Bible Questions Answered:
I feel burnt out, unhelped by religion, and hurt by friends, where is God in all of this?
Amanda/ Scarborough, Ontario,Canada
Bible Answer:
Sounds like you need a place to get away!
A place of refuge.
In Old Testament times, there were the “Cities of Refuge.”
These cities were always on hills, with gates open, so as to be easily seen, and for ease of access.
Members of the Sanhedrin, had the responsibility to make sure that all roads leading to these places of refuge were clean and wide, and that all rivers were properly bridged.
Road markers read “Refuge.”
These Levitical cities were for those who needed a place to run to for safety.
For those who had accidentally killed someone, or for those who had killed some one in self defense.
Once in the city a trial would be held as to guilt or innocence.
If the person was guilty, he would have to face and account to the ones after him.
If innocent, he would forever be free while remaining in the city of refuge.
Six cities were set aside for refuge, and their names, speak much-prophetically of a great coming refuge.
East Side of Jordan, Three Cities:
1) Bezer-Hebrew-Betser (Beh-tser): Gold, defense. (Fortress.)
(All translations: Abingdon's Strong's Concordance of the Bible.)
Deuteronomy 4:43 KJV (Joshua 20:8)
Namely, Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, of the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, of the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, of the Manassites.
2) Ramoth-Hebrew-Ramoth (Raw-moth): Heights. (Exaltation. Ephesians 1:20,21)
Gilead-Hebrew-Gilad (Ghil-awd): East of Jordan.
(Deuteronomy 4:43 KJV above)
Joshua 21:38 KJV
And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs,
3) Golan of Bashan, from the tribe of Manesseh:
Deuteronomy 4:43 KJV (Joshua 21:27)
Namely, Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, of the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead,
of the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, of the Manassites.
Golan-Hebrew-Gowlan (Go-lawn): East of Jordan. (Joy.)
West Side Of Jordan, Three Cities:
1) Kedesh of Galilee:
I Chronicles 6:76 KJV
And out of the tribe of Naphtali; Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, and Hammon with her suburbs, and Kirjathaim with her suburbs.
Kedesh-Hebrew-Qedesh (Keh-desh): A Sanctum. (Holy.)
Sanctum: A place of utmost privacy and inviolability.
(New World Dictionary)
2) Shechem of Mount Ehpraim:
Joshua 21:21 KJV (I Chronicles 6:67)
For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs,
Shechem-Hebrew-Shekem (Shek-em): The neck (between the shoulders) as the place of burdens, back.
3) Hebron of Judah:
Joshua 21:11 KJV
And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.
Hebron-Hebrew-Chebrown (Kheb-rone): Seat of association. (Fellowship.)
These Cities of Refuge, spoke of “sanctuary,” amidst chaos.
Defense, Sanctum, the Shoulders, place of burdens, stops and makes us remember the words of the Saviour.
Luke 15:3-5 KJV
3 And He spake this parable unto them, saying,
4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
Isaiah 9:6 KJV
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon
His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God,
The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 40:11 NLT
He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in His arms, holding them close to His heart..."
These Cities of Refuge, were but a prophetic glance at the real place of refuge that for them, was yet to come.
And that place of “refuge,” is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 27:5,6 KJV
5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
Psalm 31:19-20 NLT
19 How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.
20 You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues.
Psalm 46:1 KJV
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Psalm 71:1-5 KJV
1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
3 Be thou my strong habitation, where unto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my Rock and my Fortress.
4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
5 For thou art my Hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my Trust from my youth.
Proverbs 14:26 KJV
In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge.
Proverbs 18:10 KJV
The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
Isaiah 25:1,4 KJV
1 O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress,
a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
Zechariah 9:12 NLT
Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope! I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles.
Dear friend, do you know this place of retreat, this place of eternal hope, the refuge of the wonderful Shepherd, Saviour?
Revelation 3:20 NLT
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in..."
John 1:12,13 KJV
12 But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Hebrews 6:16-20 NLT
16 Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding.
17 God also bound Himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that He would never change His mind.
18 So God has given both His promise and His oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.
19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.
20 Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our Eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.
