“Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.” (Nu 35:28 AV)
The law of the avenger is a great picture of our practical security in Christ. If someone accidentally occasioned the untimely death of another, they had protection under the law. For instance, if they were working the field and loose stone unpredictably fell on another, then they negligently occasioned the death of another, but not with malice. If someone had an animal that spooked and accidentally killed someone, it was not by intent. It was an accident. If the slayer fled to the city of the high priest, he could remain there alive until the death of the high priest. Once the high priest died, he was free to return home without any fear of repercussions. As long as he stayed within the walls of the city, he was safe. The victim's family was justified in killing the slayer if he wandered from the protection of the high priest. It was the grace and authority of the high priest that protected the slayer from malicious revenge. This reminds me of our protection in the presence of Jesus Christ.
The world hates on two fronts. It hates us for the wicked things we have done. That is understandable. But it also hates us for our relationship with Jesus Christ. The world and the Devil hate us on two fronts. It is often the incidental things that were wrong, but don’t seem to garner consequences, for which they hate us the most. Those things we did without forethought or malice are the things they despise the most. Perhaps in our immaturity we made choices of questionable character. God did not punish us because they were impulsive but without rebellion. Foolish choices of the flesh come to mind. We didn’t have the knowledge or discipline to reject the temptation. I can think of a few of those choices in my own life. It was those choices which the world seems to forgive the least. Choices that do harm, but that we were too naïve to avoid. The world holds saints to higher standards than they do themselves. What is ok for them is not ok for us. They will crucify the saint for an indiscretion where their best friend who is lost is gold. Being in the presence of Jesus Christ and His grace is our refuge.
We will never be fully accepted by those who don’t have the love of Christ in their hearts. They cannot. They don’t have the capacity to love as Christ loves. The great news is that our High Priest will never die. The presence of Christ is permanent. We would be foolish to leave the intimacy found in Christ and go back to those who hate us. In our passage, if the slayer left the grace of the Priest’s protection, it was a guaranteed death sentence. No doubt the victim’s family set up camp right outside the city just in case the slayer was foolish enough to venture out. Anyone who would leave the gracious protection of the Priest is not thinking right. Yes, liberty is restricted. But life can still be enjoyable. There was no restriction for the slayer’s family to join him. He can have a full life in the presence of the High Priest. We would be foolish to resent what we cannot have and not enjoy what we can have. Within the city, the slayer had liberty to enjoy life. He was free to make a life for himself. The same is true with us. As long as we stay within the grace and mercy provided by an intimate walk with God, we are secure. Who cares what the world thinks?
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