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In The Garden Daily Devotional
Sunday Message
"The City Of Refuge"
Pastor
Wayne Clabaugh
Scripture Reading: Joshua 20: 1-6
Scripture Text: "Speak to the children
of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of
refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of
Moses: That the slayer that killeth any person
unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and
they shall be your refuge from the avenger of
blood." Joshua 20:2,3 (KJV
Good morning and welcome to this Sunday edition
of In The Garden. Let me ask you a question this
morning... Have you ever felt like you just
needed to "get away"?
I can remember the old Calgon commercial
when I was a young lad that would push that idea
by to the limit by showing a housewife or a
mother going through a rough day with telephones
ringing off the hook, kids screaming all around
her; food burning on the stove; and with that
stress-drawn look on her face - wiping off her
brow with her apron she would anxiously
proclaim, "Calgon, take me away".
Well, I'm going to speaking to you today about
that Place of Refuge in just a couple of minutes
- but before I do here's a great song by The
Booth Brothers, entitled, "This is what
Salvation's Done For Me". I'll be right back
after the song with today's message.
There are a few of us in this modern day and age
that I'm sure wish we had a place of refuge - a
place to "hide out from the world" who seeks to
exact their pound of flesh from us. Yet, there
are very few that ever find that place - and for
most... their city of refuge ends up being their
own home; shades drawn, phones off the hook with
the Television as their only companion.
Our text today speaks of an even greater need
for refuge than what I just described. Our text
and subsequent scripture found it ( ) describes
entire cities - set aside on land divided
amongst the 12 tribes and given to the tribe of
the Levites. (Priestly tribe)
These “Cities of Refuge” (6 in all - ref.,
Numbers 35:6) were not an idea that came from
the heart of man, but we see here that it was
conceived in the very heart and mind of God.
Turn with me to the Book of Numbers in your
Bible if you will and look at the 35th Chapter
and the 6th verse. We find there that it says,
”And among the cities which ye shall give unto
the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge,
which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he
may flee thither…” (KJV)
That was the WORD of the Lord. He commanded that
these six cities were to be cities of refuge; cities of
safety for anyone who had accidentally - or in self
defense... taken the life of another. These cities were
a place where one could find protection from whom the
Bible calls “the avenger of blood”, which referred to
the relatives or friends of the slain person who would
most assuredly seek revenge for their death. Yet, once
inside the walls of the City of Refuge they were safe!
Oh I can't help but think of what a wondrous picture
this paints of another “City of Refuge” that came from
the very heart of God. You know what I mean. It was a
city covered by the Blood of Jesus and when that
old death angel would come passing by - pointing his old
bony finger at you as one who had transgressed against
God - your sin was covered by that cleansing Power of
the BLOOD OF CHRIST. Oh praise His Name!
It has been said that from time to time - the people of
these cities of refuge would be suddenly disturbed by a
piercing cry of one under the attack of vengeance for
the wrong they had committed... and just outside the
gate of the city they would see the silhouette of a
trembling soul making his way toward the gate - with his
avenger striking at his heels with sword drawn. It has
been said that once and a great while, that tired body
filled with fear for his life would mistakenly think he
reached the gates of that city and would sit down to
rest - perhaps even collapsing at the gate; and then the
avenger would seize the opportunity to spring on him and
plunge the sword into his soul. Oh my friend, can you
imagine getting "that close" and still losing your life?
In some instances it was said that one would get so
close to that gate of the city and would stand
hesitating at the entrance, doubting and afraid to go
in. Trembling in fear - he makes the conscientious
choice to stand and fight and try to stave of his
attacker on his own. In most cases the result was that
of breathing his last breath just outside the city
walls! Again... can you imagine being that close to
safety and losing it all?
Well, I know that you may not want to hear this today -
but Hell is full of people who came “that close” to
safety... and lost it all. If we could sneak a peak
through Hell's relentless darkness and horror today - we
would find all sorts of people who at one point "almost"
received Christ.
Perhaps through billowing flames and the putrefying
smell of sulfur and burning flesh, we would see an old
country farmer who lived within walking distance from
the church. And like a movie we would see how every week
the country preacher would stop by and give him the plan
of salvation - and that old farmer, eyes wet with tears,
would tell that old country preacher, "Not today
Preacher, Not today!"
Perhaps amidst the smoke and hellish screams you would
find a young teenager whose cries reveal the agony of
her rebellion. In constant horror she remembers going to
church and God speaking to her heart - fully aware of
the need of her own salvation - yet her response was,
"I'm still young... I've got
plenty of time". "Not today Jesus". So close... but so
far away.
Perhaps looking deeper into that flaming abyss of horror
and cries of pain, you will find pew after pew
those who sat through altar call after altar call while
God the Holy Spirit tugged at their heart; yet they
yielded NOT to the winnowing fan of the Lord as he went
about separating the chaff from the wheat - merely
because they were afraid of what people might think or
what they would have to "give up" to follow after
Christ. They were so close... but so far away.
Perhaps falling deeper into the darkness of Hell we
would see an "overflow" section there in the halls of
darkness where people would congregate before Satan
himself - crying out for justice as they plead their
case saying, "I went to church every Sunday and always
paid my tithes..." yet, the old devil just leads his
minions in a round of laughter as there was not enough
evidence to convict them of being a Christian. You see,
they never once asked Jesus into their lives, and to be
"Lord and Savior". They were so close... but so far
away.
We find others in the WORD who did the same. I mentioned
just last week I believe about Paul leading King Agrippa
to the very threshold of Grace and Mercy (Acts 26) yet,
in the end, Agrippa's response would be, "Almost thou
persuadest me to be a Christian!" So close... but so
far away.
We find Judas the betrayer of Jesus when coming to the
garden with the soldiers - kissing Jesus on the cheek to
betray Him. Imagine it... Judas got so close that he
would kiss the door of Heaven, and Charge through the
gates of Hell that very night.
Oh My friend - are you hearing me this morning. There
are so many today who are “almost persuaded”. They have
came so close to the City of Refuge yet they still
reside outside the walls.
There is an enemy after you today and his GREATEST
desire is to DESTROY you - AND the ONLY refuge; the ONLY
safety; is in that "GREAT CITY of REFUGE...which is
Jesus Christ and Him crucified!
You see it would have been foolish and useless for a
person to seek refuge in any of the other cities...they
could only find safety in the Cities that God had
ordained for a Refuge. So it is that it is USELESS and
FOOLISH for anyone of us today to seek refuge, safety
and /or SALVATION in any other PERSON than Jesus Christ!
The Bible tells us He is the way the truth and the life.
If you don't come through him “the door” you don't
get in. You remain outside the gate and are in danger of
losing your very soul if you stay there! And Listen
while I tell you once again that "close" doesn't count.
you are either all the way in or you are all the way
out.
In closing today, I would like you to imagine, if you
will, three people intent on saving the world who had
but one obstacle away from keeping them from doing so.
It was a 10 ft chasm between where they were which was
certain death and starvation... to help and home and
continued life just on the other side of that chasm -
from the cliff they were on. What was below was a 1000
ft drop to their death.
The first decided that thinking about it wouldn't prove
anything - so he decided to just give it all he had and
go for it. He took off running toward the cliff and
hurled his body with all of his might and 5 ft from the
other side he began to fall to his death.
The second person a wee bit taller and having studied
the need for more speed and a longer runway... backs way
up... takes off all of his clothes (including his shoes)
accept his under garments, walks back a good hundred
feet and when ready takes off building as much speed as
he can and just at the last minute hurling himself into
the air and hoping that he would land on the other side.
He made it exactly 7 ft... and fell to his death in that
1000 ft deep pit below.
The last guy said - "He could have made it if he would
have ran up that rock (shaped somewhat like a ramp) and
then hurled himself across. So, that being his plan - he
undresses down to his undergarments and goes back 100 ft
and takes off running - coming up the ramp-shaped rock
and just at the apex of it - he hurls himself to the
other side - missing it my 6 inches. Down he fell into
the pit below.
Though they all performed at different levels -
different technique (let's say, doctrinal beliefs), and
they ALL got CLOSE...some closer than others, THEY ALL
RECEIVED THE SAME FATE! They missed OUT ON THE MARK.
They thought they could do it on their own - and they
missed the mark. Almost, but lost!
Oh My brothers and sisters today: "being close to the
city of God does NOT count." Only in the city of refuge
(which is Christ) are we protected from the judgment to
come. Let me tell you that judgment is coming my friend!
It matters whether you are inside the City of Refuge
today or on the outside looking in.
Jesus said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
Come to him today... you may not have a tomorrow.
Just Pray this prayer after me and mean it with all of
your heart.
Lord Jesus, I realize I am a sinner in need of that
place of REFUGE. I accept the words of John 3:16 today
that says, whosoever believeth in You - will be saved
and I do that just now. I open my hearts door just
now and I ask you to come inside and save me from all of
my sin and make me clean inside. Become my Savior and my
Lord from this day forward, and I will live for you all
the days of my life. I receive you just now, In Jesus'
Name, Amen.
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