Homicide Refuge

Synopsis     Deuteronomy 19:4-13     3/1/2018

Moses reiterated the law concerning inadvertent homicide. A person whose actions cause the death of another person but without malice can escape the “life for life” provision of the law. In order to do so, the killer must flee to a designated city of refuge. In this place, the avenger of blood cannot exact vengeance.

Moses also anticipated that more cities of refuge should eventually be added. As Israel grew in size it was important to preserve this element of both justice and mercy. This provision should not be diluted simply by the length of the distance from the nearest city of refuge.

Jesus as a City of Refuge

I am a refugee.

Jesus died at the hands of human beings. Men and women; people who are just like me. They killed Jesus thinking they were justified. They thought they were right to kill Him.

And Jesus allowed all of this. He accepted their misunderstanding. He accepted their hatred. He accepted their cruelty. And He forgave.

When the people of Jerusalem killed Jesus, they didn’t do it alone. They acted out the core emotion of every man and woman who have ever been separated from the God of creation. They rejected the moral claims of the one, true God.

Like Adam and Eve, they were deceived. They acted out of their fear. They acted out of their mistrust.

And Jesus was dead. He was left hanging on a tree.

They were glad – Glad to be free from the claims of the God of creation. Glad to return to the God they had put in a box, in a temple, in a sacred city. The God who had been tamed.

And I was glad too. Because we all want God in a box, in some far away temple, in some sacred city. Somewhere that doesn’t affect my life too much.

It was a murder in utter ignorance. We called it self-defense. He seemed to attack our very being – everything we once believed was valuable and important.

Hard to believe we could so often be so blind.

Yet even in this – there is a city of refuge. Jesus is the city of refuge. I am a refugee.

“and which none of the rulers of this age knew; for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” 1 Cor 2:8