The Wednesday Word
The Cities of Refuge, Part III
by D.G. Miles McKee
Just to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, Israel, by the command of the Lord, established 6 cities as cities of refuge. Anyone guilty of manslaughter could flee to anyone of these places and find a refuge and a place of safety (Numbers 35:11; Joshua 20:7-8). We have also discovered that the names of these cities tell us a great deal about Jesus. To date we have covered Kedesh and Shechem. Today we encounter the third city,
Hebron.
Hebron is one of the most ancient of all the cities in the world. After wandering about from place to place in the land of promise, it was here, at Hebron, the patriarchs had, for the first time, a settled home. It was probably near here that the Lord appeared to Abraham when he was seated at his tent door (Genesis 13:18; 18:1). It was in Hebron that David was anointed king of Israel (2 Samuel 5:3-5). It was in this area that John the Baptist grew up before he appeared in the wilderness of Judea to fulfil his prophetic ministry.
So, what does the name ‘HEBRON’ tell us about Jesus?
In Hebrew, the name Hebron means “fellowship,” or “friendship.” This tells us that those who have sheltered in Jesus have been brought into a place of fellowship and friendship with God. We come into fellowship with God not by any self-effort but rather through the work Christ accomplished on our behalf.
As you well know, our sin had made it impossible for us to be friends of God. We treated God, not as our friend, but as our enemy. We were in full rebellion against Him. We were walking dead men (Ephesians 2:1) cut off from communion with Him. The bridge between heaven and earth had been destroyed by sin.
Jesus, however, is the true Hebron – the friendship maker between the Father and the fallen. He is the true bridge between heaven and earth. Jesus has now reconciled the believer to God (2 Corinthians 5:18). We have been raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places with Him (Ephesians 2:6). We who were once "afar off" have been “brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).
In Christ we have fellowship with the Father.
In Christ, the Father reveals Himself to His people.
In Christ, we come to the Father.
In Christ we come to understand who the Father is and what He is like.
There is no other way to come to the Father than by the Lord Jesus.
Think of what we would have been without Jesus, our Hebron, our City of Refuge. We were outcasts, pursued by death. But in Jesus, all is changed. In Christ we see that the Father loves us.
In Christ, our city of refuge, we find fellowship with God! But not only so, we find that there are others dwelling in spiritual Hebron. Others who have seen their guilt and who have fled for forgiveness and safety to Jesus. We can also find fellowship and friendship with them! How good it is for believers to meet in the name of Jesus and fellowship around Him. We can learn from each other and discover more about the splendor and majesty of the Lord.
His is a lasting fellowship. He will never leave or forsake us.
"Earthly friends may pain and grieve me,
One day kind, the next they leave me;
But this Friend can ne'er deceive me --
Oh, how He loves!"
Jesus is our Hebron our friendship and fellowship with God.
And that the Gospel Truth!
Hebron.
Hebron is one of the most ancient of all the cities in the world. After wandering about from place to place in the land of promise, it was here, at Hebron, the patriarchs had, for the first time, a settled home. It was probably near here that the Lord appeared to Abraham when he was seated at his tent door (Genesis 13:18; 18:1). It was in Hebron that David was anointed king of Israel (2 Samuel 5:3-5). It was in this area that John the Baptist grew up before he appeared in the wilderness of Judea to fulfil his prophetic ministry.
So, what does the name ‘HEBRON’ tell us about Jesus?
In Hebrew, the name Hebron means “fellowship,” or “friendship.” This tells us that those who have sheltered in Jesus have been brought into a place of fellowship and friendship with God. We come into fellowship with God not by any self-effort but rather through the work Christ accomplished on our behalf.
As you well know, our sin had made it impossible for us to be friends of God. We treated God, not as our friend, but as our enemy. We were in full rebellion against Him. We were walking dead men (Ephesians 2:1) cut off from communion with Him. The bridge between heaven and earth had been destroyed by sin.
Jesus, however, is the true Hebron – the friendship maker between the Father and the fallen. He is the true bridge between heaven and earth. Jesus has now reconciled the believer to God (2 Corinthians 5:18). We have been raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places with Him (Ephesians 2:6). We who were once "afar off" have been “brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).
In Christ we have fellowship with the Father.
In Christ, the Father reveals Himself to His people.
In Christ, we come to the Father.
In Christ we come to understand who the Father is and what He is like.
There is no other way to come to the Father than by the Lord Jesus.
Think of what we would have been without Jesus, our Hebron, our City of Refuge. We were outcasts, pursued by death. But in Jesus, all is changed. In Christ we see that the Father loves us.
In Christ, our city of refuge, we find fellowship with God! But not only so, we find that there are others dwelling in spiritual Hebron. Others who have seen their guilt and who have fled for forgiveness and safety to Jesus. We can also find fellowship and friendship with them! How good it is for believers to meet in the name of Jesus and fellowship around Him. We can learn from each other and discover more about the splendor and majesty of the Lord.
His is a lasting fellowship. He will never leave or forsake us.
"Earthly friends may pain and grieve me,
One day kind, the next they leave me;
But this Friend can ne'er deceive me --
Oh, how He loves!"
Jesus is our Hebron our friendship and fellowship with God.
And that the Gospel Truth!
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