Earth, the City of Refuge

In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth by His will. We human beings are living on this earth, and it is a general opinion that this earth is a place full of suffering and pain. When we get to understand the roles and functions of this earth spiritually then we humans will get to know why we are on this earth.

In the Old Testament there was a law about the city of refuge, given to the prophet Moses by God to convey to the Israelites. In studying the Bible, the Law in the Old Testament given by God is a copy and a shadow of the reality which is in the New Testament. (Hebrews 10:1)

In the Law of Moses when someone had killed another by accident, there was a city of refuge in which he could flee to, escaping avengers of blood. This allowed him to get a fair trial before the whole assembly.

Numbers 35:9-12 Then the Lord said to Moses: “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee. They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that anyone accused of murder may not die before they stand trial before the assembly.

However, if one committed murder by intentionally killing another person, and flees to the city of refuge he still had to be put to death, it was written in the Law that he had to be put to death, since God said murderers must be put to death.

Numbers 35:16-21 “‘If anyone strikes someone a fatal blow with an iron object, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. Or if anyone is holding a stone and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. Or if anyone is holding a wooden object and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when the avenger comes upon the murderer, the avenger shall put the murderer to death. If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at them intentionally so that they die or if out of enmity one person hits another with their fist so that the other dies, that person is to be put to death; that person is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when they meet.

But the case was different for unintentional murders. They had to flee and stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil and a ransom was not allowed. But if he were to go out of the city of refuge then if avenger of blood finds him, he would be put to death.

Numbers 35:22-28:32 “‘But if without enmity someone suddenly pushes another or throws something at them unintentionally or, without seeing them, drops on them a stone heavy enough to kill them, and they die, then since that other person was not an enemy and no harm was intended, the assembly must judge between the accused and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send the accused back to the city of refuge to which they fled. The accused must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil. “‘But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which they fled and the avenger of blood finds them outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder. The accused must stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may they return to their own property. … “’Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge and so allow them to go back and live on their own land before the death of the high priest.

God established this law of the city of refuge to teach us about our sinful souls. We who are living on this earth are sinners (Romans 3:10). This earth is a city of refuge that is spiritual refuge for our sinful souls.

Jesus the Anointed High Priest.

Daniel 9:24-25 “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place. “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.

Daniel prophesied When Jesus who is the High Priest is anointed then transgression and sin would end, because it is through Jesus that we received the forgiveness of sins.

Hebrews 5:8-10 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him  and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Our Home Heaven After Life in the City of Refuge.

Criminals in the city of refuge would return to their home after the death of the high priest and the same applies to us who are living on this earth, that we will return to our home in heaven. Our forefathers of faith longed for a better country that is the kingdom of heaven. All mankind living on this earth committed grave sins in heaven and were expelled to the spiritual city of refuge to stay here temporarily.

How Can We Go Back to Heaven?

Just as criminals in the city of refuge could return home after the death of the high priest. We, living on this earth the city of refuge as prisoners can return home heaven only through the death of Jesus who is the anointed high priest.

1 Peter 1:18-19 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

Only through the sacrifice of Christ, that is the blood of Christ, can we receive the forgiveness of sins. Receiving forgiveness of sins means we can go back to our home heaven.

Jesus the High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 5:8-10 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

The way for us to go back to heaven is through Jesus’ blood and we cannot just go back by believing in it but by participating in it. In the Old Testament Melchizedek, the high priest blessed Abraham with bread and wine (Genesis 14:18) and Jesus who is the reality of Melchizedek blesses us with the Passover bread and wine (Matthew 26:28). So, to receive Christ’s blood we must keep the Passover cause through it, we sinners kept in the city of refuge can go back to heaven through Christ’s sacrifice.