DAY 66 Read Numbers 35 and 36.
Today's reading gives instructions for providing forty-eight cities for the Levites, six of them cities of refuge. We also read the conclusion to the interesting story about five unmarried girls and their father's inheritance.
Memory gem: "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;...he is my...refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence" (2 Samuel 22:3).
Thought for today:
We read the story of the cities of refuge in three chapters of the Bible--Numbers 35, Deuteronomy 19, and Joshua 20. These cities were necessary because of the ancient custom of private vengeance, by which the nearest relative of a slain person took the responsibility of punishing the murderer. The original law, found in Genesis 9:6, decreed that "whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed"; and it was considered in ancient times in the East, and in some places even to this day, that the nearest kin should avenge the deceased. As many rash executions of this law might take place in the heat of anger, and because a careful distinction between intentional and unintentional killing was not always made, these cities of refuge were instituted to provide for the proper administration of justice.
The cities of refuge were so located as to be within half a day's journey from every part of the land. That is, no one lived more than a half-day's journey from at least one of them. There were six cities of refuge--three on the east side of the Jordan River and three on the west side. Open roads leading to them were always kept in repair and were posted with signs bearing in plain, bold letters the one word "REFUGE" so that a man fleeing for his life would not miss the way nor be delayed for even a moment.
Brother man, flee now to Jesus, the City of Refuge; for the avenger of blood seeks your soul. Don't walk--run, flee, seek refuge now. As the old spiritual puts it, "You better run, you better run to the city of refuge."
Today's reading gives instructions for providing forty-eight cities for the Levites, six of them cities of refuge. We also read the conclusion to the interesting story about five unmarried girls and their father's inheritance.
Memory gem: "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;...he is my...refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence" (2 Samuel 22:3).
Thought for today:
We read the story of the cities of refuge in three chapters of the Bible--Numbers 35, Deuteronomy 19, and Joshua 20. These cities were necessary because of the ancient custom of private vengeance, by which the nearest relative of a slain person took the responsibility of punishing the murderer. The original law, found in Genesis 9:6, decreed that "whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed"; and it was considered in ancient times in the East, and in some places even to this day, that the nearest kin should avenge the deceased. As many rash executions of this law might take place in the heat of anger, and because a careful distinction between intentional and unintentional killing was not always made, these cities of refuge were instituted to provide for the proper administration of justice.
The cities of refuge were so located as to be within half a day's journey from every part of the land. That is, no one lived more than a half-day's journey from at least one of them. There were six cities of refuge--three on the east side of the Jordan River and three on the west side. Open roads leading to them were always kept in repair and were posted with signs bearing in plain, bold letters the one word "REFUGE" so that a man fleeing for his life would not miss the way nor be delayed for even a moment.
Brother man, flee now to Jesus, the City of Refuge; for the avenger of blood seeks your soul. Don't walk--run, flee, seek refuge now. As the old spiritual puts it, "You better run, you better run to the city of refuge."
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