A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
Related Articles
RETURN TO SYLLABUS
NUMBERS 34-36
LESSON #34
CHRIST, OUR REFUGE
v MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 9:9 OR PROVERBS 14:26
v READ NUM 34:1-12 THE BORDERS OF THE PROMISE LAND
Ø THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT CHAPTER IN LIGHT OFTODAYS POLITICAL NEWS. THE MOST IMPORTANT WORLD PROBLEM TODAY IS THE STRUGGLE OVERTHE LAND IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
§ HOW MUCH OF THE LAND DIDGOD GIVE TO ABRAHAM?
· THE BORDERS ARE DEFINED IN THISCHAPTER.
¨ THE SOUTHERN BORDER: THE WILDERNESS OF ZIN FROM THE BORDERS OFEDOM ON THE EAST, BELOW THE DEAD SEA TO THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA.
¨ THE WESTERN BORDER: THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA
¨ THE NORTHERN BORDER: FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA FROM MT. HOR TOHAMATH IN SYRIA
Ø TO ZEDAD (SADAD) IN SYRIA,
Ø TO ZIPHRON (?) TO HAZAR-ENAN (?)
¨ THE EASTERN BORDER: FROM HAZAR-ENAN (?) TO SHEPHAM (?) TO RIBLAH(RABLAH) IN SYRIA,
Ø EAST OF AIN IN JORDAN,
Ø TO THE EAST SIDE OF THE SEA OF GALILEE DOWNTHE JORDAN RIVER.
· NOTICE THAT SOME OF THESELOCATIONS ARE UNKNOWN TODAY. THEY ARE MARKED WITH QUESTION MARKS. HOWEVER, WE CAN GET AGENERAL PICTURE OF THE EXTENT OF THE PROMISE LAND THAT JOSHUA AND THE NEW GENERATION WERETO CONQUER. MANY OTHER NATIONS AND PEOPLES CLAIMTHIS LAND TODAY, SUCH AS LEBANON, SYRIA, JORDAN, AND THE PALESTINIANS. (THE PLO).
v READ NUM 34:16-18 THOSE RESPONSIBLE TO DIVIDE THELAND
Ø JOSHUA, ELEAZAR, AND LEADERS OF THE 12 TRIBESWOULD SET THE TRIBAL BOUNDARIES.
v READ NUM 35:1-3 INHERITANCE OF THE TRIBE OF LEVI
Ø REMEMBER THAT THE TRIBE OF LEVI WOULD HAVE NOTRIBAL TERRITORY IN THE PROMISE LAND BECAUSE THEIR INHERITANCE WAS GOD. THIS TRIBE WAS TOTAKE CARE OF THE TABERNACLE, WORSHIP, AND TO BE THE PRIESTS. HOWEVER, GOD GAVE THEM 48CITIES IN WHICH TO LIVE. THESE CITIES WERE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE PROMISE LAND.
v READ NUM 35:6-15 THE SIX CITIES OF REFUGE
Ø AMONG THE 48 CITIES GIVEN TO THE TRIBE OFLEVI, SIX OF THEM WERE DESIGNATED TO BE CITIES OF REFUGE. THREE WERE LOCATED ON THE EASTSIDE OF THE JORDAN RIVER AND THREE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE JORDAN RIVER.
§ THE PURPOSE OF THE CITIESOF REFUGE:
· THEY WERE TO BE A PROTECTION FORTHE MANSLAYER.
¨ MANSLAYING WAS A CRIME THAT TODAY WE WOULDCALL MANSLAUGHTER.
Ø IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY KILLED SOMEONE, YOU WOULDHAVE COMMITTED MANSLAUGHTER. THE OLD TESTAMENT LAW SAID THAT A RELATIVE OF THE DEAD PERSONCOULD TAKE RETRIBUTION AGAINST YOU. IT WAS A LAW OF AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTHFOR A TOOTH. (EXO 21:23-25) NO EXCEPTIONS WERE MADE FOR KILLING SOMEONE BY ACCIDENT.
§ NOTICE THAT THIS WAS NOT APROVISION FOR THE WILFUL MURDERER. (35:30) THEREFORE, THE CITES OF REFUGE WERE PROVIDED BYGOD AS A MERCIFUL EXCEPTION TO THE LAW. IF THE MANSLAYER COULD RUN TO A CITY OF REFUGEBEFORE A RELATIVE CAUGHT UP WITH HIM, HE WOULD BE SAFE FROM EXECUTION. IT WOULD PROVIDETIME FOR A FAIR TRIAL.
§ NOTICE THAT ANYONE WASWELCOME IN THESE CITIES OF REFUGE WHETHER THEY WERE JEW, GENTILE, OR A FOREIGN TRAVELER.
v READ NUM 35:26-28 THE CONDITIONS OF THE CITIES OF REFUGE
Ø THE MANSLAYER MUST STAY INSIDE THE CITY.
Ø THE MAN SLAYER MUST STAY INSIDE THE CITYUNTIL THE DEATH OF THE HIGH PRIEST.
v READ NUM 35:33-34 THE REASON FOR THESE CONDITIONS:
Ø THE SHEDDING OF INNOCENT BLOOD DEFILES THELAND.
Ø IT STRESSES THE PRECIOUS NATURE OF HUMANLIFE.
v READ DEU 19:1-3 THE MARKING OF THE WAY
Ø THERE WAS TO BE A HIGHWAY BUILT TO EACH CITYOF REFUGE. THESE HIGHWAYS WERE TO BE MARKED CLEARLY. IN FACT, EVERY YEAR BEFORE THEPASSOVER CELEBRATION, THESE HIGHWAYS AND THEIR MARKINGS WERE TO BE REPAIRED ANDMAINTAINED.
v READ JOS 20:1-9 PROVISION OF THE CITIES OF REFUGE
Ø THESE CITIES OF REFUGE WERE TO BE WELLSTOCKED WITH PROVISIONS.
§ THEIR GATES WERE ALWAYS TOREMAIN OPEN. THIS WAS UNUSUAL BECAUSE EVERY CITY HAD WALLS AND A GATE THAT WAS CLOSED ATNIGHT FOR PROTECTION.
v APPLICATION:
Ø THESE CITIES OF REFUGE HAVE A NEW TESTAMENTSIGNIFICANCE. THEY ARE A PREFIGURE OF JESUS CHRIST AND HIS MINISTRY. (HEB 6:16-20)
§ HOWEVER, NOT ONLY IS CHRISTPICTURED IN THESE CITIES, BUT HE IS ALSO REPRESENTED IN THE HIGH PRIEST AND THEAVENGER OF BLOOD (35:19)
§ JESUS IS OUR REFUGE FOR WEARE ALL GUILTY AND DESERVE DEATH.
§ THE WAY TO JESUS IS CLEARLYMARKED BY THE WORD OF GOD.
§ THE GATES INTO THE KINGDOMOF GOD ARE ALWAYS OPEN.
§ PROVISION AND PROTECTIONARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE.
§ ALL ARE WELCOME.
§ GOD PROVIDES PERFECTJUSTICE TEMPERED WITH MERCY.
· CHRIST IS THE JUDGE (AVENGER OFBLOOD), BUT HE IS ALSO THE CITY OF REFUGE (PROVISION OF MERCY).
§ THERE IS SAFETY FOREVER,BECAUSE OUR HIGH PRIEST, JESUS CHRIST, WILL NEVER DIE.
v READ NUM 36:4, 7-9 INHERITANCE OF THE LAND
Ø IN CHAPTER 36 GOD GAVE THESE PEOPLE AWONDERFUL PROVISION TO PREVENT PERSONS FROM GRASPING AND HOARDING LAND FOR THEIR OWNPERSONAL GAIN.
§ LAND ORIGINALLY GIVEN TOONE TRIBE COULD NOT BE OWNED BY MEMBERS OF ANOTHER TRIBE.
§ IF WOMEN INHERITED THE LAND(REMEMBER THE DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD–NUM 27:1-11) THEY HAD TO MARRY WITHIN THEIR TRIBEIN ORDER TO INHERIT.
§ ALL LAND WOULD BE RETURN EDTO THEIR ORIGINAL OWNERS EVERY 50 YEARS ON THE YEAR OF JUBILEE.
v HOMEWORK
v DEUTERONOMY34 AND CONCLUSION
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY.PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER.
v APPLICATION OF NUM 34, 35, 36
§ FIND MORE BIBLE VERSES THATINDICATE TO YOU THAT THE LORD IS YOUR REFUGE.
§ PRAISE HIM FOR HIS MERCY TOYOU.
v PREPARATION FOR DEU 34 AND CONCLUSION:
§ READ ABOUT THE DEATH OFMOSES IN DEU 34
§ LIST SOME MAJOR THINGS YOUHAVE LEARNED FROM THE BOOK OF NUMBERS.
§ WHAT CHANGES HAS THE BOOKOF NUMBERS MADE IN YOUR LIFE?
v MEMORY VERSE: 1JOHN 4:4
