Do You Need a Place to Hide?

The Word of God from Joshua chapter 20.

We are looking together at the pictures of the Lord Jesus in the Old Testament.

And today we will be focusing on the cities of refuge.

Joshua chapter 20.

The Lord also spoke unto Joshua, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Assign you cities of refuge, of which I spoke unto you by the hand of Moses, that the slayer who killeth any person unintentionally and without premeditation may flee there, and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.

And when he who doth flee unto one of these cities shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place that he may dwell among them.

And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand, because he smote his neighbor without premeditation, and hated him not beforehand.

And he shall dwell in that city until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days.

Then shall the slayer return and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from where he fled.

And they assigned Kadesh in Galilee, in Mount Napoli, and Shechem in Mount Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.

And on the other side of the Jordan, by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness, upon the plain, out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead, out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, out of the tribe of Manasseh.

These were the cities assigned for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger who sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person without intent might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stood before the congregation.

The key to this chapter is Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 18.

Jesus is our city of refuge.

Some of the city employees in New York City this weekend were planning to hand out to the tourists a pamphlet they had prepared entitled, Welcome to Fear City.

It's part of a program they have to eliminate layoffs.

I suppose you could call some of our metropolitan areas Fear City.

Here in the city of Chicago, one out of every 35 deaths is a murder.

Other cities have a much higher rate.

Back in the nation of Israel, there were six particular cities that were just the opposite of Fear City.

They were the cities of refuge.

It was the one place that a person could run who had accidentally killed somebody.

And there were six of them.

And they were the safest place for the man to be.

Many people say that the Old Testament law is an unfair law.

They say this because they haven't read the Old Testament.

God makes a distinction between murder and manslaughter.

That distinction is still carried on in our laws today.

If a man accidentally kills his neighbor without premeditation, without hatred, it's considered manslaughter.

Now back in these days, they didn't have a police force.

They didn't have the kind of jurisdiction that we have today or that we're supposed to have today.

And the different families and clans and tribes saw to it that crimes were punished.

Now, here is someone who murders his neighbor.

And therefore, he is to be judged in the Old Testament scriptures.

Murder was capital punishment, meant capital punishment.

And the person who had committed murder was killed, lest the land be polluted by blood.

Sad to say we've gotten away from some of these ideas today.

But how does the avenger of blood, how does the relative of the man who was slain, know whether or not his neighbor killed his relative as a murderer or as manslaughter?

Now, sometimes in the heat of the emotion, he would chase down the man and he would kill him.

Only to find out later on he had killed an innocent man.

And for this reason, God established the cities of refuge.

And these cities of refuge were available so that when a man did kill someone, he could run there.

They would have a trial.

They would discover whether or not the man was guilty.

And then they would deal with him accordingly.

Now, God doesn't take all the space in the Bible to write about the cities of refuge.

And by the way, four books in the Old Testament deal in detail with these cities.

He doesn't do this simply because of real estate or history or civil law.

God does this because these cities are a picture of what people need today.

People today need a refuge.

And there are people listening to my voice right now who ought to be fleeing to God's city of refuge.

And Hebrews chapter 6 verse 18 tells us that this city of refuge is our Lord Jesus Christ.

Those of us who have fled for refuge to the hope that is set before us.

And this is Jesus Christ.

In other words, the cities of refuge illustrate to us the experiences that we go through in this matter of salvation.

Now, there are four of them.

There are four experiences that we'd like to share with you today that help us to understand what it means to be a Christian.

Now, if you'll just, in your mind's eye, picture a man who has accidentally killed someone.

Here's a man back in Israel who's chopping away on some wood and the axe head comes off and hits his neighbor and his neighbor dies.

And there that man stands and he has to do something.

What does he do?

Now, if you'll just pick that picture up to Chicago and apply it to your own life, it could make a great deal of difference.

Experience number one, he realizes his danger.

There he stands.

And there lies a dead man.

And our friend, our imaginary friend, realizes his danger.

And what's he going to do?

He's going to flee.

Now, he's not going to flee simply because a city of refuge is available.

He's going to flee because he's a man in danger.

And one of the relatives comes out and he says, he's dead.

Who did this?

Our neighbor did this.

Our neighbor has always been our enemy.

Ah, but meanwhile, our imaginary friend is running down the road and he's looking for the nearest city of refuge.

He realizes his danger.

That's where it all begins.

It's interesting to note that because God makes a distinction between murder and manslaughter, you and I today can be saved.

God's mercy is based on God's justice.

And the man goes running to the city of refuge, which is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And he comes into the city of refuge.

He says, accidentally, I killed my neighbor.

And here I am.

They say, you just calm down.

We're going to investigate this and see what's really going on.

But I didn't premeditate.

It wasn't planned.

I don't hate him.

He's a good neighbor.

It was a sin of ignorance.

I didn't know what was going to happen.

Do you remember when Jesus was dying on the cross, he prayed a very unusual prayer?

Concerning those who crucified him, he prayed, Father, forgive them.

They know not what they do.

It's as though our Savior were saying, Oh God, my people need a city of refuge.

Here are the people of Israel.

I came unto my own and my own receive me not.

And now they've rejected me and they've crucified me.

They've committed the greatest crime in all of history, but they don't know what they're doing.

Paul said the same thing.

1 Corinthians chapter 2, the apostle Paul said, Had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, a sin of ignorance.

In fact, Paul himself was saved this way.

Paul said, I receive mercy because I did all of these things ignorantly in unbelief.

I'm not saying that God forgives people because they're ignorant.

I'm saying God makes provision for people because they're ignorant.

What does that mean to us today?

Well, all week long we're jostling various people and coming in contact with them and most of them are lost and they're ignorant of the fact that a provision has been made for their sin.

Now listen closely.

I did not accidentally kill the Lord Jesus Christ.

I wasn't even there when it happened.

But my sin killed him.

I think that sometimes we become very soft on sin.

My sin killed the Lord Jesus Christ and your sin killed the Lord Jesus Christ.

I think it's significant that when Pilate wrote that announcement that was put over the head of the Lord Jesus on the cross, this is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.

It was written in Latin and in Greek and in Hebrew.

It's as though all of the world had to bring all of its sin and hang it there on the cross.

You see, I didn't just simply accidentally kill a sinful man.

My sin deliberately crucified the God-man.

And if in the Old Testament scriptures a man had to run for his life because the avenger of blood was after him when he was innocent, how much more do people today need to run for their lives because we're guilty.

Jesus said it so beautifully over in John chapter 3 when he said, and this is the condemnation that light has come into the world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.

He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

And the very first experience this man has, he realizes his danger.

He says, death is over my head.

I'm facing condemnation.

I better get moving.

I say to you, my friend, you're already condemned.

Where do people get the idea they have to die to be condemned?

If you have not trusted Jesus Christ as your own Savior and surrendered to his love, you're condemned right now.

Do you today realize your danger?

I wonder if people would be living as flippantly and carelessly as they are if they realize their danger.

The second experience follows.

First, he realizes his danger.

Secondly, he runs to God's refuge.

Now, God had appointed these cities of refuge.

It's not for man to plan salvation.

God does it.

And he says to himself, there are six of them and God has appointed these cities of refuge and if God has appointed them, then I can run into them.

You see, God's provision of the cities of refuge was holy by his grace.

That's the way salvation comes to us.

It's holy by God's grace.

And if a man who could be forgiven and acquitted because he sinned unintentionally had a place of refuge where he could run, how much more gracious it is for those of us who have sinned deliberately and our sins have crucified Jesus Christ, the Son of God, how much more graciously it is that God makes a provision for us.

These cities were appointed by God.

Now, you didn't run up to one of these cities and say, well, I don't like God's choice.

Remember when Naaman, the leper, came to the prophet and the prophet said, go down to the Jordan River and dip in the Jordan River seven times.

Remember what he said?

He got angry.

He said, we have rivers back in Damascus far more beautiful than the Jordan.

You want me to go down to that muddy Jordan River?

I won't do it.

I can just see some stupid man who has killed his neighbor saying, well, I don't like the looks of Tide.

I don't like Golan.

I don't like T-Camp.

Those are not beautiful cities at all.

And someone says, my friend, you don't have any choice.

It's God who appointed the way and you either come God's way or you don't come at all.

That must have been what Peter meant when he said, neither is there salvation in any other.

For there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.

The cities were appointed by God.

Secondly, these cities were available to everybody.

God didn't bury these cities off where people couldn't find them.

There were three on the west side and three on the east side of the Jordan River, two at the north, two in the middle, and two at the bottom, the south.

And nobody in Israel was much farther away than a couple of hours from one of these cities.

And according to the rabbinical tradition, they had to keep the roads to the cities of refuge clear and in good repair.

I wish we had laws like that today.

I understand too that whenever there was a curve in the road, a sign was put up that said refuge.

In other words, if a man were looking for a city of refuge, he could find it.

It was appointed by God and it was accessible to everybody.

That's one reason Moody Church has been here a loathe many years.

This is one reason why we send out missionaries all over this world.

This is one reason why we broadcast the gospel week in and week out.

It's because God has appointed a city of refuge and this city is available.

And our job is to open the road and encourage people to start running and put up the signs that say, this is the way.

Jesus Christ is the city of refuge.

I notice something else here that these cities were not only available, they were accessible to all.

I'm glad for verse 9 in Joshua chapter 20, right smack in the middle of that verse is one of the greatest New Testament words.

Whosoever! God didn't say now if you're a Levite you can run, if you belong to the tribe of Judah, the kingly tribe you can run.

He didn't say that.

He didn't even stop with the Jewish people.

He says if one of the children of Israel needs a refuge, here it is.

If a stranger in the city needs a refuge, here it is.

Whosoever! That's the greatest word in the New Testament.

Someday when we meet the apostle Peter up in heaven, I want to ask him a question.

It's been in the back of my mind for many years.

I want to ask him how he felt in the household of Cornelius when he couldn't finish his sermon.

You see, Peter came down to the household of Cornelius and he's preaching away.

He's talking about John the Baptist and how Jesus came.

And then he gets to that word that whosoever believeth in him might receive the forgiveness of sins.

And that crowd that was sitting there, a bunch of Gentiles said whosoever.

Why, up till now it's been Jews and they believed and the Holy Spirit came down.

Peter never did finish his sermon.

Somebody says to me today, you know, pastor, I need a refuge.

I know I'm guilty.

I'm a sinner.

And I've sinned deliberately, not accidentally.

I've sinned intentionally, not unintentionally.

I've sinned with hatred.

I've sinned with malice.

I know I'm a sinner.

And I know that it was my sin that put him on the cross.

But does he want the likes of me?

And of course the answer is yes, he wants the likes of you.

Because the likes of you is just like the likes of us.

whosoever.

But you have to flee.

I've noticed in Joshua chapter 20 verse 3, flee.

Verse 4, flee.

Verse 9, flee.

He never says walk.

Doesn't he say leisurely make your stop at McDonald's and get it?

No. He doesn't say take your time.

He says flee.

Now we don't see much fleeing these days.

Sin has become so customary and salvation has become so ordinary.

People say, well, I can just leisurely make my way to my death bed.

And when I get on my death bed, I may trust in the Lord Jesus.

My friend, my word says, God's word says, flee.

Experience number one, you realize your danger.

The avenger of blood is after you.

The soul that sinneth it shall die.

The wages of sin is death.

It is appointed unto men once to die.

And after that, the judgment.

You realize your danger.

And then you run to God's refuge.

Now how do you do that?

Simply by trusting the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.

Right where you are now, without even lifting a foot.

You can lift your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ and say, I believe that you died for me.

I know that you're my Savior.

And right now I give you my heart.

You can do that.

You can flee to Jesus Christ right now.

And I would encourage you to do so.

Now there's a third experience.

We realize our danger.

The Bible calls that conviction.

we run to God's refuge.

The Bible calls that faith.

Third, we rest in safety.

The man comes to the gate of the city of refuge.

And I have read that those gates were never closed.

If so, that's a beautiful illustration of John 6, 37.

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.

And him that cometh to me, I'll in no white cast out.

And he says to the elders, this is what happened.

I was chopping down the tree and the axe head came off and struck my neighbor and killed him.

And I didn't hate my neighbor.

I loved my neighbor.

I borrowed things from him all the time.

And I realize what happened.

And I've run.

Now they say, we're going to, we'll find out.

He looks down the road and here comes a man running.

He says, there's the avenger of blood.

Protect me.

They say, you don't have to worry.

You can just relax now.

You're in the place of safety.

You see, my friend, when you trust Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can rest in safety.

Let me explain why.

Number one, the word of God told this man not to be afraid.

in Exodus and Numbers and Deuteronomy and Joshua, four Old Testament books, God spells out the details on the city of refuge.

And here comes the avenger of blood.

He's got a knife in his hand.

You killed my brother.

One of the elders says, it says in the word of God, you can't touch him.

Sometimes people think we believers are arrogant.

They say that we're proud and arrogant because we say we know we're saved.

Oh, they say that's the height of arrogance for a man to say, I know I'm going to heaven.

My friend, it's not the height of arrogance to say you know you're going to heaven.

It's the height of arrogance to doubt the word of God.

How does a man know he's safe?

God's word says so.

How do you know you're safe?

God's word says so.

And God has done a beautiful thing in the New Testament that he didn't do in the Old Testament.

The same Holy Spirit who wrote the word of God witnesses in our hearts.

And so when you flee to the Lord Jesus Christ, you know that you are safe because God's word says so and the Holy Spirit in your heart says so.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Is that true or isn't it true?

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness.

With the mouth confession is made concerning salvation.

Is that true or isn't it true?

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

Is that true or isn't it true?

Behold I stand at the door and knock.

If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him.

Is that true or isn't it true?

My friend if you have believed in Jesus Christ according to the word of God then according to the word of God you are safe.

You say for how long?

And I give unto them eternal life.

That's a good long time.

And they shall never perish.

Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

The father which gave them me is greater than all and no man's able to pluck them out of my father's hand.

We rest in safety because the word of God says so.

Secondly we rest in safety because there was a trial.

You see they tried the fellow.

The elders would investigate because it's possible for a murderer to sneak in.

Some fellows would come running in and give a fabricated story.

They investigate and they discover that he maliciously, deliberately, hatefully murdered his neighbor.

In that case he was killed.

You say now that breaks the picture.

Oh no it makes the picture.

Because our city of refuge Jesus Christ is so great that even a murderer can come.

But they had a trial.

Now here's the beautiful thing.

My avenger of blood cannot kill me because he died for me.

There was a trial.

And I stood there and I said I'm guilty.

In my hand no price I bring.

Just as I am without one plea.

I'm guilty.

Here's the avenger of blood.

My Lord Jesus Christ has every right to judge me.

But you know what he does?

He dies for me.

He dies for me.

That's the meaning of Romans chapter 8.

Who is he that condemneth?

I stand before the elders of God and they can't condemn me.

It is Christ that died.

Yea rather that is risen again.

Who is even at the right hand of God making intercession for us.

You see my friend I know I'm safe because the one who judged me became my savior.

He tasted the judgment on the cross that I should have tasted.

Therefore nobody can condemn me and nobody can accuse me.

And I read Romans chapter 8 and Satan says you don't deserve it.

I say I know I don't deserve it but he did it.

Satan says God doesn't love you and Romans 8 says who can separate us from the love of God.

That's the third reason why I know we're safe.

We're safe because the word of God says so and we're safe because Jesus died for us.

He took care of the judgment and the trial.

Thirdly he stayed in the city of refuge until the high priest died.

When the high priest died he was free to go back home again.

And nobody could play him.

We have a high priest who lives forever.

And when we come to Jesus Christ our city of refuge we come to one who lives by the power of an endless life.

He'll never die.

He's always there to intercede for me.

He's always there to hold me.

Salvation does not mean I hold on to him.

Salvation means he holds on to me.

Yea even more than that.

Salvation means I'm a part of him.

When I fled to the Lord Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit said I'm going to take you and make you a part of him.

And he lives forever.

I live as long as he lives.

I'm safe as long as he's safe.

I'm saved as long as he's God.

And he's God forever.

I would say a word of encouragement to some of you timid souls who think that eternal salvation is just too much to ask.

There's some dear timid people who say Lord I believe you made the down payment but I'll keep up the installment.

That is not salvation.

You run to the city of refuge and you rest in safety.

But there's more than that.

And here's the fourth experience.

First you realize your danger.

And then you run to God's refuge.

Jesus Christ.

You trust him.

And when you've trusted him and you rest in safety.

But then you don't stop there.

God always gives you more than you ever dreamed of.

You rejoice in God's sufficiency.

Dear friends, salvation is much more than just being rescued from hell.

God's salvation is a much bigger bigger and greater and vaster experience than just being rescued from death.

Oh, it's much bigger than that.

That's the whole theme of the book of Hebrews.

How much more?

How much more?

Romans and Hebrews.

Much more.

Much more.

Salvation is a much more experience.

And when you get to the city of refuge, you find out God has much more for you than ever you realize.

You see, the Old Testament picture shows the fellow living in the city of refuge and he couldn't walk out of that city.

He was confined.

He was a prisoner.

But Jesus doesn't save us to make us prisoners.

He saves us to make us free.

Now, what I'd like to do in the closing moments of this message is take the six cities of refuge and show you how they illustrate the provision God has for you.

Just take their names.

First of all, there's Kadesh.

You know what that means?

Righteousness.

Righteousness.

You come running to Jesus and say, I don't want to go to hell.

I don't want to be lost forever.

I trust you and he saves you.

And you know what he does?

He gives you righteousness.

And your life begins to change.

Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he's a new creation.

Old things are passed away.

Behold, all things have become new.

I received a letter a couple of weeks ago.

Don Smith read it Wednesday evening from a young lady in Colorado.

A few weeks ago, she came to Moody Church passing through town.

I don't know where she sat.

But she wrote me a letter and said, you invited people to give their hearts to Christ.

And I gave my heart to Christ.

And what a change has been taking place in my life.

That's Kadesh.

You come and say, I don't want to go to hell.

And God said, I'll do more than that.

I'll start taking sin out of your life.

I'll give you righteousness.

And you don't have to play around with the dirty toys of the world.

I've got something better for you.

Shechem.

Shechem means shoulder.

Isn't it great to find that when you trust Christ as your Savior, you've got a shoulder?

You know, the Old Testament high priest used to have the names of the tribes on his heart on twelve stones on the breastplate and on two stones on his shoulders.

He bore his people on his heart and he bore his people on his shoulder.

And someone says, I'd love to come to Jesus Christ, but I don't know if I can hold out.

No one's asking you to hold out.

He's going to hold on to you.

And the eternal God is your refuge.

And underneath are those everlasting arms.

You say, I can't bear one more burden in this life.

Have you come to the city of refuge and found a shoulder?

Oh, how precious it is when you trust Christ just to roll your burden upon the great shoulders of the Lord Jesus, casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.

Hebron.

Hebron means fellowship.

Fellowship.

Fellowship.

Sin is the loneliest thing in the world.

I walk up and down the streets of Chicago and drive up and down these streets and I see lonely people.

They think they're having a good time, but they aren't having a good time.

They're killing themselves.

The loneliness of sin.

Sin isolates because sin brings guilt and fear.

Oh, but when you come to Christ, you come to Hebron.

Fellowship.

Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

And we can sing, blessed be the tie that binds our hearts and Christian love.

Christians aren't lonely people.

We've been to Hebron fellowship.

Bezer.

Bezer means fortress.

Fortress.

God's protection.

God is our refuge and strength.

A very present help in trouble.

And when God is your fortress, nothing can get through.

At one of the dark hours of life, Martin Luther writes, a mighty fortress is our God.

A bulwark never fails.

Where do you run when you've got trouble?

Where do you run to be sheltered from the onslaughts of Satan and this world?

We run to Jesus Christ.

He's the fortress.

That's Bezer.

Ramoth.

What I'm saying is you get much more.

Oh, you say, I'd just be glad if he'd save me from hell.

He'll do that and give you righteousness and a shoulder to lean on and fellowship and a fortress.

And then he'll take you to Ramoth, which means height.

Sin always drags a man down.

Always drags him down.

Sin never yet built a man up.

Sin always erodes character.

Sin always destroys the mind and the body.

It drags you down.

But you know, by the miracle of God's grace, he lifts us up.

And that's Ramoth.

Height.

Oh, the height to which he takes us.

We don't necessarily live always down in the valleys.

He lifts us up to the height.

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.

They shall mount up with wings as eagles.

That's the highest thing an Old Testament Jew could think of.

Paul did better than that.

Seated with Christ in the heavenly.

I don't care where President Ford goes.

His authority comes from where he sits.

And he sits in the President's chair in the White House.

I don't care where you may go.

Your authority comes from where you sit.

And you're seated with Christ in the heavenly.

You've been to Ramoth.

You've been lifted into the heights.

Oh, the heights of God's blessing.

You know, it's a beautiful thing when you fly out of Chicago.

It's just gorgeous.

There's smog down here and fog and clouds and rain.

And they rev up those motors.

And that great plain begins to soar.

And before long, you are above the clouds where that sun is always shining.

And you look down upon the storm.

And there you are, soaring in the heights.

That's what Jesus does for you.

Golan.

That's the last of the cities.

Golan means exile or migration.

You say, what's that all about?

Why, when you run to Jesus Christ, you become an exile from this earth.

You become an alien and a stranger and a pilgrim.

And people think you're crazy.

And you say, well, my citizenship is in heaven.

And my father is in heaven.

And my reward is in heaven.

And my name is written down up in heaven.

And my hope is in heaven.

And my anchor is up in heaven.

Because you become an exile who's waiting for a migration.

And, oh, I wish that migration would take place soon.

I wish that our Lord Jesus Christ would one day soon return up in the clouds to catch all of his people home.

Because we don't belong down here.

We're strangers and pilgrims.

Isn't it great that when you trust Jesus Christ, you get much more than you bargained for?

And he gives it to you by his grace.

Chicago is not Sears City.

And New York City is not Sears City.

Nor is Los Angeles or London.

You know what Sears City really is?

It's the place where you are if you aren't saved.

If you have never opened your heart to Jesus Christ, you ought to be afraid.

Because the sword of God's judgment is over your head.

And it could drop any minute.

All that keeps you alive is the breath he puts in your mouth.

And, oh, my dear friend, Jesus died for you.

Would you realize the danger that you're in?

Already condemned.

Would you run by faith to God's refuge, Christ?

Would you then just rest in the safety that he gives you?

You'll never face judgment.

And then would you just rejoice in all of the sufficiency that God provides?

It's a wonderful thing to be saved.

It's a wonderful thing to flee to the city of refuge.

And meet the Lord Jesus.

If you don't, you may meet him as the avenger of blood.

Heavenly Father, may there be those who have heard this message, who will by faith come to Christ and be saved.

And may those of us, Lord, who already have trusted Christ, enjoy our salvation, all that you've given to us in him.

Speak to hearts now, we pray through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.