Six of the towns you give to the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee. In addition, give them forty-two other towns.” Numbers 35:6
Taking 3,000,000 people out of slavery in Egypt, across the Sinai Peninsula and to the edge of the Promised Land took many, many miracles and obedience to God’s sovereign authority. By miracle and God’s leading, Moses organized the Hebrew children into twelve tribes. Each clan would receive a portion of land to settle, but the tribe of Levi was charged with leading worship, caring for the Ark of the Covenant and maintaining the tabernacle. They would not be settlers but priests caring for the spiritual health of the new nation.
The Levites would need a place to live, so Moses instructed the other eleven tribes to set aside cities with land plots to herd and farm. Six of these cites were to be havens of refuge, a place for those who have made egregious mistakes to go and live in peace, away from the danger and retribution of the offended. In these cities, only God’s judgment mattered.
If you read the entire passage of Numbers chapter 35, you see that God makes a complete separation between malicious murder and a careless act that leads to the accidental death of another. God knows the heart of man. He does not tolerate selfish disregard for human life or hatred, but gives help to those in life’s most horrendous messes.
This wonderful all knowing God has a plan for your chaos. He sent His only Son to be our city of refuge. In this we find perfect knowledge and assessment of complete and unbiased truth. Give your broken heart and out of control life to Him. He has a place for you and it is good.
Love,
Gretchen