February 5

Day 238: City of Refuge

Numbers 35 talks about "cities of refuge." These were six designated cities, part of the 48 cities given to the tribe of Levi. 3 of which were in Canaan. the other 3 on the other side of the Jordan river.

If someone had killed someone purposefully, he would himself be put to death. No questions asked. No bail. No drawn out court case. No jury of peers. The Law was clear. The one who shed blood would himself have his own blood shed. Punishment fitting the crime.

But if someone unintentionally, accidentally killed someone else, he could flee. Flee to one of the 6 cities of refuge. He likely ran to the closest one. And he did so quickly.

All to escape the "Avenger of Blood," likely a close relative of the deceased. If he made it to the refuge city, he was safe. If he didn't make it in time, he would end up dead.

But, the one fleeing the Avenger of Blood, if now resident in the city of refuge, could not leave that city. He couldn't leave until the death of the High Priest. If he did leave beforehand, he was, lawfully, now prey to the Avenger.

We believers have been delivered to a "city of refuge." Not a place on a roadmap. But a place near the King.

Our new refuge city may not feel physically different. But instead is situationally different. Meant to be permanent. Because our High Priest, Jesus, already died, and now lives, never to die again.

Jesus does not move the boundaries of this refuge. He is always where He is, seated on His throne. We didn't necessarily run to Him. He came to us. He remains with us.

Paul Tripp says it like this: "He is not absent, He is near. He is not distant, He is here. He is not separate, He hears. He is not passive, He reigns. He doesn't just watch us, He intervenes."

He is our city of refuge, our permanent new and forever home. With Him. In Him. Psalm 145:18 tells us, "The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth."

But, in this past year, Covid frustrations has motivated some to leave their city of refuge. Not intentionally, maybe even accidentally, but they've departed none the less.

I've read where 36% of former church attenders are now no longer. I've also read where 15% of former church attenders are openly questioning the foundations of their faith.

Yesterday, I was on a (long) Zoom call with other pastors in the US. Several of them confirmed these numbers as applicable to their own now reduced congregations. (And just so you know, this breaks any pastor's heart.)

The ones who've left have, in fact, have run to what they may believe to be another city of refuge. A horribly mislabeled city of refuge. A city that will not be a refuge, but a spiritual killing field.

As Christians, even if we cannot see it, we believe that the Kingdom of God is advancing, as it always has. As it always will, until the King returns. But, and sadly so, some have left the safe confines of the Kingdom.

And in doing so, they've left themselves vulnerable. The Avenger is now the evil one, the ultimate Kingdom enemy. This Avenger is camped out, just past the borders and friendly confines of our city of refuge. Waiting, hoping for anyone leaving the city.

Relational isolation, fears for one's financial future, and society-wide despair is, for some, the impetus to leave their church. The church is not the refuge. The Lord of the church is the refuge.

But, the local church is the physical expression, the incarnation of the refuge. It is within the borders and friendly confines of local church commitment and fellowship that we have our best opportunity to tangibly live as citizens of the refuge city.

I am sad in writing this, because I know personally some folks who have intentionally or unwittingly left their city of refuge. Some never to return. Some exposing themselves, instead, to the Avenger of Blood.

Others will continue to want the relationships, but on their own terms, their self-imposed limits going forward. Wanting to keep their citizenship. But also wanting to be an expat, away from the city when they want to be.

I pray these outliers will return. The door is open, because the throne room of the King is open. He, alone, is our city of refuge.

I pray for those who have never found ultimate security, safety and satisfaction. The doors remain open. Open to the ultimate and forever city of refuge.