You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16.

The towns that you give to the Levites shall include the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit a slayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two towns. Numbers 35:6.

Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:

A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Mountain cities. You are a citizen of the Heavenly Jerusalem, and you have come to Mt. Zion and to My city, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels in festal gathering, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to Me, the Most High, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. Yes, you have found the city of refuge. And when you are in Christ, you are in the city of refuge.

A city set on a mountain can be seen for miles, and especially if it is a city filled with light and love. Love has a radiance.

I delight in showing you mercy and giving you grace.  I am just but I have singular justice, I let your punishment fall on Christ and satisfied My divine justice by taking the offering of His life.

Even under the Law of Moses, by which none of you could be made righteous by your own works, I gave you the sacrifices of the burnt offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the peace offering, etc. that would cover your sins until Jesus came to fulfill the eternal sacrifice that would justify you from your sins forever, and I also gave you the cities of refuge.

Today I want to talk to you about the cities of refuge in the light of your true place of refuge, which is none other than My Son, your Lord Jesus Christ.  The cities of refuge are the shadow of the substance of Christ. And they were mountain cities.

I told Moses that once in the Promised Land he was to set aside cities of refuge.  Deuteronomy 19:3-4, 6, 8-10.  There were to be designated cities where those who killed a person unintentionally (man slaughter) could flee to a city of refuge to escape the avenger of blood. Numbers 35:13-15.  If they did not get to the city quickly, the avenger of blood was free to kill them to do justice—a life for a life.

But if they got to the city of refuge, they were safe, the avenger of blood could not follow them into the city of refuge.  He was stopped at the gate.  And I told Moses that these cities of refuge were to be six of the forty-eight cities given to the Levites.  Numbers 35:6.

But the man slayer could only stay in the city of refuge until the High Priest for the year he entered died.

When Joshua and the Israelites had conquered the Promised Land I reminded Joshua of the cities of refuge.  Joshua 20:1-9.  These were My idea, of My own heart, and I wanted to make sure that My plan was carried out. And the cities of refuge, when I designated them through Joshua when they had conquered the Promised Land and were dividing it among the tribes, were from the areas of the various tribes but they were six of the forty-eight cities I set aside as belonging to the priests—to the sons of Aaron, the high priest. Joshua 21:13, 21, 27, 32, 36,

If you read about these cities you will find they were the best cities in the land.  They were all on the mountains—clear air, beautiful views and safe from surprise enemy attacks.  And these were the cities where the priests and Levites lived. The priests and Levites were the ones I cared for, I was their portion. Deuteronomy 18:1.  And I provided well for them.  Under the laws I gave Moses, the priests received the tithes and offerings of the people, and these were mandatory.  Numbers 18:24. They received the first firsts of the harvests.  They received the best of the grain, the wine and the oil.  Numbers 18:11-12. They ate the best of the offerings—the roasted breast and thigh of the peace offering—the choicest meats, wines and grains.  The finest of Israel’s produce and livestock was theirs as it was offered to Me and I reserved for them their sacred portion.

And in those cities there was the best of music and celebration.  The Levites were the ones who were the temple musicians playing anointed music given to them by Me in psalms, hymns, and inspired songs of prophecy. 1 Chronicles 25.

And the priests wore the best.  They wore linen clothes.  These kept them cool in hot weather and warm in cold weather.

And when the manslayer escaped to these cities for refuge he lived as a priest and Levite.  He received his portion among them.  He ate what they ate, wore what they wore, and lived as they lived.  In other words, the best of everything was his as long as the High Priest lived that was the one appointed when he entered the city.

Do you see the shadow that became a reality of perfection in Christ?  All of the Old Testament is about Jesus and points to Jesus and you should read it that way now that you know Jesus and are under the New Covenant.

Jesus qualified you all to live in the city of refuge.  Do you recall when?  On the Cross.  I put every sin on Jesus and it caused Me to avenge all your crimes, offenses, omissions, and sins on and in Him.  I made Him who knew no sin to be sin so that in Him you become the righteousness of God—My own perfect righteousness becomes yours in Him.  But it was your sins that caused Him to be slain—the Lamb slain since the foundation of the world.

And as the wrath fell on Him– the avenger of blood– do you recall what He said about every one of you who come to take refuge in Him from the wrath to come?  Hebrews 5:9.  He called out, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do!”  Luke 23:34.

He named you all unintentional sinners—manslayers not murderers.  You all qualify to flee to the city of refuge and escape the justice of the avenger of blood.  You all qualify to live like a kingdom of priests in the city of refuge.  And after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, Peter repeated this to confirm it when he told the crowd who had participated in the condemnation and death of Jesus: “Now, I know, brothers, you acted out of ignorance, as your leaders did.”  Acts 3:17.

And Jesus is your city of refuge—“But God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.  How much more then, since we are now justified by His blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath.”  Hebrews 5:9.  You are reconciled to Me by the death of My Son and saved by His life.  For He is your High Priest who lives forever and He will never die again.  Hebrews 6:19-20.  You never need to leave your city of refuge to return to an uncertain world where the avenger of blood could still find you because your High Priest will never die.  He is forever at My right hand interceding for you.

Yes, He qualified you all to take refuge there from the avenger when He hung dying on the Cross, and as your great High Priest and the One I have designated to judge the living and the dead, He spoke His verdict on all who would want to live in the city of refuge, “Father, forgive them they know not what they do.” He qualified all, the gentiles, the Jews and the Church for all were there present at the Cross.

Do you see why I call it being “in Christ” once you are saved?  He is your strong tower of refuge from all judgment and wrath.  Those who believe in Him are not judged but have eternal life and shall never perish.

Jesus is the only name given to men by which you are saved.  And He, unlike the six cities of refuge of the Old Covenant, is easy to reach before the avenger of blood can catch up with you.  For all who call upon the Name of the Lord will be saved.  Romans 10: 13.  Immediately when you call Jesus your Lord, you are in the city of refuge.  And in that city, recall the shadow shown to Moses and Joshua, you live with the priests as one of them and receive their portion which is from Me, of My own sacred portion, from My own house, which is the best of the best.  You hear the finest anointed music and are well provided for.  You live on the mountain heights and wear the finest linen.  And all because you sinned but knew to run to the city of refuge.  And do not worry if you know your sins were intentional.  They killed My Son and the avenger of blood (justice) struck Him in your place, and He declared that you did not intend to kill Him.  You qualify for the city of refuge.  And there you are safe, secure, and living in the riches of My Kingdom as a free gift from My mercy and grace.

My Name is a strong tower, the just man runs to it and is safe.  Proverbs 18:10.  And Jesus has manifested My Name to you.  It is a city of refuge forever.  In Him, you will live in the best of the land for by His blood He has freed you from your sins and made you into a kingdom of priests unto Me, your God and Father.  Revelation 1:5-6.  He receives you into the city of refuge.  Remain in Him, abide in Him, forever.

I love you and that is why I give you Jesus.  Enjoy My Love in Christ Jesus forever.  Nothing can separate you from My love for you as revealed in Jesus. And make your life a beacon light showing others the way to the city of refuge.

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39.