Each city of refuge served as a beautiful type and shadow of our Savior, Jesus Christ. As Hebrews 6:18 says, "We who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us."

Table of contents* The Cities of Refuge (Deuteronomy 19:5-6 and Numbers 35:9-12)* Christ Is Our City of Refuge (Hebrews 6:18)* Pursued by an Avenger (Numbers 35:19)* Refuge from Death (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)* The City of Refuge Is Accessible by All (Numbers 35:15)* The City of Refuge Is Near to All (Deuteronomy 19:3)* Released from the City of Refuge by the High Priest’s Death (Numbers 35:25)* Life Ensured in the the City of Refuge (Numbers 35:26-28)* No Other Alternative* Help for the Guilty* Application* Spread out for Ministry* Are We Welcoming?* Are We Content with Christ?* Do We Recognize Your Guiltiness?

The twelve tribes of Israel were given a portion of the Promised Land as their inheritance to live in. The exception was the tribe of Levi: “The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the Lord's food offerings as their inheritance” (Deuteronomy 18:1, see also Numbers 18:23-24; Deuteronomy 12:12, 14:27; Joshua 14:3, 18:7). Instead, the Levites were assigned the duties associated with the sanctuary and religious activity of the nation, including being the nations’ priests: “The Lord your God has chosen [Levi] out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for all time” (Deuteronomy 18:5). Even though they weren’t given an inheritance in the land, they needed places to live, so God assigned them areas throughout the nation. By providing cities for the Levites throughout the land all the people had access to them and their ministry:

The Lord spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, “Command the people of Israel to give to the Levites some of the inheritance of their possession as cities for them to dwell in. And you shall give to the Levites pasturelands around the cities. The cities shall be theirs to dwell in, and their pasturelands shall be for their cattle and for their livestock and for all their beasts. “The cities that you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit the manslayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities.Numbers 35:1-3, 6

The Cities of Refuge (Deuteronomy 19:5-6 and Numbers 35:9-12)

The Levites were given a total of forty-eight towns to live in, and six of them were special, being called, cities of refuge. In the ancient world, there was no police force; therefore, it was up to each family to avenge murders. Under the Old Covenant: “If there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand,