Then the LORD said to Joshua: “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood. Joshua 20:1-3

Here is the continuation of the last post exploring the parallels between the “Cities of Refuge” in the Old Testament and Jesus, our refuge, today.

2. The gates of these cities were always open, and likewise, the door to the strong tower of the Lord is always open as well.

The research of Francis Schaeffer on these cities of refuge reveals that the gates to the 6 cities of refuge were never locked.  City gates back then were always locked – at least at night while most of the city slept.  It was too dangerous not to lock the gates because enemies seemed to always be nearby, but the gates of the cities of refuge were never locked.  People who were in desperate need of help, protection, and refuge could always get in – no matter what time of day or night.

So too is it with the Lord, our refuge.  Psalm 121:4 says: Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. There is no need to wake the Lord when you need Him because He neither slumbers nor does He sleep.  His door is always open, and He’s ready to receive you when you run to Him.

3. The cities of refuge were open to everyone, and likewise, the Lord calls for everyone to come to Him.

Joshua 20:9 says: These were the cities designated for all the people of Israel and for the stranger sojourning among them. God made it very clear to Israel that these cities of refuge were to be for ANYONE and EVERYONE.  Those receiving needy people at the city gates were not to ask for any identification or card of nationality of the one running to it for help.  They were to let every single person that came to them for help inside the city.

In the same way – in the Lord’s mind – there is no discrimination and no separation of persons.  In Galatians 3:28, Paul described for us how Jesus sees things when he wrote: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. In the eyes of Jesus, our refuge, there is no difference between any of us.  He welcomes anyone and everyone to Him, and He calls everyone who comes to Him (regardless of their race, sex, nationality, financial situation, upbringing, or what they’ve done or not done) His “children.”