February 26, 2014 - Wednesday

Start Time:  5:34 A.M.

End Time: 5:54 A.M.

Title: Cities of Refuge

Scripture: Joshua 20:1 – 9

God’s Message / God’s Promise / God’s Commands:

→ Then the Lord said to Joshua: “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.  When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state their case before the elders of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them.  If the avenger of blood comes in pursuit, the elders must not surrender the fugitive, because the fugitive killed their neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought. They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled.” So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.  East of the Jordan (on the other side from Jericho) they designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan in the tribe of Manasseh. Any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing among them who killed someone accidentally could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.

NOTES:

Ø God is a God of refuge!  He sets safe places for His people to just run and hide at times when they are in trouble.  When God established the Israelites in the Promised Land, He ensured that there are cities of refuge established in the whole land because He wants His people to feel safe when everything seems to be moving at a different direction than what we want.  Truly, God’s love is amazing that the moment the people are settling in the land He gave, (to think about it – the safest place is to be in the land the Lord called us to be yet in this passage, we see that God established a safe refuge for His people within the Land He gave them).  God knows us more than anyone and He is looking after our safety at all times.  Thank You Father!

Ø God is our Protector!  God, our Lord, protects His people against anyone who oppress or unfairly treats them.  God protects us not only from our enemies but even to our brothers and sisters who we may have misunderstandings with.  Thank You Jesus because You protect us from any form of oppression or mistreatment from everyone.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, amazing God, Marvelous Savior, Almighty Lord, Divine and Sovereign Father!  I am deeply moved and touched of how You are passionate to protect me.  Thank You because wherever I am, You set a place of refuge for me.  Even in safe places, You still set a refuge for us in times when things just don’t go our way.  Lord I want to be in Your safe refuge at all times, even in places that my human eye perceives as safe, still I desire to be in Your presence where safe refuge is provided.  Lord thank You because You are a God with a “Protector” nature to His children.  I am grateful that I have You to protect me at all times – not only from my enemies but to just anyone who seeks to mistreat, oppress or go against me.  Lord, You are amazing!  Holy Spirit, help me to seek refuge to You and You alone.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen!