Christ Our Refuge - [Joshua 20]

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This morning we're going to turn in our Bibles to the book of Joshua And I'd ask you to open up to Joshua chapter 20
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This will be a little bit different of a message in that there'll be a long introduction I eventually will get to this chapter for those of you that Might fret and think we might not make it there and I do have one inside Little inside story for the members of the the church a wonder of wonders today
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The message that I'm going to preach is the one that is out in the church sign out front the title there and in the
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Bulletin typically I've been known to change it, but what we're right on today I Would like to and my goal this morning would be to show you a type of the
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Lord Jesus Christ from the Old Testament I trust that it would edify the
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Saints regarding the person and work of Christ Our Savior and it would hopefully wake up some who are here this morning lost and Not thinking about the the condition of their souls and right up front
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I believe that I need to give a little bit of us a study Crash course so to speak in in typology or studying types in the
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Bible We will be looking in the Old Testament At truth this morning in the
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Old Testament and we will see there as we look and read through the Old Testament we see pictures and shadows and types of the
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Lord Jesus Christ And I'll elaborate a little bit more on that If you remember Jesus when he spoke to the two on the way to Emmaus on the road there
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He began to open the scriptures and beginning in Moses. It said The first five books of the
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Bible the beginning with Moses and then the prophets it says with those scriptures he spoke concerning himself
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He went to the Old Testament and that's what we're going to do this morning we're going to see something in the Old Testament that speaks about the
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Lord Jesus, I found this good definition of some that someone else wrote about what a type is in the
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Bible when we look at Typology a type is a shadow cast on the pages of Old Testament history by a truth whose full embodiment or Antitype is found in the
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New Testament. So you see it in the old but it's fulfilled in the New Testament types expound a significant truth about Jesus the
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Savior of sinners and his mission Types are thoroughly rooted in history. They edify they confirm our faith
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They are part of God's making of his redemptive history as as truth is unfold in the
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Old Testament We see things concealed in the New Testament. We see them revealed types teach us about Jesus They point to Christ and it can be said that the
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Old Testament as a whole has the Lord Jesus as its subject and of course
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We want to be careful We want to avoid the danger of looking at every Old Testament verse and trying to find
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Jesus under every rock but we also don't want to miss the blessing as we search the
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Old Testament and See the beauty of his person and work in the types that are sprinkled throughout the
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Old Testament there are some examples that you might be more aware of or that might first come to your attention if you remember in the
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Wilderness wanderings There was something unusual that happened every day the way that God fed
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Israel manna came down out of heaven it rained manna food for them
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But in the New Testament, we see Jesus saying these words Truly truly I say unto you it was not
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Moses who gave you the bread from heaven But speaking of the manna there in context, but my father gives you the true bread from heaven
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For the bread from for the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives
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Life to the world and then in John 6 35 Jesus says it very clearly. I am the bread of life speaking of that Old Testament Picture or that type in the
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Old Testament being fulfilled with Jesus in the New Testament the Old Testament The type there is that the the bread that came down from heaven?
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Moses's bread as it's spoken of they're only satisfied for a short period of time Where Jesus when he came down as the bread of life when
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Jesus came down from heaven his sacrifice satisfies our souls Eternally, so that's a type and we see these in the
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Old Testament We there's another one if you think of Jonah in the Old Testament What happened to him three days in the belly of the fish?
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Jesus speaks of this in the New Testament where he says, you know, basically what happened to Jonah? It's indicative of what would happen to Jesus in his death and in his resurrection on the third day
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According to the scriptures and there may be one last one before we get into ours this morning the
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Old Testament Sacrificial system and particularly the lamb in the Old Testament. We see the many instructions that were given by God concerning sacrifices an innocent lamb
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Taken from among the flock and killed in the place of someone else who was guilty this picture of substitution this picture of the laying of of the of the hands on some of the
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Sacrifices to transfer the guilt the sin upon that animal who was not guilty
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So that it would be sacrificed on the behalf of others substitution and we see in the
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New Testament concerning John the Baptist when Jesus came on the scene Do you remember his words behold the
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Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world? These are types and we're going to look at one this morning
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I mean, there's there's others probably you remember Jacob's ladder the tabernacle Moses but this morning's type is the
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Old Testament provision of The cities of refuge and we see we see them in about four different books the cities of refuge
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How many have ever heard a message on the cities of refuge and you know, you know about the cities of refuge
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Wow Less than six hands this morning so maybe it will maybe if anything will help us look in the
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Old Testament and see a truth given us there and then how we can take that type and we can look at that and behold the wonder and the glory and The splendor of the person and work of Jesus in the in the
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New Testament You don't have to turn there if you'd like you can jot this down this verse this reference down It's one of the only verses in the
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New Testament that speak of refuge It's Hebrews 6 18 and it goes like this so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie
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We who have fled for refuge. There's the phrase there we Believers who have fled for refuge might have strong Encouragement to hold fast to the hope that is set before us and dear friends in Christ as we consider this type of Christ I trust that you will be encouraged to hold fast and better yet to realize
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That it is God who is holding you fast you and I fast and we are secure because of him
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Concerning this word refuge in Hebrews 6 18 in MacArthur's study
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Bible. He wrote this in the Septuagint The Greek word here in Hebrews 16
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That's translated refuge is the same word that is used for the cities of refuge that God provided for those
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Who sought protection in the Old Testament? the verse in Hebrews says that there are a group of people who have fled and Specifically in there it's pointing to Christ They have fled to Jesus Christ for refuge and I'd like to show you this morning
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The interesting type of Christ revealed in the Old Testament truth that opens up this wonderful word refuge
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And is the basis for this morning's message entitled Christ our refuge if you look in Joshua chapter 20
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Let's read this together. It's a very short chapter follow along as I read Joshua 20
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Then the Lord said to Joshua Say to the people of Israel appoint the cities of refuge of which
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I spoke to you through Moses That the manslayer who strikes any person without intent or unknowingly may flee there
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They shall be for you a refuge from the Avenger of blood he shall flee to one of these cities and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and Explain his case to the elders of that city
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Then they shall take him into the city and give him a place and he shall remain with them
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And if the Avenger of blood pursues him They shall not give up the manslayer into his hand because he struck his neighbor unknowingly and Did not hate him in the past and he shall remain in that city until he has stood before the congregation for judgment
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Until the death of him who is the high priest at the time? Then the manslayer may return to his own town in his own home to the town from which he fled
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So they set apart and he names the six cities here Kadesh and Shechem and Hebron in this verse 7 and then in verse 8
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Beezer and Ramoth and Gilead and then Golan and Bashan verse 9
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These were the cities designated for all the people of Israel and for the stranger sojourning among them
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Then anyone who killed a person without intent could flee there So that he might not die by the hand of the
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Avenger of blood till he stood before the congregation If you're taking notes you can write it down that this subject this subject of the cities of refuge were covered in four books
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Exodus 21 Numbers 35 Deuteronomy 19 and what we just read in Joshua 20 this is a very serious matter because Everyone here when we consider and we flow through this message.
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Everyone here needs a refuge Against the coming judgment of God upon sin, or if you don't have that refuge that refuge you are on your own completely unprotected
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With no place of safety in the Hebrew the word refuge means a place of safety it means a place to be taken into a place of protection a place of Reception and in the
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Old Testament we see in these four accounts that God instructed Moses that if any man
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Accidentally killed someone the Lord would provide a refuge for that person to run to It would be a city set aside to be a place of safety
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And I can imagine that when Moses stood before the people and told them That many of them were probably indifferent and showed no interest and it's no different today
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The preacher of God's righteousness declares the soul -saving and Life -changing gospel of Christ in many times.
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There's not much response. There's not urgency There's not interest in the preaching of the Word of God If people if people go to church at all
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They'd rather be entertained than hear a convicting message or the truth itself and it's more likely that folks would rather stay away from church services and Amuse themselves or keep busy with the routine weekend pleasures are people concerned
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Sadly, many are not are they seeking a refuge many don't even know they need one
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Do you know why people are not concerned? It's because they feel they don't need a refuge at this time at this moment in their life
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But they do not know what is occurring. They don't think about that They are in danger.
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There is no concern. There's no awareness of the magnitude of their sin and their utter guilt before a holy
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God that they have offended and they are Oblivious to the fact that there is an inevitable judgment and condemnation coming
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These careless ones Might say I know that church is a good thing And yes,
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God did send his son Jesus to die or something like that and it's all true
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But it's of no concern to me I'm too involved with work or family or passions or pleasures or hobbies or fads
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Or acquiring material possessions or pursuing a career education. I mean, why do we have to go to all those extremes?
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I just talked to somebody just last weekend. He had visited a church and in that church You're not allowed to talk about sin.
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You're not allowed to talk about the cross from the pulpit Not the cross you can't mention the word blood you can't mention the word repentance why even go
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We need to hear the truth People don't want to hear the truth But they need to hear the truth and they're caught up and they're oblivious to the fact that they need a refuge
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People say I don't they don't have any urgency and it doesn't that strike us to our hearts when we consider our loved ones our
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Friends and families and co -workers. There's no urgency and this morning I hope by what we look at here in the scripture that we can see why there ought to be an urgency
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The Bible tells these people that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the
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Living God Hebrews 10 And if every lost sinner could know what was going to happen to them within the first 60 seconds after their death
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They would shudder When they were ushered into God's presence
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Or maybe if God could allow a microphone to be lowered down into the chambers of hell itself
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They could hear the screams of the tormented multitudes who've rejected God's refuge
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Jesus Christ and if they could hear that or if they could just know that I Believe that there would be a change in their attitudes and there would be a genuine concern
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To escape the fierce wrath of God upon sinners and to those who do not obey the gospel
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Now let's consider these cities of refuge MacArthur wrote there were six of them refuge centers or places of safety a person who
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Inadvertently killed someone could flee to the nearest of those cities for protection They were available to Israel to strangers and travelers
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The Slayer could flee to escape the pursuit by a family member who was seeking to exact private justice
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Authorities at the refuge protected him escorted him in for trial if he was guilty of murder
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He suffered punishment, but if he was found innocent, he was guarded at the refuge he had a place of safety until the death of the current high priest and Then after that point he could go home
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He was protected and safe as long as he stayed within the city of refuge
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When the priest died he could then go home end quote and here are the elements here are the people or things that are involved in This in this account of this type in the
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Old Testament first We have the manslayer that is the person who has killed someone by accident
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Then we have the Avenger of blood that was most likely a friend or a very close relative typically he was be the one pursuing the manslayer seeking revenge and then the city of refuge the place of safety which the manslayer would flee to for Protection the
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Avenger of blood is the one I'd like to really kind of focus on right now and first we see that this man as I said was usually related to the victim and Was many times swift and strong?
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He's the one who would seek to avenge the blood of the victim By taking the life of the manslayer and this when
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I think of this type when I think of this picture Something pursuing the guilty one something pursuing the sinner
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We know that this and to me this reminds me of the law of God Which is out to pursue or to track down or to apprehend and slay every son of Adam God's law contains the precept and the penalty.
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They are both necessary The precept is the commandment was God's said what we need to do
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It is God's orders to us such as thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart soul mind and strength
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But there also must be a penalty if you break that law The precepts have been given and there is a penalty attached
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And if we fail to keep them the Bible says the soul that sins shall die keep the law perfectly or else you are guilty before God James said in chapter 2 break one of God's the laws and you have broken them all the law is like The Old Testament avenger of blood anytime a manslayer accidentally killed his neighbor.
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He was in danger For the law stated I for I tooth for tooth
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Hand for hand blood for blood life for life there is a sentence of death hanging over the one who breaks
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God's law and the avenger of blood would be Relentless in his pursuit to execute private justice upon that guilty one
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He would not stop until he had avenged the blood of his friend or relative and I'll listen this morning
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The law is the same God says do not take my name in vain
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And if you do you are guilty and I will punish you God says don't be an idol worshiper
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But worship me alone and if you don't I will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the third and fourth generation of them that hate me if children aren't dishonor and disrespect their parents then the the probability of their life being increased is diminished and Of course we have that great
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Answer to the question in the New Testament when Jesus our Lord was asked What's the greatest commandment and he answered and said you shall love the
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Lord God with all your heart soul mind and strength We come all of us to that Place in our lives where we see we have fallen short of the glory of God Now many of you here this morning are in the refuge many of you here are believers many of you here are
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Are safe and secure from all alarm, but I want you to remember the day when you had no refuge when you were outside of Christ When there was no hope
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When you were oblivious to the fact that the sword of God's wrath was hanging over your head
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Because that will cause you to even glory more So as you consider the great refuge our
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Lord Jesus, but some of you here this morning Do not have a refuge and you have not understood that with your lying
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With your cheating with your slander With your hatred which in the eyes of God is equivalent to murder with your stealing with your back biting with your grumbling and All the things that you would look at your life and say oh, they're just little things
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These sins that we have committed breaking the law of God We've actually as I heard and I think it was
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Spurgeon's message He said we have killed God's commandments and the manslayer is out to get us
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The law of God is hot upon our trail the
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Avenger of blood Shows no mercy He's got a job to do
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Find the person who killed my friend and family member and avenge his blood the
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Avenger is not a man of reason It's kind of like if you were caught doing 85 miles an hour in a 20
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Mile an hour school zone and you're pulled over the officer doesn't want to hear anything guilty
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Here's the ticket you pay the fine The Avenger of blood shows no mercy does not want to hear any excuses
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If you accidentally killed someone in this in this account in the Old Testament if you killed a relative or Friend he would not be satisfied and will not rest until full payment has been made
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Meaning you the guilty one must die. The law has one goal
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To vindicate the honor of God because he has been dishonored by people who have broken his precepts
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What does that mean to us today? The law will not be satisfied It will not rest until a full payment of our sins has been exacted either form from us or from a substitute
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So we need a place of safety. We need a refuge. So what's so Significant about the cities of refuge.
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What do they typify? What is this all about? Well first and foremost, it was a mercy of God Can you imagine if a person was in this situation killed someone accidentally and there was no place for them to go they would all die whether they're guilty or whether they're innocent whether they were premeditated or Whether they had the hatred in their heart ahead of time but this is a mercy of God to provide a place of refuge for those who are guilty of Sinning and in our case breaking
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God's holy law The six cities were given by God for the manslayer to run to for safety and this as I would say in this account of Looking and studying and considering typology is a perfect picture now
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Not everything is gonna be analogous as you look through the as we consider the type and I'm not gonna cover all of that They're gonna be some things that don't line up and they're never perfect We're never to try to stretch the type but we can look at the overarching message that is here
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What is behind this type of the cities of refuge? I would like to look at five characteristics of Christ being our refuge as we consider the
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Old Testament Truth and type of the cities of refuge and the first one is is that Jesus Christ is
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God's divinely appointed refuge for sinners Did you see in Joshua chapter 20 and in verse 2 when the
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Lord spoke to Joshua? He said tell the children of Israel saying a point out for you cities of refuge.
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This appointment is from God This is this is a refuge given by God. This is something that God has divinely spoken needed to be done
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God said these cities were cities He appointed the manslayer as I said didn't listen to human
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Philosophy the person who was in trouble the person needed to get a place of rest refuge He didn't listen to human philosophy in his time of trouble, but needed to remember
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God's appointed cities of refuge He didn't need to come up with his own scheme some other plan some other place to go to He had to go to one of these appointed cities
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And I said before you that on the pages as we see see the Lord Jesus Christ God's Son Sent down from heaven.
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We see that he is the Son of Man who came to seek and to save that which was lost
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He was the one who said in John chapter 14 I am the way the truth and the life no man comes unto the
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Father But by me we see in verses like in Acts chapter 2 that God made
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Jesus both Lord and Christ And according to the predetermined plan of God that appointment was set and firm
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Jesus would come to save his people from their sins Even as it says in the beginning of the book of Matthew Jesus is
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God's Christ. He is God's anointed one He is God's appointed refuge for sinners who need a place of safety sent by the father to redeem his people from their sins this wasn't
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Moses's idea was it God spoke and Told Joshua this wasn't
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Joshua's idea God told Joshua said speak these these words to the people
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Jesus first is an appointed refuge and secondly Jesus Christ is
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God's Exclusive refuge and by that I mean there is no other
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Now here's where the analogy breaks down a bit. There were six cities There are not six Jesus's in the world in which we live and all the churches that you listen to messages and the people that come knocking on your
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Door you're hearing all about different Jesus's, but there's only one the Jesus of the Bible God's Exclusive refuge
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Christ and we see in in verse 9 of this text notice It says these were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel.
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The names were given in verses 7 and 8 these and these only
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Jesus the Jesus of the Bible sent down from his father and Jesus only
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God's exclusive refuge These cities were set apart for providing a safe haven and on the pages of the
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New Testament We see that the only refuge of hope set before guilty sinners is the
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Lord Jesus Christ Acts 4 12 says neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven
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Given amongst men whereby we must be saved Jesus and Jesus alone
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Jesus is God's only way Man events invents his own places of refuge doesn't he
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I kind of alluded to that with the different religions that we have But they are all useless and they will fail
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Human religion will fail because it is trying It is it is man trying to do something or some type of good works in hopes of appeasing
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God Morality will fail because no matter how good you are
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You can never be good enough to gain heaven. You have to be perfect fig leaves of self -righteousness will not be able to cover our sins and Block the piercing eye of God who knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts and if our salvation depends upon our efforts
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We are hopelessly lost and have no refuge in the Old Testament. You might have heard someone say foolishly
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One city is just as good as the other right why Beezer? Why why
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Hebron? Why do we have to go there? I mean Doesn't that sound just like what we hear today
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One religion is as good as the other isn't it one church one doc I mean the doctrine doesn't really matter does it
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I mean everybody teaches the same thing from the Bible don't they why don't we just Get together and love each other and and all religions will lead to God don't they and and We all believe in the same
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Jesus don't we and the answer to that is absolutely not there are false Christ being propagated in the world today and There are many dangerous voices teaching many damning and terrible heresies people need to hear the truth directly from God's Word That they are sinners who are guilty have offended
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God and they need a place of safety They need a place to run to for to be protected
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There is only one gospel in Message and that message that God has given says he has one only begotten
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Son of God the Lord Jesus Christ Here's Psalm chapter 2 and in verse 12 do homage to the
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Son Messianic prophecy speaking of Jesus that he be not that he not become angry and you perish in the way
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For his wrath may soon be kindled, but listen to this how blessed are all those who take their refuge in him
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Take their refuge in Christ we need a refuge and Jesus is that suppose it the manslayer the guy who accidentally killed someone said something like this again
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Why do I go to Shechem? It's six hours away. I mean, why do I need to go there and just a short aside?
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And some people might ask you this question if you attend here at BBC Why do you drive 45 minutes or an hour or an hour and a half to go to that place called
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BBC? I? Mean won't the Catholic Church on the corner do won't the
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Universalist Church do I mean? Won't it fit the bill?
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I mean you might be a visitor here this morning thinking my Baptist Church and my Bible Church or my evangelical church
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It has issues. Yeah, I mean, we don't hear good sermons They don't protect who stands in the pulpit to make sure they're preaching the truth.
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We have women elders We don't exercise church discipline. We don't even open our Bibles. I mean, that's not a problem.
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Is it? Of course it's a problem. I Mean the people in our church are good and they and they all love each other and they love
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Jesus and doesn't really matter Yes, it eternally matters Souls do matter and what you hear from the pulpit what's being taught how you're being led by the church leadership
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What the church practices has a profound influence upon your life now and upon your eternal destiny
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And it is a matter of eternal life or death and for these people here. They didn't realize that why
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I mean They might think I'll just I'll just go to some other some other city. Why go to Golan?
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It's four and a half hours of running. I mean Bethel's right down the road. It's just a few miles away It's easy to get there.
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Isn't it? Just as good as any other city. I'll just go there for safety and that would be foolishness The Avenger of blood would track you down and kill you in this account the
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Old Testament And sinners today are going to the wrong cities of refuge as I spoke earlier
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They're trusting in man and not in God and Psalm 118 verse 8 says it is better to take refuge in the
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Lord than to trust in man People are listening to the wrong people today the wrong type of teaching and They're being led astray and they have no refuge trusting in church membership baptism good works emotionalism feelings mystical experiences self
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Sufficiencies, these are all cities of death They missed the mark.
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I remember when I was younger I was about 10 years old and I wanted a BB gun so bad
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One of those Daisy BB guns and I didn't have the money to put it together You know scraping together some bottles off the side of the road wasn't enough.
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I had to do something So I don't if you remember this I'm maybe they still do it today But I sold greeting cards and you have to you had to sell a zillion boxes of greeting cards to get this
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Daisy BB gun that was probably worth about you know, three dollars back then And I got it and I used it for a while it was a one pumper, you know the underneath and When the when the
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BB came out of the end of that BB gun you could see its trajectory fall Will you aim at the target?
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You weren't aiming at the target? You were aiming up in the sky to make it hit the target. It fell short
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And let me tell you people. I mean, that's it's not putting together the best of an illustrations here
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But people's hopes people's refuges human philosophy human works religious efforts these places that they fall short of the one and only refuge that God has
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Appointed Jesus Christ. It's another Jesus. It's a religion that won't do it will not wash away sin
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It will not give us and grant us complete forgiveness as we find in Christ Market down God has chosen only one place to hide from the
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Avenger God has one place where you can flee to to be protected from the wrath of God that abides upon Sinners as it says in John 3 36 if you do not believe in Christ the wrath of God abides upon you
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It is like a sword hanging over your head right now And you need a place of refuge and Jesus is that only place of refuge?
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He's a appointed refuge He's an exclusive refuge and thirdly. He is a sure refuge
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You notice in our text in John 20 and in verse 4 it says and when this Avenger of blood fleed into the city and Stands at the entering of the gate of the city
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He shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders and they shall take him into the city
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He would not be kicked out. He would be taken in and it says and they would give him a place
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That he may dwell Among them and it says in verse 5 they shall not deliver him up to the
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Avenger of blood These are promises from God. This is sure these types of city
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This these cities are types of Christ and that Jesus is the only sure hope for sinners
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If the manslayer stayed where he was he was sure to die, but if he entered the city he was sure of safety
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What was the requirement we just read it get to the city declare your cause What was the result they'll take you in and they will give you a place a place of safety
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Refuge in the Hebrew Miklaq. It's a place of safety a Place to be taken into a place of protection a place of reception and isn't that wonderful?
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What does God's Word tell us as we see the fulfillment of this type in Jesus Christ? What is the requirement?
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Get to the only refuge given to us by God who is that refuge?
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Jesus Christ if you call upon the name of the Lord You shall be saved if you confess with your mouth the
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Lord Jesus and you believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead you Shall be saved.
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It's a sure Promise of God you declare your cause when you go into the city the man had to tell him what was going on and when you're
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Declaring your cause you go before the Lord and you confess your sin You've turned from it, but you're coming to the
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Lord and confess that you're a guilty sinner Tell them of your true condition
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Confess your sins turning of them in your utter hopelessness turning to God for mercy and like that man you fall prostrate before the
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Lord and you say God be merciful to me a sinner and As God a
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God of mercy Yes Has he provided in the Old Testament this type of Jesus a place where these people could go to be protected?
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Yes And that points to the fulfillment of it in Jesus Christ his son who said if anyone if anyone comes to me
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I think he said in in Matthew chapter 11 around verse 28
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Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden and I might give you rest.
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I will give you rest I will give you rest. He's a sure Refuge those who flee to Christ will be accepted and never turned away
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He will in no wise cast you out those who are found in Christ are given a place of safety
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And no one will able be able to snatch you out of the Father's hand or out of Christ's hand
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Okay. Now I'm going to ask you to kind of do what a preacher in the old
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Way back when I mean as a long time ago What he would like us to do is at times we would kind of put ourselves in This account of the
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Old Testament and I want you if you have one you can kind of put on your sanctified Imagination and just think of what it would have been like to be working in a field when a person found themselves in this situation of urgency and the the manslayer was
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Working in his property Let's say in chopping wood and his axe head comes loose and it flies off the handle and hits his neighbor in the head
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And he accidentally kills him He knows the victim has family members who live close by Imagine the terror in the dread in the desolation of his heart when he sees that dead body at his feet he runs
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He doesn't stop to think about this He doesn't go home first to kiss his wife and children and pack some provisions for the trip
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He has no time to waste He's kind of like Pilgrim in Pilgrim's Progress Do you remember when he was awakened and the people were telling him his family and his friends are saying stay here stay here
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And what did he do? He stuck his fingers in his ears and he said eternal life eternal life and he began to run
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He knew where he needed to get to for for safety and here this man doesn't have time to waste
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He runs with all of his might he looks back and he sees the victim's brother leaning over that dead body
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He sees that brother's face turn red with fierce hot anger and with a knife strapped to his side the
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Avenger of Blood Begins his hot pursuit blood for blood life for life the manslayer runs and runs and runs
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He's been running for two hours for four hours He's thinking every step may be his last because right over his shoulder is the
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Avenger of Blood Breathing down his neck. The Avenger is angry
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He's got now got his knife in his hand ready to plunge it into the body of the manslayer
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All the manslayer can think about is I've got to get to the city of refuge. He doesn't stop to take a drink
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He doesn't look at the pretty flowers. He doesn't look at the nice houses or chat with the people around him
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He knows he needs a refuge if I can only get to the border of the city. There's a fork in the road
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What do I do now? Which way do I go? Oh, there's a sign that says Miklach go this way and he's relieved and he presses on he hears the
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Avengers footsteps Always right behind him. He sees the city's tower towers.
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He's tired His legs are like rubber his strength is almost gone. His veins are popping in his forehead
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He is sweating profusely blood is spurting from his nose Every thought of this is refuge refuge.
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I need a refuge. All I need is a refuge and Finally, he makes it into the city limits.
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He falls over the lines and he's relieved He presents himself to the elders sitting at the gate and he is safe.
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What a relief He is saved. He barely managed to make it but he made it he escaped death now.
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What can the Avenger do? Absolutely nothing According to the law he had to stop his pursuit.
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It's no use for him to go any further He must put his knife away because the manslayer is now an untouchable
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He is inside the city limits He's in the refuge The manslayer is not secure because of the walls of the city are strong or because there's an army there or the other men
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He is secure by divine appointment. This was God's city God's appointed city and he made it into that city
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Do you see the blessed picture for guilty sinners? Even here this morning your lies your swearings your stealings your hatred your slander your animosity
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You're striking out at others Will end you up in an eternal hell even just one little white lie will dig your grave and that guilt
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For that sin Was laid upon other than the Lord Jesus Christ He has satisfied the laws demands remember the law said
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The soul that sins it shall die. We see that in the New Testament for the wages of sin is death
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But the gift of God is eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ Romans 6 23
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If we are in Christ by faith The law of God cannot touch us
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We are no longer guilty in the Old Testament entrance in the city put a stop to the
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Avenger If the manslayer stopped short of the city, he was doomed There was no safety one foot away from the city's borders.
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Think about it in Another type of Christ in the Old Testament There was no safety one foot away from Noah's Ark when the earth was flooded
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You had to be in the ark to be saved You have to be in Christ to be saved from the judgment the flood of judgment that is coming the wrath of God There's no place of safety in Egypt.
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If you put the blood one foot away from your door Maybe you put it on your body or your bed It had to be upon the doorposts in order for the death angel to pass over and spare your firstborn
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In numbers 21 if you were dying from the bite of the poisonous snake You were not given your life back.
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You were not spared by looking to looking at Moses You were not spared by looking to any other man
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You were spared by looking at that brass brazen snake that was lifted up in the pole And if you remember in John chapter 3 as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness
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Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life a great picture
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Of an Old Testament type revealed and fulfilled in the New Testament in Jesus Christ and in so too with this city
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I don't know if you ever remember this and I really wasn't gonna Go there, but there was a there was a guy.
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I think it's around 2nd Samuel chapter 3 You don't have to go there a man named Abner who was in Hebron a city of refuge and Joab enticed him to come out
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He was in there for safety Joab enticed him to come out and what did he do? He came out of the place of safety and he was killed
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He didn't stay in the place of protection. There is a place of eternal protection in our
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Lord Jesus Christ You are you are not safe if you are one foot away from Jesus and by that I mean you can park
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A wooden wagon in your garage that does not make it a car
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You can put a person in a church and that doesn't make them a Christian You can say and profess that I believe that I am a believer, but your life may not measure up to it
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There's no grace being exhibited in your life. You're not a new creature in Christ old things are passed away
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Behold the new has come it's not safe to be one foot away from Jesus You must be in Christ and in in Philippians chapter 3
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It tells us how we're found in Christ not by our own efforts But it says to be found in Christ not having a righteousness
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Which is our own but a righteousness which comes from God a righteousness that we have by faith
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It's a gift of God the grace of God to give us repentance and faith and be found in Christ like being found in the city of refuge and Like there was a protection from the
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Avenger like it that is a picture of the law of God Coming breathing down the neck of the sinner
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Jesus is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes the
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New Testament tells us He didn't just he didn't destroy the law. He fulfilled it He satisfied its demands and we who are in Christ as believers are untouchables for all eternity
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Does that not stir your heart brother and sister in Christ that we are found in Christ?
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Jesus Christ is our refuge he's the one who endured the penalty due by shedding his precious blood and Suffered every blow that should have fallen upon us the
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Avengers knife that we deserved God's wrath Was plunged into Jesus on the
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Roman cross so to speak and he died in our place Jesus is also a close refuge refuge
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I don't know if you noticed that but there were six cities three on this side of Jordan three on the other and so close
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So convenient so approachable and when we think of that the Lord Jesus is a refuge who is approachable to all
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He is just a call a prayer away Anyone can call upon the name of the
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Lord this morning and be saved You do not have to climb any mountain of morality or philosophy or academia or perform religious efforts praise
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God All you have to do is to look to Christ and live
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What must the manslayer do come to the city and declare his cause? What's must the sinner do come to Christ and beg for mercy and if you're a sinner here this morning
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Just confess it and say God I am a sinner and I need a Savior the
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Lord Jesus and I understand now for the first time and you can call upon Him and you'll be completely forgiven for he died in the place of Sinners you were either in Christ by faith or you are in a useless system of religious works or You might be carelessly walking down the pathway of life
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Clueless and oblivious to the fact that there is a knife making its way towards your heart
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God's wrath will fall upon you once you breathe your last breath sinner, and it will be too late
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Then there'll be no mercy no place of safety for you Trust in Christ and lastly and and quickly
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Jesus is a plain refuge and by that I mean Where it tells us in Deuter in the account in Deuteronomy chapter 19 that the the priests had a job to do
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They need they needed to make sure that the roadways were clear to the cities of refuge
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They would put up the signs that would say Miklach Refuge for those that were coming and forks in the roads or where there was a bend and you may not know which way to They took away the debris and the hindrances for those who were fleeing for safety and they made pathways level as possible
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They put bridges across waterways and again put the signs up and these signs pointed to the refuge
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And they plainly told the manslayer how he could get to safety This is a picture to me of the narrow way that leads to eternal life
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Through Jesus Christ and really brothers and sisters in Christ here this morning how we?
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as Ambassadors for Christ ought to make it very plain and clear when we preach the gospel
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We ought to sound the trumpet clearly don't be give a confusing twisted muddy message mixing works and grace
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For it is all of grace The gospel is supposed to be good news About how
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God saves sinners through the finished work of his Son Jesus Upon the cross and we need to clear roadblocks.
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We need to answer the questions We need to give them an answer for the for the questions that they have for the reason of the hope that is within us
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And make it clear ring the bell Clearly blow the trumpet very clearly and tell them the truth about God the truth about man the truth about Jesus Christ the truth about forgiveness of sins and the truth about how one is saved by the grace of God through Christ If you are lost here this morning
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There's a hymn or a song that says Hell is moving and death is stirring and The wrath of God is one step behind you
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The trouble is you might be asleep Oblivious to the fact and there's no urgency
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And there ought to be an urgency Because you've fallen short of the glory of God And if you are not saved this morning, it is no one's fault, but your own
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Because you've rejected the only refuge of sinners the Lord Jesus there's no fault from this pulpit over the years because the gospel is rung forth from it and There's no fault this morning in that on the part of this message and this frail
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Messenger to try to lay before you the only hope that you have in this type that we have of Jesus being
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Our one and only refuge. This is the loving kindness of God to put before you this picture this truth concerning Jesus Christ God in his mercy
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Stops sinners from falling headlong into hell when we are When we were totally lost in our trespasses and sins
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We who know the name the name of Christ here this morning. We've experienced that and we thank God for that So for the loss this morning, there's a sure close and plain refuge in Christ And by believing upon him
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Who died for sinners and was buried and raised? You can have life through his name if you trust in him and believers my brothers sisters in Christ first You ought to daily praise
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God for revealing your need and my need of him and providing for us a safe and eternal refuge in Christ Think of the hymn how firm a foundation you saints of the
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Lord is laid for your faith in his excellent word This phrase rang out to me this week.
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What more can he say than to you? He has said what else can God say concerning your salvation in Christ?
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Your sins are not partially forgiven. Our sins are totally forgiven. It's finished all said and done paid in full
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What more can God say does God need to forgive more? No, it's all forgiven in Christ What about my adoption?
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Am I adopted? Am I halfway adopted? Is there conditional adoption of the Blackstones if the kids throw up or get a fever or get sick?
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Are they out the door next week? Absolutely not. We're safe in Christ for all Eternity and we're adopted the children of God irreversible transaction
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We're justified declared righteous before God an Irreversible forensic transaction that has taken place.
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What more can he say than to you? He has said you are my child You are my portion forever.
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I love you with an everlasting love He that comes to me. I will in no wise cast out if you call upon the name of the
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Lord You shall be saved truly truly. I say unto you Jesus said I say unto you he that believes on me has everlasting life
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It's a truth that can't be taken away all that the father Give me shall come to me in him that comes to me.
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I will in no wise cast out We are in the father's hand.
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We are in Christ's hand and no one is able to snatch us out of his hands What more can
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God say to you then what he has said notice the last phrase to you?
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Who for refuge to Jesus have fled? I hope you sing that hymn differently
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Maybe we ought to sing it when we close this morning We look at those look at those words and lastly for the believer
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I did mention this already we must tell the world by our lives and by our lips
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That we are owned by God and since he has saved us We have this picture of Christ this one that God has revealed to us and I love the
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Old Testament How these just open up and they just reveal the beauty and the wonder and the splendor of our wonderful Savior God has saved us by his powerful grace
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Our lives have been powerfully changed and we are full of joy and peace by believing in Christ We are not playing church when it comes to people's never -dying souls and we as a beacon of truth as a pillar of truth should proclaim a
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Clear gospel about how God saves sinners through Jesus Christ making that message very plain
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Let's remove the roadblocks and debris out of the road and out of our lives Let's always be ready to give an answer to anyone asks the reason of the hope that is within us with tenderness and respect
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May sinners be saved even today May this be the day of salvation where they see a truth like this
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Jesus Christ is my refuge today and I gladly Repent of my sin and believe upon Christ to the saving of my soul and may we as saints be
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Enabled to worship and serve Jesus Christ our refuge to the glory of God.
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Will you pray with me? Our father we know that not every every type every one of these
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These pictures and shadows are exactly just that they are the shadow they are the foretelling and as we read the pages of Scripture in the
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Old Testament Even these here concerning the cities of refuge Though not one for one and analogous every single part of it yet We see at the foundation we see the at the core of it all that the person
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Could run in and be safe and be kept and be protected and be
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Provided for and all our Father in heaven how thankful we are
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That you arrested us that you stopped us that you opened up our eyes and revealed
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Christ to us and we Have been able to lay hold upon Christ We have been enabled we have killed the commandments have been able to enter into the city
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Enter into Christ by your drawing power by your saving hand by your amazing love and grace
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We are found in the city. We are found in the refuge we have a place of eternal safety in Jesus Christ and we worship and magnify your
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Blessed name this morning God is our refuge and strength a very present help in time of trouble
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The psalmist said and how true that is for every believer here this morning May our hearts rejoice and may we be edified and built up in the most holy faith
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And may Christ the Lord be magnified in the midst of us and we will give you the praise and the glory for it in his