Cities of Refuge
Session 1: Defining the City of Refuge
I.
Identifying the Problem:
As we are going to be spending some significant time looking at this idea of
God’s strategy to develop cities of refuge across the Earth we need to
understand why there would even be need such a thing. To talk about there
being places of refuge implies that the broader landscape and context of life
is in such a state that we would need refuge. To better understand this we
are going to focus on two things, in this session we will look at who it is that
is the one sending the kinds of difficulties that would call for the need for a
city of refuge. Then in our next session we will break down what the Word
says about what that difficulty will actually look like.
A. The Great Tribulation:
There is coming a time of God’s wrath such as the Earth has ever seen
before; it will be accompanied by the greatest outpouring of supernatural
judgments. The judgments that we see now are only a beginning and are
very lite in comparison to what is promised to come. The discussion
about cities of refuge has value in every season of human history but
none so important and pronounced as during the final years of this age.
This reality will be essential to the purposes of God in the decade that
leads up to the end and includes the period commonly referred to as the
Great Tribulation.
“For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the
world until now—and never to be equaled again (Mt. 24:21).”
B. Judgments are Intended as Warnings:
We may be very easily persuaded otherwise, but God is a judge. Our
human sentiments do not like this, the media will villainize us for holding
to it; but the judgments in the Earth are from God to teach the peoples
righteousness and alert a wicked planet that there is a righteous God who
judges sin. These judgments are actually only a warning and are intended
to awaken hearts to repentance before the real judgments break out (Re.
6, 8-9, 16).
“For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world
will learn righteousness (Is. 26:9b NKJV).”
C. Shelter from the Storm:
When we think about the term “refuge,” it brings to mind all sorts of
pictures of those that we have seen and heard about who were fleeing
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disaster and war and the like. They escaped from significant, life
threatening problems and came to safe havens that served to provide
them with refuge from the storm of difficulties. God desires that there be
such places during the coming tailored made storm He has purposed.
II.
Defining a City of Refuge:
While the term city of refuge uniquely describes an Old Testament city that
was set aside by God it is a good picture for us in trying to define what God’s
protection will look like in modern day. Specifically when God releases the
end time judgments across the whole Earth against the Antichrist’s
worldwide government there will be the greatest need for places of
protection and refuge.
A. A Picture of God’s Protection:
In the Old Testament a city of refuge was a place of safety for those who
were fleeing from an avenger in the case of accidental murder. The one
fleeing could find refuge, sanction and protection in one of the limited
cities designated as a city of refuge. There they would be protected from
those who were seeking their life, in these cities the person on the run
could safely wait out the season of their pursuer’s wrath without fear of
harm.
“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you cross the Jordan into
Canaan, select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who
has killed someone accidentally may flee. They will be places of refuge from
the avenger, so that a person accused of murder may not die before he
stands trial before the assembly. These six towns you give will be your cities
of refuge (Nu. 35:10-13).”
“But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which
he has fled and the avenger of blood finds him outside the city, the avenger
of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder. The accused
must stay in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after
the death of the high priest may he return to his own property (Nu. 35:2628).”
B. Sheltered Geographic Regions:
There are many other terms that we could use to describe this same
reality; pockets of mercy, a modern day Goshen or regions of protection.
Any term that we could use would still inadequate to describe the reality
of what we are trying to define; a sovereign zone where God as a rule will
deal differently with those inside that zone than without it. Each term
helps to give us a piece of the picture; describing that there will be real
geographic places, regions, cities, possibly even nations, where God will
deal uniquely with those places during the time of His wrath; the most
note worthy of which is the coming Great Tribulation.
C. Pockets of Mercy:
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Perhaps the phrase “pockets of mercy” is the best fit for naming the
reality we are talking about. There will be little pockets where the mercy
of God is shown in a far greater way than even just outside that pocket.
This term heavily leans on the deliverance of God as related to His
merciful nature while at the same time making it clear that these places
will be rare and relatively small.
D. Scattered Across the Globe:
These locations will hopefully be scattered throughout the globe and
serve the planet in much the same ways that the cities of refuge served
those seeking deliverance in the days of Israel’s history, in the manner
that Goshen served in the midst of the Egyptian plagues, and in the
capacity that Abraham bargained with God for regarding Sodom –had
there only been ten righteous in that city (Ge. 18:16-33).
III.
The God Who Sends Devastation:
God is the sovereign leader over all creation, devastation doesn’t just happen
to a city or nation, disaster comes by the hand of God in connection to the sin
of the people dwelling in a region. The very purpose of the disaster is so that
the people would learn righteousness, repent of their sin and seek God. This
is not a comfortable idea for us but the Bible makes it really clear that God is
the one in charge of devastation. As painful as this is it’s something that the
Church must understand and come to terms with.
“I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I,
the LORD, do all these things (Is. 45:7).”
“The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and
raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts…“For
the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s; upon them he has set the world.
He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness.
“It is not by strength that one prevails; those who oppose the LORD will be
shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the LORD will judge the
ends of the earth (1Sa. 2:6-10).”
A. God Sends City-Wide Disaster:
When disaster comes to a city it is not accidental or uncalculated, the
Lord has total ability over the cities of the world. Disaster to a city means
death and pain and devastation to structures, economy and even culture.
God claims control over such things, that He is sovereign and when
disaster comes to a city it is God that is behind it.
1. Jesus prophesied Jerusalem’s destruction:
Jesus prophesied about a specific city; Jerusalem. He said that it
would be punished and destroyed; things came to pass exactly how he
said they would in 70 AD.
“As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look,
Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” “Do you
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see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be
left on another; every one will be thrown down (Mk. 13:1-2).”
2. Destruction to any city:
It should not surprise us that God has jurisdiction over all the Earth,
able to keep disaster from a city if He wished. But it will perhaps be
surprising to us that when disaster comes to any city, that it is the
LORD who has caused it. This isn’t politically correct to say, but it is
what our Bible’s say.
“Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so? Does a lion
roar in the thicket when he has no prey? Does he growl in his den when
he has caught nothing? Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground where
no snare has been set? Does a trap spring up from the earth when there
is nothing to catch? When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people
tremble? When disaster comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it
(Am. 3:3-6)?”
B. God Sends Foreign Invasion:
The Lord goes further and actually defines a number of ways that He
brings disaster. He says that He is in charge of foreign invasion, as in He
is the one who stirs up one nation against another. Sin is a far more
serious issue related to national sovereignty than we often think.
“I will bring the sword on you to avenge the breaking of the covenant...and
you will be given into enemy hands. (Le. 26:25).”
“For the Lord God Almighty declares, “I will stir up a nation against you,
Israel, that will oppress you all the way from Lebo Hamath to the valley of
the Arabah (Am. 6:14).”
“See, I will stir up against them the Medes…Their bows will strike down the
young men; they will have no mercy on infants…Babylon, the jewel of
kingdoms, the pride and glory of the Babylonians, will be overthrown by
God (Is. 13:17-19).”
C. God Sends National Droughts:
When the people of a nation sin against the Lord that nation is susceptible
to all manner of judgment. Droughts have awful ramifications wherever
they strike. It is a disturbing fact that God sometimes sends a drought to
judge a nation, and no drought has ever occurred apart from His knowing
and permission.
"the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have
sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and confess your
name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, then hear
from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach
them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people
for an inheritance (2Ch. 6:26-27).”
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D. God Sends Famines & Plagues Plus:
God is responsible for sending plagues of every imaginable sort (Ex. 7-12,
Re. 6, 8-9, 16). He takes responsibility for these divine judgments
because His purpose in all of them is that people would repent and turn
to Him.
"When famine or plague…or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or
when enemies besiege them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or
disease may come, and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people
Israel—each one aware of his afflictions and pains, and spreading out his
hands toward this temple- then hear from heaven…Forgive, and deal with
each man according to all he does…so that they will fear you and walk in
your ways (2Ch. 6:28-31)”
“I myself will be hostile toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven
times over. And I will…send a plague among you (Le. 26:24-25)”
IV.
God Sends Death to Individuals & Small Groups:
Devastation can sometimes get intensely personal as God sends death not
just to groups but on specific people in order to make a point and to call
those related to the death into deep repentance. Looking at God’s judgments
as they pertain to individuals is somehow more difficult for us to process
because we are more able to imagine these situations as real and we can
relate to what this would look like in our own sphere of life.
A. Plague of the First Born:
God sent a plague aimed at a very specific group of people within a very
specific geography and demographic; the firstborn child of each Egyptian
home. This was the final blow to an unrepentant nation.
“At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the
firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner,
who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well.
Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night,
and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without
someone dead (Ex. 12:29-30).”
B. David’s Child with Bathsheba:
King David made committed some huge sins including having an
adulterous relationship with the wife of one his soldiers. This affair
resulted in the birth of a child. As a judgment against David God struck
the child with illness and ultimately death.
“After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife
had borne to David, and he became ill. David pleaded with God for the
child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. The
elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but
he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. On the seventh day the
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child died (2Sa. 12:15-18).”
C. Korah’s Rebellion:
During Moses’ leadership over the people of Israel (all of whom God had
just recently supernaturally delivered out of Egypt) Korah rebelled
against Moses and the Lord. God told Moses that He was about to have
the Earth open up and swallow these families whole and then it happened
in front of the entire assembly of people.
“the Lord said to Moses, “Say to the assembly, ‘Move away from the tents of
Korah”…Moses…warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these
wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept
away because of all their sins…if the Lord brings about something totally
new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything
that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead,
then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.” As
soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart and
the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and
all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. They went
down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the
earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the
community (Nu. 16:23-33).”
D. Ananias & Sapphira:
Some would argue that these things are all Old Covenant in nature but In
the Book of Acts we see God responding to people in judgment in the
same way, even to His own people. The power of God broke out against
Ananias and Sapphira in death in the same way that God had brought
death on those who opposed His purposes in times past.
“Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself,
but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. Then Peter said,
“Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to
the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received
for the land…You have not lied to men but to God.” When Ananias heard
this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had
happened. Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and
carried him out and buried him…his wife came in, not knowing what had
happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got
for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” Peter said to her, “How
could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who
buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” At
that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in
and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events
(Ac. 5:1-11).”
E. The Churches of Pergamum and Thyatira:
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Also in the New Testament we see Jesus telling the churches of
Pergamum and Thyatira that He is coming to judge them and that He will
fight against them with His sword, cause some of them to suffer intensely
and actually kill some of them as well.
“You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught
Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by
committing sexual immorality. Likewise you also have those who hold to
the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon
come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth (Re.
2:14-16).”
“I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I
will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit
adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will
strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who
searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your
deeds (Re. 2:21-23).”
F. Individuals at Corinth:
Paul understood the reality of God sending death to people in response to
their choices. He wrote to the Church of Corinth and told them that the
reason some of them had died was because they heaped judgment on
themselves by carelessly taking the Lord’s Supper.
“For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord
eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are
weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged
ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the
Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the
world (1Co. 11:29-32).”
V.
Finding Refuge From God:
A major part of our discussion about cities of refuge will hinge on the
corresponding reality that if God can specify whom He will send disaster and
difficulty on then He can also provide protection and provision for others as
easily. Now that we’ve seen the many ways that God claims responsibility for
judgments sent amongst mankind, hopefully it is clear that the refuge that is
needed is actually a refuge from God and not merely refuge from
circumstances or the evil plots of men.
A. When God is For Us:
It is essential that we understand the power of what it means for God to
either be for us or God be against us. God is always for us in a general
sense but that doesn’t mean nothing bad can happen to us, bad things
happen all the time. We want to curry the kind of favor with Him to
where He decides not only that He loves us, which has been settled in
Christ, but that He wills to protect us from all harm. This sort of
protection is very rare, but when He is for us then nothing can stand
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against us, even His own purposed judgments.
“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who
can be against us (Ro. 8:31)?”
B. When God is Against Us:
We need to understand that the whole world is going to find itself in
opposition against the Lord. The question needs to be asked when God is
the one who is bringing the judgments who or what can protect us from
Him? There is no solution accept to turn to Him and repent; every other
plan will completely fail no matter how mighty or well thought through.
“Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the
Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the
Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.
When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire died
down. So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the Lord had
burned among them (Nu. 11:1-3).”
C. The God Who Delivers:
God has the power to deliver people from disasters of every sort or to
send them. There is no question about His ability; it is all a matter of His
will because He has the power to do whatever He wishes.
“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel up out of
Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms
that oppressed you.’ But you have now rejected your God, who saves you
out of all your disasters and calamities (1Sa. 10:18-19).”
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