Deuteronomy 19:1-13: a reflection

1When the LORD your God cuts off the nations whose land the LORD your God gives you, and you succeed them and dwell in their cities and in their houses, 2you shall set apart three cities for yourselves in the middle of your land, which the LORD your God gives you to possess. 3You shall prepare the way, and divide the borders of your land which the LORD your God causes you to inherit into three parts, that every man slayer may flee there. 4This is the case of the man slayer who shall flee there and live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, and didn’t hate him in time past— 5as when a man goes into the forest with his neighbor to chop wood and his hand swings the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and hits his neighbor so that he dies—he shall flee to one of these cities and live. 6Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the man slayer while hot anger is in his heart and overtake him, because the way is long, and strike him mortally, even though he was not worthy of death, because he didn’t hate him in time past. 7Therefore I command you to set apart three cities for yourselves. 8If the LORD your God enlarges your border, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land which he promised to give to your fathers; 9and if you keep all this commandment to do it, which I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to walk ever in his ways, then you shall add three cities more for yourselves, in addition to these three. 10This is so that innocent blood will not be shed in the middle of your land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, leaving blood guilt on you. 11But if any man hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises up against him, strikes him mortally so that he dies, and he flees into one of these cities; 12then the elders of his city shall send and bring him there, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 13Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall purge the innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with you.

God commands Israel to set aside cities of refuge, places to which a person who had killed someone accidentally, without hatred or intent, could flee for safety from the avenger of blood. There the manslayer would be protected, given a refuge from vengeance, a place to flee and live. The law carefully distinguishes the one who killed unintentionally, who could find refuge, from the deliberate murderer, who could not. It was a provision of mercy, a place of safety for those who needed it.

Notice the provision God made: a refuge, a place to flee to for safety. In a world where the avenger of blood might pursue in hot anger, God provided appointed places where one could run and be safe, sheltered from the pursuit. It was mercy built into the law, a way of escape, a refuge for those in danger. Christians have long seen in these cities of refuge a picture of something greater: a place to flee for safety, which we find fully in Christ.

For Christ is our refuge, the one to whom we flee for safety from all that pursues us, our sin, our guilt, the judgment we cannot escape on our own. As the manslayer fled to the city of refuge and was safe, so we flee to Christ and find shelter. When you are pursued by guilt, by fear, by the weight of your own sin, remember that God has provided a refuge. Flee to Christ, your city of refuge, and find in him the safety and shelter that no other place can give. The God who provided refuge for Israel has provided a greater refuge for you; run to him, and be safe.

Lord, you provided cities of refuge for your people, appointed places where those in danger could flee and be safe from the pursuer. Thank you that you have provided a greater refuge in Christ, to whom I can flee from all that pursues me, my sin, my guilt, the judgment I cannot escape on my own. When I am pursued by guilt or fear or the weight of my own failures, help me run, as the manslayer ran to the city of refuge, and find shelter in Christ. You are my refuge and my safety; let me flee to you and be safe. Thank you for making a place of refuge for one like me.