Deuteronomy 4:41-49
Cities of Refuge East of the Jordan
41 Then Moses set apart three cities on this side of the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun, 42 that the manslayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unintentionally, without having hated him in time past, and that by fleeing to one of these cities he might live: 43 Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau for the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites.
Introduction to God’s Law
44 Now this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel. 45 These are the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which Moses spoke to the children of Israel after they came out of Egypt, 46 on this side of the Jordan, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel defeated after they came out of Egypt. 47 And they took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, who were on this side of the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun, 48 from Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, even to Mount Sion (that is, Hermon), 49 and all the plain on the east side of the Jordan as far as the Sea of the Arabah, below the slopes of Pisgah.
Cities of refuge for suspected murderers and the Law of God given through Moses close this chapter. The three refuge cities were not for lawbreakers to hide or be protected, but for those professing innocence of murder to await trial and be freed or held accountable as the verdict decided. This was for manslaughter cases, nothing more as today’s society misapplies the terminology for places to protect other sorts of illegal activities. The second part of these closing verses reiterate and reinforce the word of God in the Law given to Moses for the people to live accordingly. The Law was described as consisting of the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments given to the people of God to guide and protect them from the fallen nature of sin rampant in us all. Laws being order and accountability. They provided guidance and authority over the people as they possessed the promised land, piece by piece as given by the LORD to them. The blessing of the inheritance was regulated by obedience to God’s word as the Law provided by the accountability to Him in doing right and facing punishment for doing against His will in that word to them to do and therefore live by. We now who are in the present day in the grace of Christ are not so harshly corralled into fear of death for disobedience to ceremonial laws, but are governed from the moral laws inscribed by the finger of God on our hearts that we might now live by an internal desire to please the Lord and not under compulsion and fear of imminent destruction. This certainly does not negate consequences for sin, but allows forgiveness and restoration (1 John 1:9) when we fail as the manslayers of old mentioned here. He keeps us safe as we work out our salvation with fear (Philippians 2:12) and awe-driven trembling at the thought of continuing in sin and losing (1 Corinthians 3:14-15, 2 John 1:8, Revelation 22:12) eternal rewards or repenting to keep them while (Colossians 3:24) keeping the inheritance forever. We who are truly in Christ will certainly gain an inheritance in the kingdom to come but should be so eternally grateful that we strive to please Him with willing obedience to the scriptures in the power of His Spirit (Philippians 2:12, Romans 8:12-13) as we find refuge in the Lord and in the Celestial City to come as our inheritance in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior according to the fulfilled Law of the word of God that we follow.
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