SCRIPTURE: DEUTERONOMY 19
BIBLE VERSES:
“Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess.” (Deuteronomy 19:14)
“Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” (Deuteronomy 19:21)
CITIES OF REFUGE (vs. 1-14)
The Lord commanded the Israelites to set aside three cities centrally located to become cities of refuges. It was a place where a man unintentionally killed a neighbor without malice. But a man who intentionally killed a neighbor and fled to one of these cities, he should be handed over to the avenge of blood to die. Neighbor’s boundary stone set up by predecessors in the inheritance must not be moved.
WITNESSES (vs. 15-21)
Two to three witnesses must be required to convict of any crime or offense. If the witnesses are proven by the judges to be liars, by giving false witness against his brother, then do to him as he intended to do to his brother. Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand and foot for foot.
THOUGHTS:
Since there was no police force in Israel, the innocent person had to be protected before the family of the victim attempted to take vengeance. The cities of refuge provided a place of escape so that the killer could b etried fairly. The cities of refuge pictures the salvation of Christ where we can flee for refuge. It is available to all but the person had to believe God’s Word and receive Jesus as Savior. In the cities of refuge, the killer was tried but those who trust Christ shall never face judgment because by His grace, God has forgiven us and took our punishment for us.
The guidelines reflect an even justice. Those who violated the law are not punished more severely than their particular crime deserve. In the same manner, a false witness was to receive the same punishment the accused person would have suffered.