Thank you Andrew for leading us and what a wonderful time of worship this morning. Good morning to everyone; another beautiful day!

We have a most interesting passage before us this morning. In the days of the wandering in the wilderness and the conquering of the land that we've been studying in the book of Joshua, Israel was a large nation in number—perhaps two million, some say three million. But they were a nomadic people, shepherds and an agricultural community, surviving from the land. They did not have a culture quite like we have today, and they did not have a justice system such as ours today. 

God gave commandments in the law of Moses. He gave very specific regulations as to how crimes were to be handled. They did not have any jails, no long times to await trial with lots of lawyers and hearings and so forth. Justice was dealt out swiftly according to the law of God and the law was clear: specific punishment for specific crimes. 

I want to look at one example in Deuteronomy 21. If you'd turn to Deuteronomy 21 with me... I'm sorry; I think it's Exodus 21. I have the wrong reference there, Exodus 21 at verse 22. 

Exodus 21:22 says, "If men fight and hurt a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman's husband imposes on him, and he shall pay as the judge is determined. But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life." 

In this expression "any harm follows," it would be the death of the child. Here we have an example: two men are fighting, they hit a woman with child and cause her to go into labor and deliver the child prematurely. If the child lives, then there is a fine, but if the child dies, then that man shall be put to death. It's an interesting commentary on the unborn child. Notice that it is a child, and its death is punishable by death. God believes in capital punishment: a life for a life. 

However, sometimes a man accidentally, with no intention, kills another man, and that's a different story. Turn over now to Deuteronomy 19 with me please. Deuteronomy chapter 19, which is kind of a premise for our text this morning in the cities of refuge. 

Deuteronomy 19:1 says, "When the Lord your God has cut off the nations whose land the Lord your God is giving you, and you dispossess them and dwell in their cities and in their houses, you shall separate three cities for yourself in the midst of your land, which the Lord your God is giving you to possess. You shall prepare roads for yourself and divide into three parts the territory of your land, which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, that any manslayer may flee there." 

And this is the case of the manslayer who flees there that he may live: "whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, not having hated him in time past, as when a man goes to the woods with his neighbor to cut timber and his hand swings a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies, he shall flee to one of these cities and live. Lest the avenger of blood, while his anger is hot, pursue the manslayer and overtake him because the way is long and kill him, though he was not deserving of death since he had not hated the victim in time past." 

Therefore, I command you, saying, "You shall separate three cities for yourself." 

Now if the Lord your God enlarges your territory as he swore to your fathers and gives you the land which he promised to give to your fathers, and if you keep all these commandments and do them, which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and to walk in his ways, then you shall add three more cities for yourself besides these three. Lest innocent blood be shed in the midst of your land, which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and thus guilt of bloodshed be upon you. 

But if anyone hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises against him and strikes him mortally so that he dies and he flees to one of these cities, then the elders of his city shall send and bring him from there and deliver him over to the hand of the avenger of blood that he may die. Your eyes shall not pity him, but you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with you. 

Interesting to observe here that shedding innocent blood on the land is a corruption of the land that brings judgment from God, and maintaining justice brings the blessing of God that it may go well with you, he says. 

We have so much corruption in our land today, and innocent blood being shed. But the lesson here is that if the death is intentional, premeditated, and out of hate, then life for a life—immediately, swiftly. But if the death is accidental, such as in the example given here of the axe head coming off and striking a man and killing him, then God makes provision for a place of refuge. 

The man did not intend to kill him; he did not hate him before nor plan or premeditate the death of his neighbor. It was just an accident. But the relatives of this man, the avenger of blood, in the heat of the moment would seek vengeance to kill the man. So God makes a place of refuge, specified cities where the manslayer can go to plead his case and remain until the moment has passed and a judgment can be given. 

In this, we again see a picture, a shadow, a type of Christ in the city of refuge. Hebrews 6:18 says that we have laid hold of the hope by fleeing to the city of refuge that is Jesus Christ. Jesus is our city of refuge! 

We have come to Mount Zion, a place of refuge. Jesus is our refuge, and we see that only Christ—only the city of refuge—am I safe from wrath. Am I safe from the avenger of blood? Only if I stay in that city of refuge. Am I safe only in Christ? 

God has provided a practical solution to the issue of manslaughter, of accidental death of a neighbor: a city of refuge in the promised land, in fact, six cities, so that the place of refuge is always close nearby. 

In this, we see a picture of Christ. Paul says in Romans 10, "But what does it say? The word is near you in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith which we preach. That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." 

"For the scripture says whoever believes on him will not be put to shame, for there’s no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who will call upon him. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." 

Salvation is near you, available to all who will call upon him—a place of safety, of refuge from the wrath of God. And that salvation, the place of refuge, is Jesus Christ. 

Let's look at our text in Joshua 20 at verse 1. The Lord also spoke to Joshua, saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses.' We just read that in Exodus 19, that the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there, and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood." 

"And when he flees to one of those cities and stands at the entrance of the gate of the city and declares his case in the hearing of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city as one of them and give him a place that he may dwell among them." 

"Then if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand because he struck his neighbor unintentionally but did not hate him beforehand. And he shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment and until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the slayer may return and come to his own city and his own house, to the city from which he fled." 

So they appointed Kadesh in Galilee in the mountains of Naphtali, Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, Kerjath Arba, which is Hebron in the mountains of Judah, and on the other side of the Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness of the plain from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh. 

These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwelt among them, that whoever killed a person accidentally might flee there and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stood before the congregation. 

I've given you four points on your outline. First, we're going to see that God gives the refuge. Second, what's in a name? Third, stay in the place of refuge, and fourth, Jesus is our city of refuge. 

Well first, we see in our text that God gives the refuge. The Lord spoke to Joshua saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses.'" This is God's idea! This is God's plan! He's making provision again for his children by grace as we read before. 

God commanded through Moses to set aside three cities, and then as they grew and multiplied, three additional cities as they took the land. This was a command of God. God gave this provision because he knew that it was necessary to prevent the shedding of innocent blood. Think about that! If someone died and then the avenger of blood killed him, and then the avenger of his blood killed him, we had this going on. We need to have some way to deal with an accidental death, and God makes provision for that, and we need some way to deal with murder as well. 

We see that God makes provision for that. God gave a place of refuge for the man who found himself in trouble, in danger from the avenger of blood through accidental death, unintended death. This is a picture of the grace of God found in Jesus Christ. God provides a refuge from the wrath in the person and work of Jesus Christ. 

Turn over to Hebrews 6. Let's look at that passage we cited earlier. Hebrews chapter 6 at verse 17 says, "Thus God determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us." 

"This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the presence behind the veil where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." 

Now flip over to Hebrews 12 with me please. Hebrews 12 at verse 22: "But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the General Assembly and Church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel." 

"See that you do not refuse him who speaks! For if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth. But now he is promising yet once more, 'I shake not only the earth but also heaven.' Now this yet once more indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire!" 

Those who believe, those who come to faith, those who come to a place of refuge from the wrath of God for our sins are in Christ! In Christ, we are safe and secure—like the picture of Noah and the ark from the flood and the judgment of God! 

Eighty-seven times in the New Testament, the phrase "in Christ" is used. It's one of the favorite terms of the Apostle Paul. In Christ, we are in Christ through faith. We are in a place of refuge. 

Listen to these verses: Romans 8:1—"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ, for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." 

1st Corinthians 1:30—"But of him you are in Christ Jesus who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption." 

2nd Corinthians 5:17—"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 

I was just, as Andrew was kind of giving his testimony this morning, you know, when I met him, and he came to my farm, he was a different person! Yesterday we were talking about this, because Andrew, you know, wearing a tie and a shirt, he's looking good! I thought, man, the Andrew I first met would despise the Andrew that is now! He's a new creation! God completely transformed him on the inside and on the outside. 

We see that transformation by the grace and power of God. Colossians 1:28—"Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." 

1st Peter 5:14—"Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus!" 

Who is in Christ Jesus? Everyone who believes! In Christ Jesus is at the moment that he turns to Jesus in faith; in the moment he's born again, regenerated, placed into Christ and united with him in his death, burial, and resurrection. 

To be in Christ is to be in the place of refuge. It's to have the hope and assurance of eternal life and to have grace that is sufficient for today. So we see that it's God who gives the refuge. It's God who gave the cities of refuge for the manslayer, and it's God who gives Jesus Christ as our refuge from His wrath for our sins. 

Well next, we see what's in a name. Verse 7, Joshua 20: "So they appointed Kadesh in Galilee in the mountains of Naphtali, Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and Kirjath Arba, which is Hebron in the mountains of Judah. And on the other side of the Jordan by Jericho eastward they assigned Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh." 

These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwelt among them, that whoever killed a person accidentally might flee there and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stood before the congregation. 

Well, we read in Deuteronomy 19 earlier how God commanded that they designate three cities as cities of refuge, and then an additional three as they grew and took the land and occupied the cities, and that's just what we see here in Joshua 20. 

And we see those cities named. I think it's difficult—hard for us to fully understand the significance of names in Bible times because we do not really hold that same sort of emphasis and importance on names in our culture and time. But in Bible times, names were significant; they had profound meaning. 

One of my favorite names is Ichabod! Who can tell me what Ichabod means? The glory has departed! 

1st Samuel 4:12, listen to this story, this historical account: "A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line the same day and came to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. Now when he came there was Eli sitting on a seat by the wayside watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God." 

"And when the man came into the city and told it, all the city cried out. When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, 'What does the sound of this tumult mean?' And the man came quickly and told Eli. Eli was 98 years old, and his eyes were so dim that he could not see." 

"Then the man said to Eli, 'I am he who came from the battle and fled today from the battle line.' And he said, 'What happened, my son?' So the messenger answered and said, 'Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Also, your sons Hophni and Phinehas are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.'" 

"Then it happened when he made mention of the ark of God that Eli fell off the seat backward by the side of the gate and his neck was broken, and he died, for the man was old and heavy; and he had judged Israel 40 years. Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas's wife, was with child due to deliver. And when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth, for her labor pains came upon her." 

"And about the time of her death, the women who stood by her side said to her, 'Do not fear, for you have born a son.' But she did not answer; she did not regard it. Then she named the child Ichabod, saying, 'The glory has departed from Israel, because the ark of God has been captured, because of her father-in-law and her husband.'" 

The name Ichabod had a significant meaning, and Bible names so often do. We see in Joshua 20 that these cities have significant names as we continue to see the picture of our place of refuge, Jesus Christ. 

First, we see Kadesh. The word Kadesh means holy. Jesus is holy; He is the Holy One of Israel. 

Next, we see Shechem. Shechem means literally "between the shoulders." It’s a place of burden. Jesus bore our burden. He bore our sin on the cross. In Matthew 11:28, He said, "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." 

A place of refuge, Shechem. Next, we see Hebron. Hebron means fellowship. It means association. We are in fellowship with God. We have come into a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. 

In 1st John 1:3, John says, "That which we have seen and heard we declare to you that you also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." We are associated with Christ; we are united to Him. Romans 6 tells us we have been placed into, united with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. We died with Him. We died to sin. We died to the law. We died to the fear of bondage to death, and we have risen to a new kind of life. 

Next we see Bezer. Bezer means a defense. Literally it means a fortification that is inaccessible. Jesus is our defense. He is our advocate, the one who died for us and ever lives to make intercession for us, who pleads for us. He is our fortification that is inaccessible. He is the cleft in the rock, like we sang about earlier. He is our security and our peace, and in Christ we are inaccessible to the enemy. We are safe in the place of refuge. 

Turn over to 1st Peter 1 with me. I want you to look at those words. You're familiar with this text, but listen to what Peter says, the assurance he gives us of the salvation that we have in Christ. 1st Peter 1:3 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled." 

We could add inaccessible to the enemy, right? He can't take it away. "And that does not fade away, reserved where? In heaven for you, who are kept, how? By the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." 

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 

"Whom having not seen, you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 

John 10:27—Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice." I think of this verse every time my wife goes out and she shouts, "Here, nanny, nanny, nanny," and here come 40, 50 sheep running to her! Now Jim Olson can go out there and shout, "Here, nanny," and they're going to be like run the other way, right? 

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." 

Next, we see in our text Rameth; this word means highly exalted. Jesus is highly exalted, the name that is above every name. He's seated at the right hand of God, waiting until His enemies are made His footstool. He is our refuge. 

And finally, we see Golan, and Golan means set free. It has to do with captivity. Jesus sets the captives free. He led captivity captive. He is our Savior; He's our rescuer from the wrath of God for our sins. 

What's in a name? A lot in Joshua 20! 

Well, next in our text, we see that we must stay in the place of refuge. There’s only one place safe from the avenger of blood, from the wrath of God. Joshua 20:6 says, "And he shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the one who is high priest in those days." 

It's an interesting phrase; we'll talk about that in a little bit, but that could be a long time, couldn't it? Because the high priest was high priest for life until we came to the corruption of Annas and Caiaphas that we've been studying in John. 

But in those days, the high priest was for life, so he had to stay in that city till the high priest died. Then the slayer may return and come to his own city and his own house to the city from which he fled. 

I'd like for you to turn to Numbers 35, please; we'll get another commentary on this. Numbers 35:25 says, "So the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where he had fled, and he shall remain there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. But if the manslayer at any time goes outside the limits of the city of refuge where he fled, and the avenger of blood finds him outside the limits of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood, because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest, the manslayer may return to the land of his possession." 

The application here for us is that the only place of refuge is in the city of refuge. Just as the only place of refuge from the wrath of God is in Christ. He bore the wrath of God; He paid the debt I owe. Only by imputation of His righteousness to me by faith can I be safe from judgment. 

And the believer who is in Christ remains in Christ. Think about this. It is God who regenerates us, recreates us. It's God who crucifies our old man. It's God the Holy Spirit who places us into Christ. I didn't do that; I can't undo that. I must remain in Christ. I am safe forever in this place of refuge. 

But there’s only refuge in Jesus Christ. There’s no other name given under heaven by which men must be saved. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by faith alone, in Jesus alone, in what He accomplished on the cross in His one-time death in our place. 

Now there's one more tidbit here in our text; something that seems confusing at first. The man must stay in the city of refuge; he cannot leave; he cannot go home until the death of the high priest. He is not totally free until the high priest dies. 

He is safe in that city; they take him in, they give him a place; it's his home, but he's not totally free until the high priest dies. This too is an amazing foreshadowing. It’s a type of the great high priest who died for us. 

Turn over to Hebrews with me, please, and let’s look at several verses through the book of Hebrews, starting in chapter 2 and verse 17. Hebrews is a great commentary on some of these Old Testament passages. 

Hebrews 2:17 says, "Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation," remember that word speaks of a full satisfactory payment, "propitiation for the sins of the people." 

Now look at 3:1; he says, "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Christ Jesus." Jesus is our high priest. 

Hebrews 4:14 says, "Seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." 

Now turn over to chapter 7, Hebrews 7 at verse 26, "For such a high priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, has become higher than the heavens." 

This is our high priest, Jesus. Hebrews 8:1—this is such an important statement in the book of Hebrews, in chapter 8, verse 1. "Now this is the main point of the things we are saying. We have such a high priest who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens." We have such a high priest. 

Go to chapter 9, verse 6. We’ll read several verses in chapter 9: "Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priest always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services but into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was standing." 

So when the first tabernacle was standing, we did not have access, right? The veil kept us; the high priest could only go in once a year with blood. They put bells on him; they tied a rope to his leg in case he did something wrong and dropped dead. They could drag him out. So there was no access until when? Until the death of our high priest, right? And the veil was rent, and we gained access. 

Now we stand in grace. We have access to God; we can come boldly to the throne of grace to find help in time of need. Hebrews 9:9, "It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience, concerned only with foods and drinks and various washings and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation." 

"But Christ came as high priest of the good things to come, with a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood he entered the most holy place—notice this—once for all, having obtained eternal redemption." 

"For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" 

"And for this reason, He is the mediator of the new covenant by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." 

We could spend a lot of time right there, but the point being: Jesus is our high priest. We have such a high priest who died for us, who set us free from sin and the law and the bondage to fear of death. Jesus is our great high priest, the one who intercedes for us and brings His blood into the most holy place. 

My brothers and sisters, Jesus is our city, our place of refuge. This is the picture; this is the message; this is the application for us in Joshua 20. 

God has made provision for a place of refuge, and the only place of refuge is Jesus Christ, and we come into Christ by faith alone in what Jesus accomplished in His one-time sacrifice on the cross. 

In Him, we have peace; in Him, we have assurance; in Him, we have hope; in Him, we have confidence because Jesus is our place of refuge. 

Let's close in prayer. 

Father, we thank You again for Your Word. We never really touch the depths of Your Word, Lord, and we just thank You for the Holy Spirit who guides us and teaches us and illuminates these truths of Your Word. We can keep going back and be encouraged and grow, and be prepared, equipped to go out into this world to do the work of ministry, to be Your witnesses, to tell people this good news about Jesus Christ and the transformation that comes through faith in Him. 

It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.