The cities of refuge

“These six towns will be a place of refuge for the Israelites, aliens and any other people living among them, so that anyone who has killed another can flee there.” Numbers 35:15
Before Israel even entered the land of Canaan, God had instituted the law concerning the cities of refuge (Ex. 21:12-13). Here in Numbers 35, just before Israel entered the land, God gave them more specific instructions as to how these cities were to operate.
The city of refuge was designed to protect someone who had accidentally killed another person (what we would call manslaughter). Ordinarily, if someone was killed, their next of kin would seek out the person who killed them, to put them to death. God allowed this to remain in place for cases of murder, where the initial killing was intentional. But where it was an accident, He made provision for that person to receive mercy.
The cities were selected from among the Levitical cities. We find out later that they are Kedesh in Galilee, Shechem, Hebron, Bezer, Ramoth Gilead, and Golan (Josh. 20:7-9). These cities were within easy reach of everyone; no city was more than a day’s journey from anywhere in Israel.
Someone guilty of manslaughter was to flee to the city, state his case to the elders, and if they determined that the killing was accidental, they were to allow him to enter. Once inside, he was safe (although if he ventured outside and the avenger of blood found him, he could be killed, Num. 35:26-27). There was one condition upon which he was free to leave the city: when the high priest died (Num. 35:28).
How does this apply to us today, as Christians? Once again, it is a picture of Jesus. He is our refuge, where we can find safety from the avenger. Also, it is by the death of the high priest – Jesus being our high priest (Heb. 4:14) – that we are freed. Imagine what it was like for those people living in a city of refuge. Being a Levitical city, they would have direct access to the word of God, to be taught by the Levites. Also, they would have come across many other people who were there for the same reason as themselves: because they had killed someone accidentally, but had found mercy there. God shows us mercy and grace by giving us His Son. Have you found your refuge in Him?