Jesus: Our City Of Refuge!

If you read my last post on the TRESPASS OFFERING which Jesus offered Himself as on the Cross for us, then this post will make a whole lot of sense to you! Do you remember that the TRESPASS OFFERING was specifically for sins committed through IGNORANCE? Hmm…

‘If a soul commit a Trespass, and SIN THROUGH IGNORANCE….;then shall he bring for His TRESPASS unto the Lord….A RAM WITHOUT BLEMISH……and the priest shall make ATONEMENT for him with THE RAM of the TRESPASS OFFERING,….and IT SHALL BE FORGIVEN HIM’! (Lev 5:15-16)

Can you also remember how we saw the connection between the TRESPASS OFFERING and the prayer Jesus prayed on the Cross:

‘…FATHER, forgive them; for THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO’! (Luke 23:34)

Hmm…. Now I believe your mind is refreshed already! With this brief introduction, I’ll like to expose to you another wonderful work of GRACE which Jesus wrought for us on the Cross!

Have you ever heard of ‘THE CITY OF REFUGE’? Hmm….

‘…appoint out for you CITIES OF REFUGE,…that the slayer that killeth any person UNAWARES AND UNWITTINGLY may flee thither….the elders of that CITY shall take him into the CITY…and give him a place….that he may dwell among them….’ (Joshua 20:2-4)

Wow! There is a city called CITY OF REFUGE! This CITY is meant specifically for Trespassers who kills UNAWARES or UNWITTINGLY or OUT OF IGNORANCE to run into! Hmm… But how is this CITY OF REFUGE different from the TRESPASS OFFERING which we earlier studied? When a sinner offers the TRESPASS OFFERING, the major assurance is that…

‘… IT SHALL BE FORGIVEN HIM’! (Lev 5:16)

Yes! But the CITY OF REFUGE takes it a little further! Oh I love the CITY OF REFUGE!!!

‘….if the AVENGER OF BLOOD pursue after him (the trespasser)….THEY SHALL NOT DELIVER THE SLAYER UP INTO HIS HAND…’ (Joshua 20:5)

Wow!!!! Now listen carefully: there are 2 products of SIN!

1) CONDEMNATION BEFORE GOD

2) CONSEQUENCES BEFORE MEN!

Hmm…. Many people understand that by the finished work of the Cross….there is NO CONDEMNATION BEFORE GOD for sins committed by believers! Hallelujah! But…. What about CONSEQUENCES BEFORE MEN! Hmm….

Hear this: The Trespass Offerings averts the CONDEMNATION BEFORE GOD….while the CITY OF REFUGE averts the CONSEQUENCES BEFORE MEN!

Read this again about the City of Refuge:

‘….if the AVENGER OF BLOOD pursue after him (the trespasser)….THEY SHALL NOT DELIVER THE SLAYER UP INTO HIS HAND…’ (Joshua 20:5)

Hmm… In fact, the Slayer will continue to Live in that City of Refuge UNTIL the HIGH PRIEST OF THE CITY DIES!

‘He shall dwell in that CITY….until the DEATH OF THE HIGH PRIEST…..then shall the SLAYER RETURN…’!!! (Joshua 20:6)

Hmm…. So, there is a time-line for dwelling in the CITY OF REFUGE? I can’t imagine the fear in the ‘slayer’ once he notices the High Priest is about to die! The slayer has to return to where he came from and now at the reach of the ‘AVENGER OF BLOOD’!

Now you may be thinking…how does this apply to BELIEVERS TODAY! Do we have any CITY OF REFUGE? Hmm…. Read the below verse carefully! The Bible explains that when we BELIEVED in the finished work of Jesus for us, we ….

‘…have a STRONG CONSOLATION,….and have FLED FOR REFUGE….’ (Heb 6:18)

Oh…oh…. It did not end there! Remember that in this City, once the High Priest dies…that’s all! Now, see who is the High Priest of this our City!

‘…we….have FLED for REFUGE…to lay hold upon the HOPE set before us…we have this HOPE as an ANCHOR OF THE SOUL, both SURE and STEADFAST….whither the forerunner is for us entered,…EVEN JESUS…MADE AN HIGH PRIEST FOREVER….’!!! (Heb 6:18-20)

Did you see that! In the NEW TESTAMENT City of Refuge, JESUS IS OUR HIGH PRIEST! And Guess what? He CANNOT DIE!!!!!!

He has been ‘…made an High Priest FOR EVER…’! (Heb 6:20)

Wow! Did I hear you say ‘Eternal Security’? YES!!! You are 100% correct! It was this City of Refuge that Paul who had persecuted many Christians fled to!

‘I thank Christ Jesus….who hath enabled me…who was once a BLASPHEMER, and PERSECUTOR, and INJURIOUS: ….but I obtained Mercy, BECAUSE I DID IT IGNORANTLY IN UNBELIEF’! (1Tim 1:12-13)

Eh! Can you see the TRESPASS OFFERING and CITY OF REFUGE working effectively in the life of Paul? Hmm…. Some people are suffering some serious SICKNESSES and DISEASES because of some sinful decisions they made in the past! Some people are wriggling in financial poverty due to the sinful actions they indulged in while in their previous job! Some people experience perpetual failure which seems to be what people call ‘generational curse’ due to the sins of their fathers in the past! Some people are constantly attacked with the spirit of worry and depression due to the bad decisions they made in the past that made great opportunities pass them by!

Hmm… These are all signs that the ‘Avenger of Blood’ is voraciously avenging!!! But… I have GOOD NEWS FOR YOU! The city of REFUGE is still wide open!!! His Name is JESUS!!!

‘If Christ be in you…though your BODY BE DEAD BECAUSE OF SIN….hmm….YET THE SPIRIT is LIFE because of RIGHTEOUSNESS –of Christ not your righteousness’! (Romans 8:10)

Wouldn’t you also ‘flee’ into the CITY OF REFUGE where the CONSEQUENCES BEFORE MEN are Graciously averted?

Glory to God!

Never forget: The Bible explains that when we BELIEVED in the finished work of Jesus for us, we ….

‘…have a STRONG CONSOLATION,….and have FLED FOR REFUGE….’ (Heb 6:18)

And for us who have believed… OUR HIGH PRIEST NEVER DIES!!!

Therefore, live ‘addictively’ in the CITY OF REFUGE!

Amen.