City Of Refuge

City Of Refuge

+ Jesus: The City Of Refuge +

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City Of Refuge

As we continue to cover the fleeing of Babylon as well as covering different spiritual examples of this in the scriptures, we will continue on with a different type of city: The City of Refuge- the safe haven of those who sought mercy for their actions.  We will show that Jesus is truly our City of Refuge. Then, we will end this study with declaring the urgency to flee to Jesus.

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.  (29)  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.  (30)  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

City Of Refuge

Flee To The City Of Refuge

Joshua 20:1-6  “Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying,  (2)  “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Assign the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you by Moses,  (3)  that the man slayer who kills any person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there. They shall be to you for a refuge from the avenger of blood.  (4)  He shall flee to one of those cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declare his case in the ears of the elders of that city. They shall take him into the city with them, and give him a place, that he may live among them.  (5)  If the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver up the man slayer into his hand; because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, and didn’t hate him before.  (6)  He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days. Then the man slayer shall return, and come to his own city, and to his own house, to the city he fled from.’”                             LET ME EXPLAIN

City Of Refuge

As we flee Babylon, we are fleeing from our Sin and the city of Rebellion, but also fleeing to another City- A city of our refuge and salvation. Let’s get a better understanding of this.

City Of Refuge

Hebrews 12:22-26 “But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels,  (23)  to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,  (24)  to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.  (25)  See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven,  (26)  whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens.”

City Of Refuge

Revelation 3:12 “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name.”

Spiritually speaking, we can call our cities of refuge New Jerusalem and Zion. Yet, in the most literal sense, we find it in Jesus our Christ.

City Of Refuge

How Does The City Of Refuge Relate To Our Sin?

We are born into Sin, through the flesh. It is of no doing of our own. We didn’t ask for it, but we inherited it from Adam- much like the one escaping to the city of refuge.

Romans 7:14 “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.”

Psalms 51:5 NET “Look, I was guilty of sin from birth, a sinner the moment my mother conceived me.”

Psalms 51:5 YLT “Lo, in iniquity I have been brought forth, And in sin doth my mother conceive me.”

Romans 8:3-4 “For God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,  (4)  so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

City Of Refuge

When we become of age and understanding of our sinfulness, we are responsible for it.

Hebrews 10:26-27  “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins,  (27)  but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries.”

City Of Refuge

So, much like the City of Refuge, those who murdered with intent and premeditation no longer can benefit from the City of Refuge. Those who continue on in their sin after hearing the Word of Truth, no longer have any hope for salvation in their rebellion. They cannot be received into the Kingdom of God to the New Jerusalem.

1 John 1:7-10 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.  (8)  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  (9)  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (10)  If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

City Of Refuge

Hebrews 6:17-20  “In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath;  (18)  that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.  (19)  This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil;  (20)  where as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

Philippians 3:8-11  “Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ  (9)  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;  (10)  that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death;  (11)  if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

City Of Refuge

Therefore, flee from the city of your sin and rebellion against God that you have inherited as a birth grant -the spiritual city of Babylon, and flee to the City of Refuge found in Jesus Christ. Leave all you have behind and receive salvation.

City Of Refuge

Don’t Delay- Do It NOW

Secure Your Salvation

With easy “believe-ism” darkening the minds of those who hear the gospel: disarming the people from any urgency to focus on their walk with God. We must use the Bible to clear things up, and pinpoint the seriousness and perilous condition we find ourselves in. Run with all your might to the throne of grace and refuse to depart the presence of God!

City Of Refuge

Value Your Precious Calling

John 6:44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day.”

City Of Refuge

Few Will Receive Salvation

Matthew 22:14 “For many are called, but few chosen.”

Matthew 7:13-14  “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.  (14)  How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.”

City Of Refuge

Don’t Waver

1 Kings 18:21 “Elijah came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people didn’t say a word.”

City Of Refuge

Choose This Day Who You Will Serve

Joshua 24:15  “If it seems evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.”

City Of Refuge

Don’t Receive God’s Grace In Vain

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 “Working together, we entreat also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain,” 

City Of Refuge

Today Is The Day Of Salvation

2 Corinthians 6:2 “for he says, “At an acceptable time I listened to you, in a day of salvation I helped you.”Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.”

City Of Refuge

Don’t Tempt Christ

1 Corinthians 10:9 “Let’s not test Christ, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents.”

City Of Refuge

Don’t Tempt God

Deuteronomy 6:15-17 “for Yahweh your God among you is a jealous God; lest the anger of Yahweh your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.  (16)  You shall not tempt Yahweh your God, as you tempted him in Massah.  (17)  You shall diligently keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he has commanded you.”

City Of Refuge

Seek God While He May Be Found

Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek Yahweh while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.  (7)  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”

City Of Refuge

Make Your Election Sure

2 Peter 1:10-11 “Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.  (11)  For thus you will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

City Of Refuge

Run To Win The Race

1 Corinthians 9:23-27 “I do all these things because of the gospel, so that I can be a participant in it.  (24)  Do you not know that all the runners in a stadium compete, but only one receives the prize? So run to win.  (25)  Each competitor must exercise self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.  (26)  So I do not run uncertainly or box like one who hits only air.  (27)  Instead I subdue my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself will not be disqualified.”

City Of Refuge

Throw Off Every Weight That Holds You Back

Hebrews 12:1-2  “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us,  (2)  keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.”

City Of Refuge

Fight The Good Fight Of Faith

1 Timothy 6:11-14  “But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.  (12)  Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.  (13)  I command you before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate testified the good confession,  (14)  that you keep the commandment without spot, blameless, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

City Of Refuge

Pay Attention Less You Drift Away

Hebrews 2:1-3 “Therefore we ought to pay greater attention to the things that were heard, lest perhaps we drift away.  (2)  For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense;  (3)  how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation—which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard;”

City Of Refuge

Don’t Let Your Heart Condemn You

1 John 3:18-22 “My little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.  (19)  And by this we know that we are of the truth, and persuade our hearts before him,  (20)  because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.  (21)  Beloved, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have boldness toward God;  (22)  and whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.”

City Of Refuge

Fear & Trembling

Philippians 2:12  “So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

City Of Refuge

Judge Yourselves So You Will Not Be Judged

1 Corinthians 11:31-32 “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”

City Of Refuge

Humble Yourselves

James 4:7-10 “Therefore submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  (8)  Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners; and purify your hearts, double-minded ones.  (9)  Be afflicted, and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness.  (10)  Be humbled before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

City Of Refuge

Act Boldly & Run To The Throne Of Grace

Hebrews 4:15-16  “For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin.  (16)  Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.”

City Of Refuge

Draw Near Now While You Can

Hebrews 7:22-25 “By so much, Jesus has become the collateral of a better covenant.  (23)  Many, indeed, have been made priests, because they are hindered from continuing by death.  (24)  But he, because he lives forever, has his priesthood unchangeable.  (25)  Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them.”

City Of Refuge

Fear God

Luke 12:5 “But I will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him, who after he has killed, has power to cast into Hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.  (14)  For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.”

City Of Refuge

Gather Yourself & Press On

Hebrews 12:12-17 “Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,  (13)  and make straight paths for your feet, so what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.  (14)  Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,  (15)  looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it;  (16)  lest there be any sexually immoral person, or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal.  (17)  For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for a change of mind though he sought it diligently with tears.”

City Of Refuge

Press On To Your High Calling

Philippians 3:13-14 “Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,  (14)  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

City Of Refuge

Press On And Never Look Back

Luke 9:61-62 “Another also said, “I want to follow you, Lord, but first allow me to say good-bye to those who are at my house.”  (62)  But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for God’s Kingdom.”

City Of Refuge

Have This Confidence That You Gave Your All

2 Timothy 4:6-8 “For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come.  (7)  I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.  (8)  From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.”

City Of Refuge

Remain In His Protection By Obeying Your Lord

John 8:31 “Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples.”

City Of Refuge

Carry Your Cross

Mark 8:34-37 “He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  (35)  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.  (36)  For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?  (37)  For what will a man give in exchange for his life?”

City Of Refuge

Worship God In Spirit & Truth

John 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

City Of Refuge

Be Ever Ready, For The Lord Comes Our Way

Matthew 24:42-44 “Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes.  (43)  But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.  (44)  Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come.”

City Of Refuge

Stand, Escape, Be Kept!

Luke 21:36 “Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

John 17:15 “I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one.”

City Of Refuge

Be Philadelphia

Revelation 3:7-12  “To the angel of the assembly in Philadelphia write: “He who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says these things:  (8)  “I know your works (behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut), that you have a little power, and kept my word, and didn’t deny my name.  (9)  Behold, I give some of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie. Behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.  (10)  Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.  (11)  I am coming quickly! Hold firmly that which you have, so that no one takes your crown.  (12)  He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name.”

City Of Refuge

Conclusion

Job 19:25 “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives. In the end, he will stand upon the earth.”

Psalms 103:1-5 “Praise Yahweh, my soul! All that is within me, praise his holy name!  (2)  Praise Yahweh, my soul, and don’t forget all his benefits;  (3)  who forgives all your sins; who heals all your diseases;  (4)  who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies;  (5)  who satisfies your desire with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Isaiah 43:1 “But now Yahweh who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel says: “Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.”

City Of Refuge

City Of Refuge

City Of Refuge