Notes: May 1, 2008 – Numbers 35 & 36

I. 48 Levitical cities to be established throughout the land, including 6 cities of refuge (35:1-8)

See also Joshua 20:7-8)

II. The law concerning murder and manslaughter (9-34)

• refuge cities are to be spaced throughout the land, 6 on each side of the Jordan River
• a revenger of blood has the right to pursue and kill the man-slayer
• the man-slayer may flee to one of the refuge cities, where he will receive a fair trial
• murderers should be put to death
• unintentional, non-premeditated man-slayers may live without fear in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest
• the refuge is forfeited if the safety of the refuge city is abandoned for any reason
• the right to take the man-slayer’s life ends with the death of the high priest
• the same law applies to citizens, resident aliens, and foreigners

III. Clarification on the land rights of women (36:1-13)

• land will not pass from tribe to tribe through marriage
• women (with land rights) must marry within their tribe

Meditation Points:

1. Our refuge is in Christ our God (Psalm 46:1; Hebrews 6:18)
2. He is refuge for Jews and Gentiles.
3. As our High Priest, He never dies; therefore our refuge is eternal.
4. Outside of Christ there is no refuge.
5. In Him there is refuge for the innocent AND the guilty.

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