Cities of Refuge – Len Bilén's blog, a blog about faith, politics and the environment.

Day 70 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Matthew 20:17-34. Jesus predicted his death. After that the mother of Zebedee’s sons asked Jesus to have her sons to be seated with Jesus in the kingdom of heaven, but Jesus answer was that is only for the Father to decide. The other disciples got angry, but Jesus admonished them all that the kingdom of heaven means to be a servant. The chapter ends with Jesus, out of compassion healed two blind men.

In Deuteronomy 4 God promised the people they will enter the promised land, but if they are disobedient they will be scattered all over the earth. Obedience means no idolatry “for the LORD, your God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God”. Three Cities of Refuge are mentioned.

Day 66 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Matthew 18:10-35. This chapter contains the parable of the lost sheep, which leads naturally into the subject of forgiveness, reconciliation and church discipline. Jesus also promised that “where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them”. The chapter ends with the parable of the unmerciful servant.

Numbers 33 is a reciting of Israel’s Journey from Egypt, and provides instructions on how the Israelites were to conquer Canaan.

Numbers 34, defines the Boundaries of Canaan and mentions all the leaders appointed to divide the land.

Numbers 35 defines the forty-two Cities for the Levites and their six Cities of Refuge.

Numbers 36 tells about the Inheritance of Zelophehad’s Daughters and why the Israelite women must marry within their tribe.

April 4: Reading the Holy Bible in a year.

Mark 6:1-13, In Mark 6 Jesus proclaimed ”A Prophet is not without honor, but in his own hometown, and among his own kin.” Jesus sent out the Twelve disciples, and they were amazed they could heal too.

Joshua 20 lists the cities of refuge, three West of Jordan and three East of Jordan.

Joshua 21 lists the 48 towns given to the Levites, they received no land. God’s promise to Israel was Finally fulfilled and the land had rest for a while.

Joshua 22. The Eastern tribes returned to their lands. On their way they built an altar by the Jordan. The Western Tribes thought by doing so they were abandoning the LORD. Not so, they were confirming “it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God.”

Psalm 30, for the dedication of the Temple. Of David. ( An alternate translation : For the dedication of the House of David.) It was written at the time of the completion of building David’s palace, but Charles Spurgeon, among others, thought that it was actually written prophetically for the dedication of the Temple – which David prepared for, but Solomon built. Commas are important, but are not in the Hebrew text. You decide the best interpretation.

March 11: Reading the Holy Bible in a year.

March 7: Reading the Holy Bible in a year.

Numbers 33 is a reciting of Israel’s Journey from Egypt, and provides instructions on how the Israelites were to conquer Canaan.

Numbers 34, defines the Boundaries of Canaan and mentions all the leaders appointed to divide the land.

Numbers 35 defines the forty-two Cities for the Levites and their six Cities of Refuge.

Numbers 36 tells about the Inheritance of Zelophehad’s Daughters and why the Israelite women must marry within their tribe.

April 4: Read through the Holy Bible in a year

Mark 6:1-13, In Mark 6 Jesus proclaimed ”A Prophet is not without honor, but in his own hometown, and among his own kin.” Jesus sent out the Twelve, and they were amazed they could heal too.

Joshua 20 lists the cities of refuge, three West of Jordan and three East of Jordan.

Joshua 21 lists the 48 towns given to the Levites, they received no land. God’s promise to Israel was Finally fulfilled and the land had rest for a while.

Joshua 22. The Eastern tribes returned to their lands. On their way they built an altar by the Jordan. The Western Tribes thought by doing so they were abandoning the LORD, not so, they were confirming “it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God.”

Psalm 30, for the dedication of the Temple. Of David. ( An alternate translation : For the dedication of the House of David.) It was written at the time of the completion of building David’s palace, but Charles Spurgeon, amoung others, thought that it was actually written prophetically for the dedication of the Temple – which David prepared for, but Solomon built. You decide.

March 19: Read through the Holy Bible in a year

Matthew 25:1-30 begins with the parable of the ten virgins, five with oil, five without oil. (Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning). After that Jesus told the parable of the five, two and one talent given to three different people, the one with five made ten, the one with two doubled his talents, but the one with only one talent buried his. Jesus had his one talent taken away and be given to the one with ten talents. The moral of this parable is: Equal opportunity, not equal outcome.

Deuteronomy19. God commanded to set aside three Cities of Refuge, maybe three more as the land expands. Do not change property boundaries. There must be two or three witnesses for a conviction in court. From this chapter also comes the saying “an eye for an eye”.

Deuteronomy 20. Rules for warfare: The Lord fights the battle for you. If you are too chicken or are building a house or are pledged to marry, you may be excused. For the rest of you, show no mercy unless they surrender, but above all, save the fruit trees.

Deuteronomy 21 deals with what to do with unsolved murders. Can you marry a female taken captive? What are the rights of the firstborn? What to do with a rebellious Son? A man punished to death and hung on a tree, he must be buried the same day. From this we get “Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree”.