"God did this so that.....we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be GREATLY ENCOURAGED." (Hebrews 6:18 NIV).

The writer of Hebrews proceeds from giving a STRONG WARNING (Hebrews 6:1-8) to giving STRONG ENCOURAGEMENT (Hebrews 6:9-20). Christ is offered to us as a certain hope, our anchor, and our security. We must flee to Him as such!

In the Old Testament there were six appointed cities of refuge for a person who unwittingly caused someone's death. If a person had unintentionally killed his neighbor without malice aforethought, he could flee to one of these cities and save his life. These cities were God-ordained provisions of mercy that would provide a safe place for convicted sinners to escape their avengers. They were to be visible, built on high hills and mountains, and accessible, with well marked and repaired roads leading to them. There they were promised safety as long as the high priest lived (Joshua 20:7; Deuteronomy 19:3; see also Numbers 35; Deuteronomy 4:42-43; Exodus 21:13).

This is a wonderful picture reminding us to lay hold of the present ministry of Jesus Christ who, as our High Priest, perfectly accomplished the work of redemption and entered into the heavenly sanctuary where we who cast our confidence in Him are represented in the holiest of all! The same Jesus that died for us, rose victoriously and ascended to the presence of the Father where He is seated at his right hand. He is now by divine decree our eternal High Priest, who never dies and is available to us 24 hours a day to represent us as our Advocate (dealing with all the accusations and condemnation the enemy would heap upon us), Mediator (working to be sure that every promised blessing is made available to us), and our Guarantee, (the Anchor who secures our right standing before a holy God). He is the only refuge whereby we can escape the avenger of God's convicting law and the coming wrath.

The person described in the Old Testament who unwittingly causes the death of another depicts the sinner who awakens under the conviction of the Holy Spirit to his or her guilt before God. Our sins caused the death of another: God's holy Son, Jesus. He took the penalty incurred by our sins. Whereas once we were deceived and self-satisfied in the City of Destruction, our conscience is awakened to our having done wrong. We are filled with distress and alarm until we cry out, "What shall I do?" The divine answer is to flee to the place of refuge and lay hold on the hope set before us. It is the story of the Pilgrim's Progress. We must make our way to the gate of faith, come to the place where our mind is illuminated by Scripture in the House of the Interpreter (the Holy Spirit). There we will be directed to the place of Ultimate Sacrifice (the cross) where our burden of sin is obliterated and we are initiated into a pilgrim journey of preparation where we seek to reign with Christ in His kingdom.

A.W. Pink describes the superiority of the New Testament promise of refuge to that of the Old Testament cities. The Old Testament city of refuge was for those who unintentionally slew a person. The New Testament refuge is for those, like ourselves, who have been conscious, deliberate rebels against God. The OT city of refuge was in itself a prison; the NT refuge in Christ sets the prisoner free (Isaiah 61:2; John 8:36); In the Old Testament City of Refuge - the sinner was turned away from their inheritance, their land and cattle; but the NT believer who lays hold of Christ obtains an inheritance (1Peter 1:4).

Lay hold of the present ministry (see NOTE 1 below) of the Lord Jesus Christ and you will persevere under pressure. "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called" (1Timothy 6:12). In laying hold of Christ you are laying hold of the names of the cities of refuge: KADESH- lit. righteousness- (He is our righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6; 1 John 2:1) representing us as such before the Father ); SHECHEM- lit. shoulder (see NOTE 2 below) (He is the One who can bear our burdens) ; HEBRON- lit. fellowship; BEZER- lit. fortress; RAMOTH- lit. heights-(guarantee of positional exaltation with Christ); and GOLAN- joy.

NOTES:

1.         Many Christians are aware of the past ministry of Christ - His sinless life, teaching, death and resurrection and His future return, but are unaware of the meaning of His present ministry as King, Priest, Mediator, and Advocate.

2.         The high priest bore the names of the children of Israel on each shoulder. The shepherd carries the lost sheep on his shoulder.

Fleeing in faith,