at the entrance of its gate and declare his case in the hearing of the elders of that city. He would be taken into the city as one of the people and given a place to dwell among them.
If the avenger of blood pursued him, they should not deliver the slayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbour unintentionally, but did not hate him beforehand. And he could dwell in that city until he stood before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the one who was the high priest in those days. Then the slayer could return to his own city and his own house, to the city from which he fled.” (20:1-6)
This was according to the law of violence which the LORD spoke through Moses (vs. 2), by which He said, “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered him into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.” (Exod. 21:13)
“And this is the case of the manslayer who flees there, that he may live: Whoever kills his neighbour unintentionally, not having hated him in time past-as when a man goes to the woods with his neighbour to cut timber, and his hand swings a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbour so that he dies-he shall flee to one of the cities and live; lest the avenger of blood, while his anger is hot, pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and kill him, though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated the victim in time past. Therefore I command you, saying, “You shall separate three cities for yourself!” (Deut. 19:4-5)
Commentary:
1. The six cities of refuge offered refuge to slayers who had killed accidentally or unintentionally from the avengers of blood. Those slayers were undeserving of death, who should not be killed by the avengers of blood in pursuit of revenge.
2. According to the Old Testament law given by the LORD, had the avengers of blood pursued and overtaken the slayer, they could kill him. For one could do to his neighbour what had been done to him. “If a neighbour causes disfigurement of his neighbour, as he has done so shall it be done to him-fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has caused disfigurement of a man, so shall it be done of him.” (Lev. 24:21-22)
3. The cities of refuge were sited on the land both to the east and west of the Jordan. To the east of the Jordan, from north to south, the cities of refuge-Golan, Ramoth, and Bezer, were located evenly spread distance-wise from one city to the next. To the west of the Jordan, from north to south, the cities of refuge-Kedesh, Shechem and Hebron, also were located evenly spread distance-wise from one city to the next.
That the cities of refuge were located evenly spread distance-wise, both east and west of the Jordan in the land of Canaan, was to enable the slayers not deserving of death, who had killed accidentally or unintentionally to flee to the nearest city of refuge, lest they be overtaken and struck down by the avengers of blood.
4. The slayer dwelt in the city of refuge until he stood in judgment before the congregation and until the death of the one who was high priest in those days. Then he could return to his own city and to his own house.
Teachings:
1. Jesus Christ is the great High Priest whose priesthood is forever (Heb. 7:24-25). By His death in His body of flesh and the shedding of His blood on the cross, He enabled us who were sinners to be redeemed and to be forgiven of all our iniquities (Eph. 1:7-8).
Believers of the True Jesus Church are cleansed by His blood and justified, when we are baptized in His name (Rom.5:9-10; Acts 2:38, I Cor. 6:11). Therefore there is no condemnation to us who are in Him (Rom.8:1-3).
Henceforth, if we walk in the light as He is in the light, His blood cleanses us from all sins. Hence we ought always to examine ourselves to see whether we are children of the light, doing what is good and right and true (I John 1:7; Eph. 5:8-9).
If we have fallen short of His glory and transgressed against Him, we must confess our iniquities and seek His mercy and forgiveness (I John 1:8-10).
True Jesus Church is liken to the cities of refuge appointed by the LORD for the Israelites during those days, because the Church is where the mercy, grace and salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ is granted on those who believe Him as the great High Priest, who are those for whom He intercedes at the right hand of God the Father (Heb. 4:15-16; I John 2:1-2, Rom. 8:34).
2. The Lord Jesus Christ commands us to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature, baptizing in His name those who believe and repent (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15-16).
Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for one who believes and repents is to be baptised into Him.
Being baptized, one becomes an integral part of His body, the church purchased with His blood (Rom 6:3-5; Gal. 3:27; I Cor.12:13; Acts 20:28). Such a believer assembles together with the brethren in holy convocation in weekly Sabbath day worship.
Thus, congregations of True Jesus Church believers are established in every nation and place where the gospel of salvation, the word of truth is preached and believers are baptised. Such congregations established all over the world, in all nations, among all races and peoples are the cities of refuge. The Lord Jesus Christ being the great High Priest who grants mercy and forgiveness upon all who abide in the truth and believe in the True Church with genuine faith and steadfast hope (Heb 2:17; 10:35-39; Tit.2:11-14).
3. In the work of the promoting of the gospel of salvation in a country and city or town, the Church should aim to establish multiple congregations in the country and in the cities, perhaps two or more in every city. That will convenient the brethren to congregate for worship regularly especially for Sabbath day services.
The places for such assembling of the brethren to worship the Lord Jesus Christ should be spread out evenly over the country or city or town.
For example, in Taipei city, there are more than ten church venues for worship; in Taiwan there are more than two hundred places of worship. In Kota Kinabalu city, there are about ten church buildings where Sabbath services are held.
In Singapore, there are believers congregating in TJC Adam Road and TJC Telok Kurau, at Woodlands 11 and Serangoon 9.
These regular assemblies of believers in worship are when the word of truth is proclaimed, the name of the Lord Jesus is hallowed and the commandment of God to observe the 7th day Sabbath is kept.
On the worshippers who assemble in holy convocation and devotion to the Most High God, the mercy and favour and saving grace of the great High Priest Jesus Christ is abundantly poured down, when they honour Him with their lips and offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving.
Like the slayer who killed a person accidentally or unintentionally yet had mercy to dwell in the city of refuge to which he fled, until judgment before the congregation and until the death of the high priest of those days and then to return to his own city and own house, and not struck down by the avengers of blood, every believer in the True Church is kept by grace, forgiven of sins, and saved for the kingdom of heaven.
If he remains faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ and is submissive to the word of God to abide in the faith and not depart from the spiritual city of refuge which is the True Jesus Church, he shall enter into the eternal heavenly home on the day of judgment before the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:26-27; Heb. 12:22-23, Matt. 25:34 & 46).