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June 3

Reading 1 - Joshua 20 & 21

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20 v.5 - It is quite clear that this provision is not a suggestion that God condones murder, simply that he recognises that accidents sometimes happen, and that the people involved need protection. There is no refuge for the person who killed purposely or who killed someone that he hated. We have a refuge in God. Let us bear in mind the 'terms and conditions' set out here and apply them to our own lives in Christ, and to the new covenant based on love.
Peter Cresswell
21 v. 3 - The act of giving of the land to the Levites was one of great and apparently willing generosity. Perhaps we should adopt the same attitude when we are required to give of our money or time to further the work of the Lord.
Peter Cresswell

20 v.1-6 The appointment of the cities of refuge shows that Yahweh was merciful to those who were not premeditated murders. This foreshadows the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of the faithful servants of God who are baptized into Jesus it is said that they have ‘fled for refuge’ [Hebrews 6:18]

Chapter 21 - In the wilderness the Levites had their tents around the tabernacle and provided a focus for the people. Approaching the tabernacle and seeking counsel of the priest were, to a large extent, one and the same thing. However now the nation were distributed over a far larger area - the land of Canaan, the priests were dispersed throughout the whole of the nation to provide easy access to the teachers and judges in the law. No man was able to make the excuse that the priests were too far away when a matter of controversy arose.
Peter Forbes

In particular the law regarding the city of refuge that the manslayer was to remain in the city until the death of the high priest (20:6) is so powerfully a foreshadowing of the work of Jesus - our high priest.

21:11 In describing Hebron as a city 'in the hill country of Judea' we are provided with an indication of the home of Elizabeth and Zacharias (Luke 1:39) for this is now the place where they lived is described in the gospel. Thus a careful reading of the text will further our appreciation of the details.
Peter Forbes

20:9 The cities of refuge were for the benefit of both Jew and gentile (the stranger) so here we see another aspect of the provision of God in Christ.

21:43 The oath that God had made to give the land had been made to Abraham (Genesis 13:15 etc.) So this point marks a fulfilment, in part, of the promises to Abraham.
Peter Forbes

A CLOSE REFUGE

Six cities of refuge were given to Israel when Joshua divided up the land. Three of them had already been designated on the other side of the Jordan for the tribes of Rueben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh. And here, three others cities were designated as cities of refuge for the tribes on the west of the Jordan.

The cities Israel were given were just about equally spaced throughout the land. This meant that the person who accidentally killed another person would not have too far to run - no matter where they were in the land of Israel at the time. The cities of refuge were as close as they could be to anyone who needed them, and no-one had to go further that anyone else to get to one.

Today we do not have cities of refuge. We may even have a completely different sort of justice system. However, we still need to seek refuge from the effects of sin that are looking to take our life and serve up our wages - death. But for us the distance between where we are and our refuge is as close as a prayer. Wherever we are we have instant access to Jesus and the forgiveness of our sins. So let's take refuge with our High Priest and be saved from sin and death.
Robert Prins

Reading 2 - Isaiah 26 & 27

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26 v.3 - There is something to be learned from a look at the use of the word 5564, here translated 'stayed'. It represents a stay in the sense of something to lean on, to be sustained by. There are 48 occurrences. Here are a few to help with the idea. Gen27:37 Ps.3:5, sustained, Judges 16:29, borne up, 2Kings 18:21, lean, 2Chron. 32:8, rested. It is interesting that this word is used for 'put' when the priest or the offerer 'puts' his hand on the head of the sacrifice [Exo.29:10,15,19, Lev.1:4, 3:2,8,13, 4:4,15,24,29,33, 8:14,18,22, 15:21, 24:14]
Peter Cresswell
27:2 - The vineyard of red wine is a reference to Song 5:1-7, where this idea is extended and clearly refers both to the nation of Israel and to those who receive the promise.
Peter Cresswell

26 v.20 ‘enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.’ Shows that despite the fact that He was executing judgment on the nation he was concerned that those who would listen to Him would be spared the horrors of His judgment.

27 v.6 ’Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.’ Is a passage we often use to speak of the glories of the kingdom. Doubtless is does speak of this time but it marks a striking contrast with the words of Habakkuk 3:17. Habakkuk speaks of the Babylonian captivity [Habakkuk 1:6]. We may conclude that Isaiah’s promise of blessing is speaking of a time after the Babylonian captivity and so maybe those returning exiles in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah.
Peter Forbes

26:3 'Perfect peace' in the Hebrew is 'peace peace' (see margin in your Bible). As such it is echoed (57:18) as the cry of the Lord to the gentiles.

27:13 Trumpet shall be blown draws on the blowing of the trumpet at the year of Jubile when the slaves are released and everything returns to the owner - a foreshadowing of the kingdom. This is when Israel shall return in belief to the land of Israel.
Peter Forbes

ch. 26 - Continuing the theme of the resurrection of Jesus from Isaiah 25:19 the 'dead men' living with 'my dead body' The dead men are those who were raised after Jesus' resurrection and 'my dead body' speaks of Jesus' resurrection (Matthew 27:52)

ch. 27 - And more links with the time of the resurrection and the resurrection when Christ returns.

trumpet shall be blown
1 Corinthians 15:52
'worship the Lord'
Matthew 28:9

Peter Forbes

ch. 26 - REPENTANCE BRINGS SALVATION The relationship between repentance and salvation is clearly defined in this song. It begins with God's people in distress after God had disciplined them. They were so broken they could hardly whisper a prayer. It reminds me of the prayer that Ezra spoke when his people sinned, "O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift my face up to you, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens." (Ezra 9 v 6).
Isaiah continues saying that they were in such distress it was like they were in the pains of childbirth - yet even in their desperation they couldn't do anything for themselves. They had to rely on God for their salvation.
Salvation is the gift of God that he gives to the responsive heart, and repentance is one of the biggest steps toward that responsiveness. God's salvation is one of the most wonderful things we could ever imagine. He offers resurrection, life and joy in this short description. It is described as waking up on the most beautiful morning you have ever seen, waking up and shouting for joy, feeling the fresh dew of the morning on a day of new birth and no decay. Freshness, joy and brightness are yours if you begin your life today with repentance.
Robert Prins

Reading 3 - Hebrews 10

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v.10 - The theme of sanctification by Jesus is one of the hingepins on which this letter pivots, going through from ch.2:11 to ch.13:12.
Peter Cresswell
Having set the scene in chapter 9 this chapter now focuses on the 'betterness' of the sacrifice of Jesus over the day of Atonement. [10:1] see the list on the study pages to see the links with Leviticus 16. Whereas the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement could 'purify the flesh' [9:13] the sacrifice of Jesus is able to 'purge the conscience' [9:14] Consequently only needed to be offered 'once for all' [10:10]
Peter Forbes
10:1 The very repetitive annual offering of the sacrifice of the Day of Atonement shows it was ineffectual at removing sin permanently. So the very nature of the annual event should have taught Israel something.
Peter Forbes
:3 Whilst the sacrifices on the day of atonement were to remind Israel of their sinfulness our remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ is not to remind us of our sins. Rather it is to remind us that our sins have been forgiven (Matthew 26:26-28)
Peter Forbes
HAVE CONFIDENCE
Do we really believe that Jesus Christ came and died so that we could be forgiven from all our sins? Sometimes I wonder when I look around the faces in the seats on a Sunday morning, whether people have come along to church to commiserate about their sinfulness and to ask for forgiveness, instead of coming to church to worship the God who has poured out so much grace on us and to rejoice in his forgiveness as we remember the way he gave it to us.
If you were asked if you were going to be in God's kingdom, what would your answer be? Yes? No? Not sure? The reason Jesus died was so we could be forgiven. Repent - ask him - and he will wash you clean from your sins and make you new and holy for Him. After forgiveness we can be at one with God again. Let us rejoice in his forgiveness, and have the confidence to draw near to God in full assurance of faith. Let us have confidence to come into the presence of God because we are new, clean and forgiven sinless creatures. And let us be confident that in our clean forgiven state God will be pleased - by his grace - to give us the kingdom.
Robert Prins