PROVISION AND PROTECTION. Numbers 35 Before the Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the promised land, two specific things needed to be made clear to everyone. Moses was responsible for giving these instructions as one of his final acts after many years of faithfulness to God and His people. The Levites were to be scattered throughout the entire nation of Israel in forty-eight "cities." These would probably be called small villages today. Each village was granted about one square mile of land. This property provided them with a place to live, keep their livestock, and grow some of their food. This would supplement their portion of the offerings. The manna would stop, and provisions had to be arranged for their livelihood.
There are often matters best handled by those who are older and less likely to be affected by the decisions. One such matter is that the Lord's servants should be cared for, not as a burden on God's people or a chore, but as a privilege to participate in their work for the Lord. God does not intend for those who serve Him to be a burden but to share in the bounty He provides. He took care of dependent servants by giving the entire congregation of Israel the responsibility and privilege of providing for their needs. This principle still applies to servants of the Lord who dedicate their time to ministering the Gospel and serving God's people.
Another matter that needed clarification was how to fairly handle cases of violent death. Any violent death was presumed to be murder, so to ensure a fair hearing, six "cities of refuge" were designated across the country where a man-slayer could flee and be safe from those seeking to avenge the death of a relative or friend. The suspect was not automatically considered guilty of murder without a judgment from "the congregation," likely the local authorities in the community who heard the case.
Blood vengeance was common in the Middle East in the past. During my lifetime, it was still practiced in parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as well as within clans and criminal groups in North America. Blood vengeance was carried out without impartial judges who could separate facts from feelings and determine whether the action was taken as a crime of passion or deliberate retribution.
Those six cities reflected God's concern for justice in a society that did not always protect the innocent. For those involved in murder or accidental killing, these cities of refuge were like unwalled jails where a person could be kept safe but not free to do what they wanted or go where they wanted. It was not fair to overlook wrongdoing, nor was it right to jump to unsubstantiated conclusions about someone's guilt. Divine law was given to control and limit vengeance in Israel, which was one reason they were different from those around them.
It was then and still is God’s intention that His people remember we are all made in the image of God, with a mind to reason, emotions to connect with others, and a will to make choices. Blood vengeance was to be addressed as a “statute of judgment,” or under the moral authority of justice being executed by and for all parties involved. A capital offense is not a minor matter, whether it was premeditated or accidental. A statute is something that is “engraved” as a standard of conduct. This helped prevent confusion between accidental manslaughter and premeditated murder.
Decisions are too often made without proper consideration of whether they are right or wrong. Hearsay is not a valid reason for judging someone based on a bad report. It is only fair to wait until facts are verified before passing judgment on a person or issue. Too many people have been unfairly condemned early on due to gossip from those who may hold personal dislikes or jealousy, and who seek to harm others.
In Israel, when a person was involved in an event where a life was taken, either deliberately through a planned act of murder or accidentally in a case of manslaughter, that person could run to the nearest city of refuge and be safe. God also set limits on the amount of punishment that could be imposed for an offense. Excessive fines or lawsuits were not allowed. In ancient Israel, local community authorities served as both judge and jury. More than one judge participated in hearing and deciding the case to ensure an impartial decision, even if the judges knew the person and his habits. There was hope for someone who had killed another because justice was enforced under the authority of a strict law.
The greed of injured parties today has led to excessive lawsuits, which has made it very difficult to determine the true reason for the charges made. Bias is hard to avoid when wrongdoing arises among the people of God. The plurality of elders in an assembly is a safeguard against favoritism that may have been toward or against a person who has been accused of some matter. All wrongdoing is sin and needs to be carefully investigated and judged by those responsible for the wellbeing of God's people.
As long as a "manslayer" remained in the city of refuge, that person was safe from the avenger. If the individual who killed someone was found guilty of deliberate murder, the accuser was to serve as the executioner. This way, their action was not driven by sudden passion but was seen as deliberate justice. Making a murder accusation meant that, if proven true, the accuser was responsible for carrying out the law of "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." A life for a life was a serious matter to handle carelessly. Careless accusations were probably mostly eliminated.
Unfounded and careless talk or accusations can lead to serious consequences if one is unaware that these consequences affect both the accuser and the accused. We must ensure that any accusation we make against another is true, because we are responsible to God for what we say and do. If we pass judgment on someone for reasons other than righteousness' sake, we have sinned—"Be sure your sin will find you out."
Someone found innocent of murder but guilty of manslaughter faced certain consequences. For the rest of the high priest's life, that person had to stay inside the city walls to remain safe. Fines or bribes could not buy his freedom. No out-of-court settlements could be made with money. Neither the murderer nor the one who accidentally caused another's death was released for good behavior. That judgment was only made by a man who "looks on the outward appearance." The only way a manslayer could leave the city of refuge was if God decided to end the high priest's life. God was in complete control of that situation. This law would have encouraged people working in construction or other dangerous jobs to be very careful. The law’s deterrent was probably very effective in preventing carelessness.
Someone has compared this whole situation to the nation of Israel, which is considered a manslayer because of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ when they rejected Him and called for His crucifixion. Even though He said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," they are still, so to speak, in a city of refuge until the Lord comes in power and grants them release.
A lesson for us is that accusations against God’s children can have long-lasting consequences. We need to remember that words and actions can hurt someone for a lifetime. Unfounded charges may give us a false sense of satisfaction, but the harm they cause may never be repaired. An accusation made by one person without other witnesses was not enough for punishment. God’s law protects the innocent and punishes the guilty severely. Moral pollution leaves stains on everyone.
A hand is raised carelessly to see how far he can throw a stone as a young man shows off his strength without concern. A large ornament is placed without much thought on a window sill two stories up. A workman tries to get his men to finish the job before dark. A man walks by behind the bushes, hidden from sight when the stone hits him in the head. The heavy log on the shoulder is heavy, and it drops. While cleaning the upstairs room, a brush against the stone flower pot pushes it out. The boss shoves the slow worker aside to finish the job, causing the worker to fall. These are situations that could have happened and caused injury or death.
The cry is raised, “You killed him with that stone you threw.” “When you dropped that log, the end hit my brother on the chest.” “You waited until he was passing by and dropped it on his head.” “You deliberately pushed him off the roof because you didn’t like him.” How can fair decisions be made and justice be carried out? God’s way of dealing with the problem is clear and plain. Impartial judges in a different location come to a decision about the event and the consequences that follow.
We must be intolerant of sin while remaining impartial to people. The law prescribes death for the guilty and pardon for the innocent – there is a place of mercy. Emotions of the moment should be calmed, and passion's flame dampened. A safe place is provided, and a run to the city of refuge is made. The deed cannot be ignored because it involves life and death issues. It must be confronted because it impacts everyone as a warning to be cautious and think before acting unjustly. The passions of quick temper, careless attitude, and deep hatred must be considered. Life cannot continue as usual; whether you intended it or not - the deed was done. Stay in the city, the place of safety; halt all normal activity; the issue will be handled by thoughtful, impartial, and wise men.
The man who threw the rock may have died because he didn’t seek refuge. He could have survived but chose not to because he didn’t take advantage of the mercy available in the city. The avenger was nearby and killed him while he was trying to defend himself. He didn’t realize the danger of being careless and died without mercy. Playing the game of showing personal strength is a foolish endeavor – its ending is pride. Once he saw his friend fall to the ground with the log on his chest, pride left him. He runs to reach a place of refuge – the place God appointed as safe – a place of mercy. The judgment is clear – an accident – but he must stay in the city until the priest dies.
After the stone pot falls, a quick run from the house to the city of refuge begins. The avenger is far behind—unable to catch the one who caused the pot to land on the neighbor. The heat of the moment has passed, and the congregation gathers to hear witnesses. It was a premeditated plot; murder was planned; the avenger must be the executioner.
The worker’s family comes after the hard boss who runs ahead to the city. He can stay there until the “day of judgment,” when everyone gathers to hear the verdict. It is decided that the push which caused the fall was accidental, but greed halted his work. He must remain in the city until the priest dies – and this priest is a young man…
Verdicts were issued with very clear guidelines provided by God. If someone struck another person with an iron tool, a stone, or a wooden club used as a weapon, the intent was to kill. Premeditation and hatred proved that murder was intended. The law distinguished between transgression and unintentional wrongdoing. If an unintentional manslayer participated in the matter and treated the city of refuge lightly, leaving the city for any reason, he forfeited his life if the avenger found and killed him.
The law has its claims and rights over me, and it is good, right, and just. However, the law must be balanced with mercy because God cares about justice. It is because of God’s mercies that I am not consumed; it is through His mercy that I give myself to Him. The “city of refuge” where I live is where I will stay—content to enjoy the blessings of mercy.