Cities of Refuge

As we're finally saying goodbye to Joshua, I was thrilled to teach one last lesson. I think it was a perfect ending for such a book as this! Really.

At the end God spoke to Joshua (Joshua 20) and told him to build Cities of Refuge for a guilty person to hide after a crime. Well, that also meant unintentional sin.
The more I studied that portion of Scripture, the more it became clear to me that Christ is my City of Refuge! And He had upgraded the "illegal allien" policy since His death: now ANYONE who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved! (Rom.10). And now ANYONE- guilty or not , can find refuge there.

So, check it out: I am studying this chapter and I decided to look up the meaning of the names of those cities.
See for yourself:

KEDESH=to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.

SHECHEM= neck as a place of burden; to incline shoulder; to load up a man or a beast with a burden.

HEBRON= to unite, join, bind together, be joined, be in league, have fellowship with, be compact.

BEZER= to gather, restrain, fence, fortify, make inaccessible, enclose.

RAMOTH= to be lifted up, to be raised.

GOLAN= to uncover, remove ,to reveal (as God reveals Himself)

Can you see a prefect picture of Christ as He offers Himself there? What is it that you need of Him today? HE CAN DO IT!

Jesus is your Kedesh-a place where you're pronounced pure again and whole again!

Jesus is you Shechem- a place where He offers His neck and shoulders for your burden.

Jesus is your Hebron- a place where you find perfect fellowship and sweet company.

Jesus is your Bezer- a place where He keeps you inaccesible from others to get you.

Jesus is your Ramoth- a place where you're lifted out of your pit and placed on solid ground.

Jesus is your Golan- a place where your shame, pain and hurt are uncovered and removed and God is revealed in a new glory!

Where do you run when you're in trouble? Who or what have you made your refuge city? If it is not Christ- it is a false security! RUN to GOD!

So, in Joshua 20 it says that the guilty person could stay in the city as long as the high priest lived. After his death, the guilty person has to go back and deal with the past.

Hebrews 7:24-25

but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

That means we can stay there all we want to!! Celebrate that with me, somebody!!!!!! Praise GOD!!!