DAY 30
BIBLE READING: Joshua 20: 1-9
One of the outstanding facts in the history of the Children of Israel was the completeness of God's provision for them. He gave them food, water, deliverance, strength, shelter, clothes and everything we could think of. Most of all he gave them himself.
When they entered the land he had promised them, his care did not stop. One wonderful provision he made for them was the setting aside of certain cities as places of refuge for anyone who had accidentally killed another person. It is a wonderful story of God's love and mercy for the guilty sinner.
Six cities were set aside out of the 48 that God gave to the Levities, the priestly tribe. They were given, as the name suggests, as a refuge for the manslayer. They would stop revenge killing and protect those who accidentally killed another person.
There were to be three cities on each side of the river Jordan. One in the north, one in the south and one in the centre. This meant that the man running to them did not have to cross a mountain range or a river to get a place of safety. It would be no more than half a day's journey to any city of refuge no matter where a person lived. Signposts had to be kept clearly marked. The gates of the city of refuge were never closed. Even strangers who were not Jews, could run to them for safety.
Isn't that like Christ our great refuge? What do we need? Life, holiness, deliverance, fellowship, security, hope, heaven, eternal life as well as forgiveness. All these things are found in Jesus Christ and much more besides. God opened the door of salvation for the man needing it in the days of Joshua. Christ is the door now to all that we need. Can we ask God today to use us to show men and women the way to that door - the greatest door in all the world?
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