Sanctuary Cities - Joshua 20
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Six cities among the Tribe of Levi were sprinkled strategically on both sides of the Jordan River. They were cities of refuge, sanctuary cities for those fleeing for safety from an avenging family when there was an unintentional homicide.
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Sanctuary Cities - Joshua 20
- 3. “…a locality that won’t hold suspects for Immigration and Customs Enforcement or allow their police officers or sheriffs’ deputies to do the work of federal immigration agents.” Berkeley, near San Francisco, is reportedly the original sanctuary city. It passed a resolution in 1971 that protected sailors who wanted to resist the Vietnam War.
- 4. “There are no consequences to being apprehended, in fact they are seeking to be apprehended to start their processing of being allowed into the country and start their court process. ... It is a crisis of significant proportion.” September 15, 2018 More than 90,000 immigrants traveling as part of a family have been arrested crossing the U.S. border illegally in the last 11 months.
- 6. 1 The LORD also spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3 that the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there; and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
- 7. 4 And when he flees to one of those cities, and stands at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declares his case in the hearing of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city as one of them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them. 5 Then if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand,
- 8. 5b because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, but did not hate him beforehand. 6 And he shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the slayer may return and come to his own city and his own house, to the city from which he fled.’ ”
- 9. Fleeing to the City of Refuge (Num. 35:11-28). From Charles Foster, The Story of the Bible, 1884. Joshua 20:1–2 The LORD also spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, • Exodus 21:12–14 • Numbers 35:9–29 • Deuteronomy 19:10
- 10. Genesis 9:6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man. Exodus 21:12–13 “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. 13 However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered him into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.
- 11. Joshua 20:1–2 The LORD also spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Appoint for yourselves Fleeing to the City of Refuge (Num. 35:11-28). From Charles Foster, The Story of the Bible, 1884. ן ַָתנ(nā·ṯǎn) = give, place or sanctify, i.e., set apart for sacred use (the) cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,
- 12. Joshua 20:3 that the slayer who kills a person… חַצ ָר(rā·ṣǎḥ) = murderer, one who takes the life of another ָהכָנ (nā·ḵāh) = to strike, destoy, kill
- 13. Joshua 20:3 that the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there; ָהגָג ְׁש (šeḡā·ḡāh) = inadvertent sin, unintentional wrong, accident ניִל ְׁב (belî) = neglect, ignorance Luke 23:34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots. 1 Timothy 1:13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
- 14. Numbers 15:30–31 ‘But the person who does anything presumptuously, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one brings reproach on the LORD, and he shall be cut off from among his people. 31 Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him.’ ”
- 15. Joshua 20:3 that the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there; and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. ל ַָאג (gōʾēl haddām) = deliverer, redeemer; gōʾēl >50x refers to a “close relative” םָד Genesis 4:14–15 …I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.” 15 And the LORD said to him, “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.”
- 16. Genesis 4:23–24 Then Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, Even a young man for hurting me. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.” Exodus 21:24 “eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,”
- 17. Exodus 21:12-13 “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. 13 However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered him into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee. A City of Refuge a place of divine protection
- 19. • Located on a height • Roads plainly marked • Accessible within a day • Gates were always open • Protected by Priests & only while living there • Provision waiting • Available to Gentiles as well as to the Jews
- 20. Joshua 20:6 And he shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the slayer may return and come to his own city and his own house, to the city from which he fled.’ ”
- 21. This is appropriate for two reasons: 1. The high priest was head of the tribe of Levi. All the cities of refuge were Levitical cities. The activities of the cities of refuge therefore came under his responsibility. 2. Even more importantly, the high priest, as spiritual leader, represented purity and freedom from sin. One of his roles was to expiate innocently shed blood. Death of the High Priest
- 22. Hebrews 6:18–20 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Death of the High Priest
- 23. We have strong consolation (strength – Bezer) For who runs for refuge (Exile – Golan) An anchor of the soul (fellowship – Hebron) Sanctuary within the veil (Sanctuary – Kedesh) In the heavenly place (High place – Ramoth) In his shoulders (shoulder – Shechem)
- 26. Joshua 20:9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwelt among them, that whoever killed a person accidentally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stood before the congregation. • Those who intentionally murdered • Those who did not flee to the city of refuge
Editor's Notes
- The definition of a sanctuary city is somewhat murky: At minimum, it is a… The debate about sanctuary cities intensified in July 2015 when Kate Steinle, 32, was killed as she strolled along the San Francisco waterfront with her father. Steinle was shot by a man with a criminal record who had slipped into the U.S. multiple times illegally.
- Refugees, fugitives
- It is clear from Leviticus 4, which is devoted in its entirety to instructions related to atoning for sins committed unintentionally or inadvertently—the term šĕgāgâ (or the related verb šgh) occurs four times in this chapter: vv. 2, 13, 22, 27—by means of the purification offering (sometimes known as the “sin offering”). Howard, D. M., Jr. (1998). Joshua (Vol. 5, pp. 382–383). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
- RULE: The manslayer in Israel accidentally committed an action that he would have avoided if he could have. So he had to flee to the city of refuge to protect himself. The high priest at the city of refuge would then intercede so that the manslayer would be protected from the normal consequence of his actions. APPLICATION: n the same way, the believer became conscious of sin through actions that he would have avoided if only he could have. So he has to flee for refuge by covering himself with the sin-bearing name of Jesus in baptism. Jesus is high priest who through his intercession arranges for the sins of the believer to be passed over by God.
- God appointed Christ to be the Saviour of sinners.
- The first one listed is Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali. Kedesh means to sanctify, set apart, consecrate and therefore to make holy. Shechem in Mount Ephraim. The word Shechem means between the shoulders or burden bearer. Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah. Kirjatharba signifies City of the Four which typically points to the Holy City of the Age to come. For this Holy City we are told lies foursquare. Hebron means Joining or fellowship. So through Christ, a believer is inducted into the Foursquare city of the future, and enjoying Fellowship with the Father and the Son. Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben. Bezer signifies a fortified place and reuben is an exclaimation: See a son! So protection is afforded those who clearly see and understand the relationship of the Father and Son in its bearing. Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad. The word Ramoth is derived from raam signifying to be high, raised up, exalted. Gilead is derived from the word signifying, The Heap of Witness and Gad is company. So the name of this city promises elevation with the company of witnesses to the truth. Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh. Golan is said to be derived from Galah, to Remove, Deliver or Pass away. It could also be derived from gai signifying To rejoice. So it is rejoicing through deliverance.
- 1.these cities were placed on a height. They were built on hills or mountains so that they could be readily seen. Even as Jesus was lifted up on the cross and is now exalted at the right hand of God the Father, we as pastors are responsible to lift Him up. 2. the road to the city of refuge was plainly marked. Jewish writers say that there was a law in Israel that, one day in every year, people were sent to repair the roads leading to these cities so as to remove all stumbling stones and to make certain that the signposts were clear. We, too, are to make certain that the gospel is fully and plainly declared. 3. there was easy access to these cities. They were not in remote corners, but could be reached within a day. The application is obvious: “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,/And saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Ps. 34:18). 4 the city of refuge provided protection from the revenger of blood for only the accidental homicide. The deliberate murderer was excluded. The Scriptures teach us that there is no salvation in Christ for presumptuous sinners, those who still go on deliberately in their sins. There is no shelter in the Savior for those who are in love with sin. But for those who flee to Him from their sin, there is His generous redemption. 5. the one who took refuge in that city had to remain there. This reminds us not to make use of Christ only at the time of our conversion but throughout our entire lives. We are to abide in Him always. Planned by God earlier (Ex.21: 13) Available and accessible to all (Deut.19:3) Gates were opened always (Jos.20: 4) Widely advertised (Jos.20: 2) Cities were seen from far as high (Deut.19: 6) Journey not far any one (Deut.19: 6) Whosoever could find refuge (Jos.20: 9) Refugee free to live there (Jos.20: 6)
- "Gmar" comes from the root word that means to finish. Although it's not biblical, it appears quite a bit in the Talmud (Avot 2:16 Yevamot 12:6). Chatimah is also talmudic and can mean a signature or a sealing (Pessachim 104). The word "chotemet" or stamp (the ink kind, not the postal kind) is a derivative of "chatimah." Of course "tova" means good. The days of repentance are divided into two parts: The first the inscribing begins on Rosh Hashana and finishes Yom Kippur when the final "sealing" (chatima) of our fate takes place. Many sages give us a second chance - an extra 12 days until a really final sealing on Hoshana Rabba (the 7th day of Sukkot). That is why many people finish their correspondence during this time of year by writing or saying Ktivah V'chatima Tova - "may you be inscribed and sealed for a good year." On or right before Yom Kippur, people modify that and wish "Gmar Chatima Tova." Technically you can say it means 'may your finished sealing be good' - which would be fine if you are redoing your apartment, but for the rest of us may you all have a healthy peaceful and fulfilling year.