Commentary on "Cities of Refuge"

MARK MARTIN

 

Day 5: Wednesday, December 23, 2009

 

How was the whole congregation involved in dealing with these situations? Why would it be important for them to be involved? What distinction was made between premeditated murder and that of manslaughter?

The whole community was to determine if the death was accidental or purposeful and they were to protect the slayer if the death was determined to be accidental.

Even though the death might have been by accident, the perpetrator still had to remain in the city of refuge in order to be protected. Given the context, why do you think that was so?

Emotions of family and friends are very high after the death of a loved one; whether it was murder or manslaughter. Their judgment and rationale are not always what it should be and they might not heed the verdict of the community and still want to take vengeance when they are only meant to be a balancer or restorer.

 

Why do you think the Lord set up this system of justice, in which humans were responsible for determining guilt and innocence? Why didn’t He just supernaturally administer justice, as He did in other cases?

The Lord is always looking for those whose hearts are after His; obedience is one of the signs of that. If the Lord supernaturally intervened every time someone needed punishment then He would be leaving out the opportunity for others to display obedience.

 

Why do you think a murderer couldn’t be put to death on the testimony of just one witness? What does that say about how serious the issue regarding capital punishment was?

The purpose of more than one witness was to guard against impure motives and to increase objectivity and accuracy. The spilling of innocent blood defiled the land including the innocent blood that could be shed through false accusation. The witnesses were to be the first to cast stones in carrying out a death sentence so they would directly be responsible for the shedding of innocent blood in the case of false accusation.

 

Summary

1. Always give yourself time after you have been deeply hurt or angered before you react and remember God’s Word to us in this matter—“BE ANGRY, AND {yet} DO NOT SIN.” Ephesians 4:26a
2. How often are we obedient to the Lord?
3. Be very careful to make sure all your accusations are true. (Exodus 23:1-2)

 

GO TO DAY 6

 

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