Ep 744 – Numbers 35

We all make mistakes. And sometimes our mistakes have costly consequences. But I think it's safe to say that there is probably no mistake more costly than involuntary manslaughter – the accidental taking of another human being's life. That's something for which a simple, "I'm sorry" doesn't seem quite adequate. And in the Numbers 35, we have God establishing a plan for dealing for just such an occasion. He ordered the Israelites to establish six cities of refuge, located throughout the land of Canaan, and occupied by members of the tribe of Levi. These cities were intended to act as sanctuary cities, where anyone who accidently and inadvertently committed murder could run for refuge. God had also established another important policy associated with murder, that allowed the blood relatives of a murder victim to seek revenge on the one who took the individual's life. But to prevent the blood avenger from taking the life of an innocent person, the cities of refuge were established. And believe it or not, all of this has a lot of application for us today.