Numbers 35-36

Review…

• Numbers 27-29 – A new leader for Israel…
• Numbers 30-31 – True to your word / Wiping out a nation…
• Numbers 32-34 – Living on the fence / Recording the journey / Dividing the Land…
  • The tribes of Rueben / Gad / ½ Manasseh wanted to settle on the east side of the Jordan…
    • Moses was furious with the request – thought they were afraid to enter the Land…
    • They compromised – they would build cities / but fight with Israel to conquer the west…
    • Because they did not enter the Land – they were the first to be conquered!
  • God had Moses record the Journey from Egypt to the Promised Land…
    • A recorded of every stop along their journey – to remember God’s faithfulness…
    • Also a reminder of God’s patience – Israel was a stubborn and rebellious people!
  • God had Moses set the boundaries of the Land for the 9-½ tribes…
    • From the Mediterranean / to Lebanon / to the Jordan / to the Dead Sea…
    • The Land was to be divided by sacred lots once they had conquered the Land!

Numbers 35 – Cities of Refuge… (3 things)

• 1^st – Cities for the Levites… vs. 1-8 Read: Numbers 35:7-29
  • The Levites did not receive any inheritance in the Promised Land…
  • Out of the 12 Tribes – God had chosen the Levites to serve Him in the Tabernacle…
  • The Priest – Aaronic line – were to serve offering the sacrifices to the Lord…
  • The 3 clans of Levi – Kohath / Gershon / Merari – ministered to the priests…
  • Because their inheritance was the Lord – they were given no ‘land’…
  • Joshua 18:7 – “The Levites will not receive any land. Their role as priests of the LORD is their inheritance…”
  • The Levites were given cities throughout the Land – scattered among the other tribes…
  • In all 48 cities were to be set aside for the tribe of Levi…
  • The Levites were not to be all gathered in one area – God wanted them spread out…
  • That way they could be a Godly influence in all the tribes / to all the people…
  • Often as Christians we have the tendency to ‘bunch up’ – stick together in one group…
  • We do this because we feel safer – we don’t want the world to get us dirty…
  • But we need to be interacting with those who do not know Jesus…
  • If we are not out in the world – we cannot show the world the hope of Jesus!
  • But though we are in the world – we should not be like the world – John 17:15
  • The larger tribes would give more cities / the smaller tribes would give less…
  • Not only the city – but also the land extending out 100 meters from the city itself…
  • This was to be for planting crops / and for the animals to graze…
  • Most people when they give – give out of their excess – what they have left over…
  • Giving to God is not about necessity – God does not need money…
  • And it is not about the quantity – giving a lot means nothing if it costs us nothing…
  • It is about sacrifice – giving from the heart – showing our Love for God – Mark 12:42-44
• 2^nd – Cities of refuge… vs. 9-29 (4 thigns)
  • 1^st – More than one city…
    • Six cities of the Levites were set-aside as cities of refuge…
    • Three on the east side of the Jordan River / three on the west side of the Jordan River…
    • They were evenly placed so a city was never more than a days journey away…
    • Different cities – but all with the same purpose – a place to find refuge…
    • God has placed many different churches/denominations in the world…
    • Each with a slightly different flavor – different focus – but all under the same Lord…
    • The reason is so that the church can minister to all different kinds of people…
    • I Corinthians 9:22 – “All things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”
    • One person might be more comfortable in the traditions of the Catholic church…
    • Another might draw closer to God in the solid teaching of an Evangelical church…
    • There are many churches for many different kinds of people – but only One Body…
    • But every church has the same purpose – a place to find refuge…
  • 2^nd – A place of refuge…
    • If you killed someone accidentally – you could run to one of the cities for refuge…
    • It was for anyone – Jew / foreigner / travelers – anyone who needed refuge…
      • Inside the walls of the city the ‘avenger of blood’ could not come and kill you…
      • According to Jewish law – if you killed someone – their family had the right to kill you
    • It did not make a difference if it was an accident or not – ‘life for life’ – Exodus 21:23…
      • Suppose you were out working in the field – and an ax head flew off a handle…
      • It struck and killed another worker – an accident – but when the family found out…
      • They would be coming for you – the ‘avenger of blood’ would take ‘life for life’!
      • Your only hope would be to flee to a ‘city of refuge’ – in the city you would be safe!
    • We all have all received a death sentence…
    • We are all sinners – Romans 3:23 – cause of our sin we deserve death – Romans 6:23
      • If we stay in the world – at some our sin will catch up to us – and kill us!
      • It might be having one too many drinks one night – and not waking up…
      • Or as an old / broken man or woman – coming to the end of a bitter life…
      • We cannot run from our sin – at some point it will catches up to everyone!
    • The church – is a place where any sinner is welcome to come…
      • The one place where we can be safe from sin – is in Jesus / in His church…
      • It does not make any difference who you are – or what you have done…
      • God does not discriminate – He welcomes everyone in!
  • 3^rd – Guilty or innocent…
    • Once you arrived in the city – you would be put on trial…
    • A court to decide if you had murdered / or it if was an accident…
      • The family of the person killed would be the prosecutor – looking to convict you…
      • The leaders of the city would act as judge – deciding if the death was an accident…
    • It is considered murder if…
      • You struck a killed a person with a sword / an ax / or any other iron weapon…
      • You intently pushed someone over an edge / threw something at them in anger…
      • Even if you got into a fist fight – and the other person ended up dead – murder
      • If the death was ruled to be a murder – you were turned over to the family…
      • They had the responsibility of carrying out your death sentence!
    • It was found to be an accident…
      • If you accidentally pushed someone / threw something not meaning to hit them…
      • If you dropped a stone – but did not see the person below you…
      • Modern example: If a child ran out in the street and you hit them with a car…
      • Then you were allowed to safely stay in the city – you were not put to death
    • We also are all on trial – to see if we are guilty or innocent…
    • Picture a courtroom – we are on trial for our sins – God is the judge…
      • Satan is accusing us – Revelation 12:10 – wants to see us condemned to hell…
      • He has all the ‘evidence’ he needs – all our sins / our immoral thoughts…
      • But Jesus – our defender – comes to our rescue – He points out one simple fact…
      • All our sins were paid for in full on the cross – we are found not guilty!
    • We have been forgiven – we are innocent…
      • There are no levels of sinners – greater or lesser sinners – we are all just sinners…
      • We have all purchased our place in eternity with the ‘reward’ of our sin…
      • Our hope – if we will believe – Jesus died for us so that we go instead to heaven!
      • God does not send good people to Hell – there are none!
      • What is amazing is that because of Jesus – God sends sinners to Heaven!
  • 4^th – The rules for living in the city…
  • 1^st – You could not leave…
    • The person found innocent – was only safe as long as they stayed in the city…
    • If you left the city – and the family of the person you killed found you…
    • They could avenge the death – kill you – and they would be innocent – not murder…
    • The person should have stayed in the protection of the city…
    • Does that mean we have to stay in our refuge – stay in church…
    • It is certainly a good idea to spend a lot of time in church…
    • That is where we learn and grow – a place to strengthen our walk with Jesus!
    • But we are not required to stay – we have been set free because…
  • 2^nd – The death of the High Priest…
    • All those who were confined to the cities were then set free…
    • You could leave the city of refuge without fear of reprisal from the ‘Avenger’…
    • It seems strange that God would make the death of the high priest the key event…
    • But it looked forward to the most important event in all of history…
    • The death of our High Priest – Jesus…
    • Jesus is our High Priest – Hebrews 9:11 – and He died to set us free!
    • We should be living in fear of death – the avenger coming to make us pay for our sin…
    • At best we should be stuck within the 4 walls of the church – our refuge…
    • But instead Jesus has set us completely free – given us new life!
    • John 8:36 – “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”
• 3^rd – Law for murders… vs. 30-34
  • All murderers must be executed…
  • God’s establishes the Law for murder with the intent to protect/preserve life…
  • He does it through the deterrent of the death penalty for murder…
  • God here shows that nothing is more precious than human life…
  • The reason – man is created in the image of God: body / soul / spirit…
  • One of the premier characteristics of a Godly society is the ‘sanctity of life’
  • Contrast – muslims walk into malls and blow themselves up – homicide bomber…
  • Jews will take any victim – muslim or Jewish into the hospital to keep them alive…
  • Because the Jews believe in the ‘sanctity of life’ any life – created in the image of God
  • You cannot accept a ransom for murder…
  • A murderer was not allowed to ‘pay’ for his crime in cash – buy his life back…
    • Every murdered had to be put to death for his crime…
    • A person in a city of refuge – could not buy his freedom – pay off the avenger…
    • He had to wait till the death of the high priest before he could be free…
  • There is no other way to be set free apart from Jesus…
    • You can’t buy your way out of hell – your can’t earn your way into heaven…
    • There is no paying the priest – to give to you the ‘extra good works’ of the saints…
    • You cannot read enough passages of the Bible / you cannot offer enough prayers…
    • You cannot give enough money to the poor – to make up for your sin…
    • The only way to be forgiven – the only way to be free – it is through Jesus Christ!
  • Numbers 36 – Keeping it in the family…
  • The daughters of Zelophehad… Read: Numbers 36:1-6
  • The leaders of the tribe of Manasseh came to Moses… vs. 1-5
  • God gave the daughters the right to inherit their father’s land – Numbers 27…
    • But if those women (from Manasseh) married men from a different tribe…
    • That land would become the possession of their husband’s tribe…
    • If land isn’t redeemed before Jubilee – switched to the new owner – Leviticus 25…
    • When the Jubilee came – the land would be permanently lost to Manasseh…
  • I am impressed that the men of Manasseh figured this problem out…
    • They had to cross reference several different parts of God’s Word…
    • Because they studied God’s Word – they were able to avoid a potential problem…
    • It is so important we take the time to get into God’s Word…
    • It is through God’s Word we learn to avoid the pitfalls of life we are so prone to fall into!
  • Marrying within the tribe… vs. 6-13
  • Moses agreed and gave this command from the Lord…
    • If a woman was set to inherit the Land – she could only marry within her tribe…
    • That way the Land would change family – but not change tribe…
    • No land was allowed to pass from one tribe to another…
    • Each tribe was to make sure it held on to its allotted inheritance of land!
  • When we get married – we need to marry ‘within our tribe’…
    • * II Corinthians 6:14 – “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers…
    • If someone is ‘religious’ and knows ‘about Jesus’ does not mean they are saved…
    • Don’t marry someone just because they are cute – marry one who loves the Lord…
    • Be very careful whom you choose to be your spouse – it is a permanent decision…
    • Find a man/woman who loves the Lord – not just in words – but also in actions…
    • Otherwise they might end up drawing you away from your walk with Jesus…
    • You might find you loose your inheritance in the Land!