Podcast Introduction

Our reading today is Joshua 16-20, and I’m calling the episode “Somewhere To Run”. We’ll be reading about_God’s plan for making sure justice was properly carried out_. We’ll do our “On This Day In Church History” segment, and we’ll hear a comment on last Saturday’s episode.

Thoughts on Joshua 20

In chapter 20 we read about the cities of refuge, or what I’m calling “Somewhere To Run”. Kind of a callback to the 1965 tune “Nowhere To Run” by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. What a great song. I told you I was old. If you like Motown music, look it up.

But I digress.

These cities of refuge were places that someone who had unintentionally or accidentally killed a person could flee and be protected from “the avenger of blood”. As the commentator Matthew Henry put it, these were people who were guilty by hand, but not of heart. 

What is “the avenger of blood”? In Israel at that time, each family had a designated person who had the responsibility to be sure that if someone in that family was murdered, justice would done. This was the avenger of blood. 

God wants murderers to be punished. We know this from Genesis 9:6. “Whoever sheds man’s blood,

his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in His image.”

However, in order to establish that a murder had taken place, there had to be a trial. The cities of refuge were places where the person who had unintentionally or accidentally killed someone could be safe until a trial could happen. The avenger of blood would not be given custody of that person.

If, after a trial, it was shown that the killing was an accident and not a crime of hate or jealousy or rage, then the person would be allowed to stay in that city, and that city only.

It’s interesting to note a few facts about these cities of refuge: all were Levite cities (the Levites were the tribe from which all priests came); these places of refuge were types of, or pointed toward, the refuge that we have in Jesus; they were distributed around the country so that one of them was always within a half day’s journey from anywhere in the country; all the cities were on hills so that they could be seen from a distance, so that if a person were fleeing to one, they could keep their eyes on that place, as we do with Christ.

Reminds me of the old hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”. 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 16-17 NET, Ch. 18 NKJV, Ch. 19 NLV, Ch. 20 HCSB

Support

Please remember that this is a listener supported show. Your support of any amount is needed and very much appreciated. Find out how by clicking here.

When you buy through links on this site, we may earn an affiliate commission, and you will earn our gratitude.