Joshua 20-21 "The Inheritance, Part Three"

Chapters 14-19 provide an account of the western portion of the inheritance,

centered around Israel's worship at Shiloh.

But as chapter 13 provided an introduction, with reference to the eastern inheritance,

as given by Moses,

so also chapters 20-21 speak of a couple of other items that Moses had commanded.

1. Cities of Refuge (chapter 20)

Moses Said . . . (20:1-6)

Numbers 35:9-34

Moses had commanded the Israelites to establish cities of refuge

Even as far back as Exodus 21:13 God had promised that he would appoint

safe havens for those wrongly accused of murder.

Whether Israelites, or strangers or sojourners,

"anyone who kills any person without intent may flee there" (Num 35:15)

But in a doubtful case,

the congregation of the city (all Levites)

were to judge between the accuser and the accused.

If they determine that it was an accidental death,

then "the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge

to which he had fled,

and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest

who was anointed with the holy oil." (Num 35:25)

Even manslaughter had consequences.

It was an accident-it is true-

but the blood of another human being was on his hands.

Therefore he must stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest.

Why?

Because only blood can remove the stain of blood.

"You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land,

and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it,

except by the blood of the one who shed it." (Num 35:33)

The high priest, who bears the sins of Israel upon himself every year,

when he goes into the holy of Holies with the blood of the sacrifice,

is the sin-bearer of Israel.

And while the manslayer is not guilty of murder,

nonetheless he (inadvertently) has destroyed the image of God.

The only way for him to avoid death is for another to die in his place.

And so when the high priest dies,

he will be judged fully acquitted,

and he may then return to his home.

You will note that while it has some similarities to imprisonment,

it is not based on a rational reward system.

If the high priest dies the next month,

then he only spends a month in the city of refuge,

but if the high priest lives another 20 years,

then he spends 20 years in the city of refuge.

The punishment of the manslayer is connected very explicitly to the OT sacrificial system.

It is only through the death of the high priest

that the accidental shedding of innocent blood can be atoned for.

But of course, we must remember that if the manslayer got caught along the way-

if he failed to make it to the city of refuge before his victim's kinsman showed up-

then it was permissible to put him to death.

No bargain was allowed to made-

either for a murderer, or for allowing the manslayer to return to his own city,

"For blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land

for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it."

(Num 35:33)

And the reason for this is because "I the LORD dwell in the midst of the people of Israel."

It is because God dwells with his people that Israel is to have such strict statutes.

Throughout history church buildings have been viewed as "cities of refuge."

A place where an accused man could flee in order to get a hearing.

They do not provide a permanent safe haven-

if they are guilty, then they will be handed over to justice,

but it provides the innocent with the chance to be heard.

(If we were seeking to establish a law that followed the principles of biblical justice,

we would say that "hit and run" accidents are to be classified as murder,

because the person tried to cover up the accident.

Only the manslayer who admits his error (and thereby flees to the city of refuge)

would be permitted to live.)

The Cities (20:7-9)

Kedesh in Galilee

Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim

Kiriath-arba (Hebron) in the hill country of Judah

Bezer in Reuben

Ramoth-Gilead in Gad

Golan in Manasseh

These last three had already been appointed by Moses in Deuteronomy 4.

Once the 2 ½ tribes had received their inheritance,

the need for cities of refuge would follow.

Each of these cities would be given to the Levites.

2. Cities of the Levites (chapter 21)

Moses Said . . . (21:1-3)

Numbers 35:1-8

Moses commanded Israel to give the Levites cities with their pastureland

all throughout Israel.

The six cities of refuge were to belong to the Levites,

along with 42 other cities.

They were to be divided out from the other 12 tribes in proportion to their inheritance.

Overview (21:4-8)

13 cities for the Aaronic Kohathites from Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin in the south

10 cities for the non-Aaronic Kohathites from Ephraim, Dan, and west Manasseh

13 cities for the Gershonites from Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and east Manasseh

12 cities for the Merarites from Reuben, Gad and Zebulun

Once again we see the faithfulness of this generation.

As the LORD had said through Moses, so they do.

Then we get the detailed account of the cities:

The Cities (21:9-41)

Aaronic Kohathites in Judah/Simeon/Benjamin (21:9-19)

Hebron (9-12) (the region had already given to Caleb,

but now since the lot falls to the Levites,

they are given the city itself)

This was the city of refuge for the southern region west of the Jordan

The priestly families, then, will be centered in the heart of the land

-the place where Abraham offered Isaac

(Mount Moriah-the region surrounding Jerusalem)

Non-Aaronic Kohathites in Ephraim, Manasseh and Dan (21:20-26)

Shechem in Ephraim

(the city of refuge for the central region west of the Jordan)

Gershonites in Manasseh, Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali (21:27-33)

Golan in Bashan (east Manasseh) northern city of refuge in the east

Kedesh in Galilee (Naphtali) northern city of refuge in the west

Merarites in Zebulun, Reuben, and Gad (21:34-40)

Bezer (Reuben) southern city of refuge in the east

Ramoth Gilead (Gad) central city of refuge in the east

Conclusion (21:41)

48 cities

The Levites are scattered throughout Israel,

as a perpetual reminder that Israel's inheritance is God himself.

The land is pointing them to their true hope.

This is especially useful for us to consider

as we are taking possession of our building in the next few weeks.

The building is not our inheritance.

The building is not "the church."

This wooden structure made with human hands,

is but a place where we anticipate the true inheritance.

And that is what Israel was to understand.

The land was a place for them to see in a glass darkly the glory of their true inheritance.

The LORD's Faithfulness (21:42-45)