“then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there. The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.”
(Numbers 35:11-12, ESV)
Early on, a practice developed of avenging the murder of a “kinsman” by an “avenger,” a “kinsman redeemer” (Genesis 4:14; 27:45). The Lord instructed Moses to have Israel establish forty-eight cities of refuge when they occupy Canaan. This is so the manslayer can flee to these cities for protection while he awaits trial.
The Lord also established the rules for the proper conduct of this trial. He established the rules to differentiate between murder, which is intentional killing and demands capital punishment, and manslaughter, which was unintentional and did not require capital punishment (v16-24). If deemed a manslayer, he was to stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest (v28). Moreover, the Lord also establishes that they cannot execute capital punishment on the testimony of only one witness (v30). It is also important to note that the congregation was to function as the jury. The pattern had a striking resemblance, at least in theory, to our judicial system.
Why did the Lord establish such a complex system? The purpose of this judicial system was to curb the inherent abuses of vigilante justice. The sinful nature of man in a situation of manslaughter could lead to injustice and the possible escalation of hostility. The pattern clearly shows us that the Lord is concerned about justice. In this passage, we learn much about the essence and attributes of God. In establishing due process, the Lord God revealed that He is both merciful and just. The Scriptures teach us that while He loves with an everlasting love, “He will by no means clear the guilty” (Exodus 34:7; Numbers 14:18).
What are we to learn from this? As believers we are to seek to understand the ways of God so we can conduct ourselves accordingly. In this case it means that while we must always extend mercy, we must never forget justice. It means we must love fair, pure, and correct justice, founded upon the revealed moral standards of God found in His word. Moreover, this will also help us understand how a loving and merciful God must punish the unrepentant for their sin and this will give us a greater appreciation for the work of Christ dying on the cross. You see perfect love and perfect justice met on the cross for us who have believed.
Renewing the Heart 