Cities of Refuge

I was going to post this in the comments of Marissa's last post but thought it too lengthy a reply.

I have given a lot of thought and a bit of study into the whole cities of refuge thing. If you have been a part of any house of prayer it comes up. I know of a few who have differing ideas as to what it means. They range from an End Times refuge for believers, where believers will be able to live in relative comfort while the rest of the world goes through the tribulation, to an End Times city where non believers can go for one last chance at salvation. I tend to lean toward the last one.

Without getting into my view of our place in the End Times, I want to look at why I believe what I do in regards to Cities of Refuge. Looking at Numbers 35:12-15 Cites of Refuge are mentioned. Three on one side of the Jordan, three on the other. Six all together. (people shudder at my mad math skills) Almost all commentaries and studies that I have seen on this subject revolve around the cities being a refuge for those who have committed manslaughter. In our times someone who unintentionally killed someone in a car accident would be a prime candidate for citizenship there. Until recently I focused there as well. Read the following, but pay attention to verse 15.

They shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment.13 And of the cities which you give, you shall have six cities of refuge.14 You shall appoint three cities on this side of the Jordan, and three cities you shall appoint in the land of Canaan, which will be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities shall be for refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally may flee there.


The stranger and the sojourner can be looked at as those wandering from place to place looking for sustenance. In a true spiritual sense we, as Christians, have the true Living Water, and the Bread of Life that will be able to feed those on their journey. We received this when we became Children of God, accepting Christ as our Savior. I think that we will be more like Peter in Acts 3, where he did not have money or stuff, but he did have Jesus.

Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."

In a nutshell I believe that we will live more like that, in that we will not have much in way of money (see Revelation), but we will have enough. And we most certainly will have Jesus to share with those strangers and sojourners coming through.

I hope that I have not bored anyone with this. I guess that it is a bit prophetic in that I believe we will see a City of Refuge in this region. Where will that be? I say that in that day, due to the nature of the times, we will be more agrarian, and, as a result, this city will be surrounded by farmland.

How's that for broad?

Maybe we should get some interested parties together and search it out further.