246: Andrew Kempster - Exhortation: God is Our Refuge

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:13

   Welcome to good for selfie and talks. I’m Levi and I’m Chris and I’m Brian, thank you for joining us this week. On this podcast, we select one taco week to help us get the Bible in our daily news feed. We post a new episode at the start of each week with a short intro before. Hand to kind of set the stage for the talk. You’re about to listen to and now let’s talk more about this week’s talk.

2. 0:50

   I talked this week is an excitation that was given at the end of 2020 to buy brother. Andrew kempster. The title of the excitation is God is our refuge and the reading that brother Andrew is pulling from to prepare for. This class is looking at Numbers chapter 35, and he is pulling some lessons out of this provision.

3. 1:09

   That was put into the law about the Cities of Refuge, which is a very interesting way of looking into the both the legalism that is so easy. Find in the law if that’s all that you’re looking for. But also the deeper meaning and the symbolism that was throughout all the law, that is so easy to miss, if you only go one layer deep.

4. 1:31

   So brother Andrew takes a deeper look and finds new meaning in the importance of the Cities of Refuge as an encouragement for us and our walk. I really enjoyed this excitation, I hope that you do as well. This one has a fun little bit of backstory. This particular extrication recording to us because the original link we had The audio was corrupt and we couldn’t use it. And so, for a little bit, we thought we weren’t going to be able to use this suggestion as I’ve been sent in, but thank you to both the person who originally suggested it. And the people that work behind the scenes to reach back out and get this recording so that we could share it with all of you. I found it be really encouraging and one of my favorite styles of taking something that, you know, kind of at a surface level, diving, a little bit deeper, and giving it a little bit more powerful meaning.

5. 2:16

   So the next time you’re reading through one of those dryer section, The law. You can find that or important significance woven throughout. So as always, thank you for the suggestions and all the feedback that we get, please continue to send in those suggestions as you find them. Especially now, as we get into the summer with more conferences and Bible schools and study days that are going to become available, they’ll be lots of new talks and things that people are going to be sharing and we’re looking forward to hearing what everyone has been preparing for the coming summer.

6. 2:48

   So with that I will turn it over to brother. Andrew kempster from the Woodville. Ecclesia and Australia for his extrication, entitled. God is, our refuge God is our refuge and strength. I very present help in time of trouble. therefore, we will not fear though, the Earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, Though, the waters thereof Roar and be troubled, though the mountains, shake with the swelling, they’re off. Selah.

7. 3:31

   God is our refuge God is our refuge. God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in time of trouble. And we come this morning to remember our Lord to be uplifted. For the week ahead in the assurance that Yahweh is the place of comfort. The high tower, the rock of Defense, The Shelter From The Storm.

8. 4:02

   As we come this morning. And as we rise every morning we come before him as our refuge, we look to Yahweh to flee as a refuge in time of trouble. And this is also something that is Yahweh wanted Israel to understand and to take hold of not just in their Wilderness wanderings but in all their lives, Yahweh directed their escape from Egypt.

9. 4:34

   And our young people this week are looking at the circumstances around that escape. It took a night to get Israel out of Egypt and it took 40 years and a new generation to remove Egypt from his people and in Leviticus chapter 35 that we read this morning. We come to a new beginning.

10. 5:02

    We come to the time when Israel are on the border of entering the promised land, the place of promise. The place of comfort, the place of hope, the land flowing with milk and honey. A permanent dwelling place and Abiding, Place of rest. The kingdom of God. It was not the final age of righteousness and Yahweh wanted to establish here. For his people, a demonstration that he dwelt in their midst that they needed to have their law within their hearts. It is only when we have the law of Yahweh within our hearts. That we feel Yahweh is able to bring us up. Our top, the horrible pit out of the Miry clay and set our feet upon a rock and establish our goings in his wisdom. Go away provided for Israel, the Practical, and for them. And for us, the parable of the City of Refuge, for an encouragement and a strength, In all time of trouble. A City of Refuge as a parable.

11. 6:20

    Do I hear you say? How is that? Well, I’m glad you asked. Let me show you how we read today in Leviticus chapter 35, the details of the Physical City of Refuge and their youth and we all have a mental image from very young as to how they work. Their six cities, they’re scattered throughout the nation of Israel.

12. 6:47

    They were chosen. They were evenly distributed as we see in verse 8 they were evenly distributed free on one side and three on the other. Of the River. Jordan. And we have an image of how they worked or actually. We don’t even need to have our imagination in this area. If we turn across to Deuteronomy and chapter 19, there’s a record of a similar.

13. 7:14

    Declaration of the Cities of Refuge as recited by Moses on his very last day with the people in Deuteronomy chapter, 19 and verse 5 to 6. As when a man go with him to the wood with his neighbor to Hugh would. And this is give an example of why you would need to flee to the City of Refuge. And his hand fetches a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slippers from the health and light of the upon his neighbor that he die.

14. 7:48

    He shall flee unto one of these cities and live And we see in very, veiled language, the drama of the situation. Two men working very hard chopping wood. Two men probably close friends, as they’ve gone into the wood to work together. The head of the ax, leaves the handle strikes, his neighbor on the head and kills him.

15. 8:15

    And as we see there, the word five In next to light of it, findeth him. And it kills him. Image, the universe 6 here, less the Avenger of the blood pursue the Slayer, while his heart is hot and overtake him. Because the way is long and slay him, whereas, he was not worthy of death in as much as he hated him, not in time past the image.

16. 8:43

    Then in this verse 6, is that immediately that the death is established. You then run as fast as you can, with all your might to the City of Refuge where you are automatically. Appointed a place to stay until you can stand before the congregation in judgment. And if we keep our place here in Deuteronomy 19 and turn across to Joshua chapter 20, which picks up the actual allocation of these cities when they were appointed in the land.

17. 9:10

    Confirming. That this was the case in Durham, Joshua chapter 20 and verse 4. And when he that doth, flee unto one of these cities shall stand at the entering of the Gate of the city and shall declare his cause in the ears of the Elders of that City. They shall take him into the city unto them and give him a place that he may dwell among And so we see the drama.

18. 9:38

    Of the circumstance. We come back to numbers 35. And verse 24. Then the congregation shall judge between the Slayer and the Revenger of blood according to these judgments. The Avenger of blood stands as the accuser and The Slayer as the defendant. This is yahweh’s law that someone Who had an accident?

19. 10:14

    This man loved his neighbor. They work together to chop wood in the woods but through circumstance accidentally killed him. And if it’s judged as an accident in Numbers, chapter 35 and verse 25. The congregation shall deliver the slack out of the hand of the Revenger of blood and The Slayer stayed in the City of Refuge until the death of the high priest.

20. 10:46

    Despite our products stations. All our actions. All of them have consequences. Even if they’re unintended and we must bear the consequences. I might not be Eternal, but there will always be consequences. And so we see from numbers, 35, it appears to show a dramatic brutal picture. Two men. Dear friends happily working together. and suddenly, One of them’s dead. Quick run as fast as you can to the City of Refuge and over the next few days all week, the Slayer is judged possibly by another close friend.

21. 11:38

    Not the judge, but the prosecutor and The Slayer is now trapped in this city, possibly for life in a prison because of an accident. It is that really what the City of Refuge is all about, because at a superficial reading, it appears to be, and for a transactional Israelite or the Jews that serve the law and saw salvation and righteousness, by the law, It is. What it actually was all about.

22. 12:14

    But it wasn’t really what Yahweh intended, it’s not even close. And what we want to do is we want to have a look at the detail of the City of Refuge, we want to unpick the law, we want to unpick it and have a look at the amazing Parable that Yahweh has hidden for all of the faithful Israelites.

23. 12:31

    And for our encouragement today. So that as a faithful, Schoolmaster this law, this law may show us Christ. We start in numbers. 35, and verse two, and three. Which describes the allocation of the portion allotted for the Israelites. We read that it is a commandment of the Israelites that they give unto the Levites and inheritance of their own possession, cities to dwell in that they shall give also under the Levites suburbs for the city’s round about them and the cities, shall they have to dwell in and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle and for their goods and for all their beasts. And the suburbs of the Cities which he shall give unto the Levites.

24. 13:22

    Shall reach outward from the wall of the city and outward, 1000 cubits, roundabout. And you shall we measure from without the city, on the east side, 2000 cubits and on the South Side, 2,000 cubits, and on the West Side 2000 cubits and on the North side, 2000 cubits. And the city shall be in the midst, this shall be to them the suburbs of the Cities.

25. 13:53

    We have some very specific detail about these cities that is not mentioned of any other cities except these that are given to the Levites, it measures exactly how big the suburbs are. All the cities of the children of Israel had suburbs but the cities of the Levites had very specific suburbs. These are not suburbs.

26. 14:13

    Like we might have in Adelaide where we have a city center and then suburbs where people live The city contained the people, the city contained, The Dwelling Places of all of the people that lived in the city and the suburbs were for the farmland or as we see for the Levites for the cattle and for their goods.

27. 14:37

    It was not designed to be worked land as they gain their daily food, from Yahweh, through tithes, and sacrifices. However, there’s Levites needed cities. They needed fixed boundaries to show where they ended because these cities were taken out of the inheritance has of the tribes that they were in. And yet, all of the other cities that were allotted to other tribes Blended in to their General, allotment of their inheritance.

28. 15:08

    The suburbs were 2,000 cubits square with a city in the middle. And there were 48 of them dotted all throughout the nation. What was Yahweh trying to tell the nation? Why 48 cities? Why six Cities of Refuge? What, why not 50? Why not 12? Why not one for each tribe? Oh, I know. And how was their location determined Well, if you examine scripture apart from chapter numberings, the number 48 doesn’t appear anywhere else.

29. 15:52

    Well, at least not on the surface. If we were to go back to Exodus record where the details of the Tabernacle is outlined in Exodus, 25. Yahweh shows. Moses in the mount. A pattern. He shows Moses a pattern of what the Tabernacle was to be built. Like he shows him a vision and Moses walks amongst. The Tabernacle he gets to see what it’s like, he gets to feel if he gets to visualize what it’s like and then describe those details to bezel eel, and to risk, reconstruct them. And in showing the pattern Moses saw, That a tabernacle on the north side.

30. 16:43

    Had 20 boards and on the south side. Had 20 boards. And on the west side that made up the wall of the most holy place. There were six boards with two boards, for the corner, that completed the walls of the Tabernacle. Here were six plus 42 boards, that created a wall about the things of Yahweh. And surrounded that wall with the tribes, then can’t about the Tabernacle the FourSquare encampment of Israel. The Tabernacle established a pattern 6 + 42 boards are total of 48 boards, that created a wall around, the things most precious to Yahweh.

31. 17:39

    The things of Yahweh were fenced about with the whole nation, encamped in a square about it. Here we have a model of this in the cities of the Levites, every city of the Levites. Was a model of their chem of Israel in the wilderness. The Tabernacle that only the Levites could enter to serve the Levites who assisted the priests.

32. 18:08

    The priests as Yahweh directed bore the sins of the people. The priests who are hat led by the high priest. Who, once a year took the blood representing the sins of all the nation into the very presence of Yahweh to seek forgiveness. The high priest, the priests the Levites, all had their Dwelling Place in the wilderness between the nation and the Tabernacle.

33. 18:33

    And everybody that heard, This commandment had this Vision in their mind, they live that every day. They saw it. Every day, they saw the Tabernacle in the midst with the people about and the priests, and the Levites in Camp between them and Yahweh.

34. 18:58

    They entered the promised land with this imagery for the last 40 years, in their mind and yet was the purpose for this pattern. Now, over will know that the parable lived on Joey. Now creates 48 cities, one for each Board of the Tabernacle to be to be what To be a parable of their Dwelling Place in the wilderness and the pattern of the Tabernacle. And here 48 times throughout the land were established 48 centers that looked like a tabernacle established with a Foursquare. Encampment, But it wasn’t actually 48 cities. It was six Cities of Refuge + 42. So, the purpose that God wants to direct our minds to, it is not just a pattern of the Tabernacle. He wants to direct our mind that the focus of this is the Cities of Refuge and the additional 42.

35. 19:59

    We’re for emphasis and to accommodate all of the Levites and the priests. So we have established in a small way, the pattern that was shown to Moses of the Tabernacle in the wilderness be established in the very midst of the land of promise. And so how then was it determined where to place the Cities of Refuge?

36. 20:24

    Verse 14. You shall give three cities on this side. Jordan, and three cities Shelley Give In the Land of Canaan, which shall be Cities of Refuge. We have three on each side of the river. Jordan, it’s fairly straightforward. How when you distribute them, what would you get out of map and evenly? Space them from top to bottom throughout the land 3 on the left and 3 on the right side.

37. 20:54

    I’m Jordan. What would that would be geographic distribution? Or would you work out where most of the people were and then place them so that the most amount of people had the least distance to travel but that would be population density distribution.

38. 21:14

    What other options would there be because Yahweh chose neither of those In directing the position of the Cities of Refuge. Yahweh had another plan. Last week, a brother Barry showed us that the numbering of Israel in Numbers Chapter 1 this numbering we are shown from numbers. 1:1 was concluded in year 2 month to day 1, after the children of Israel left Egypt and there was a second numbering in Numbers, chapter 26. And this number is, as we’ve seen, if this numbering as we see from numbers 26 and verse 1, Was conducted after the plague as a result from Baal peor, which was as they were, Conquering the land on the east side of Jordan about to enter their inheritance.

39. 22:04

    These two numbering sit as it were as bookends of the wilderness wanderings. So it would be valuable to compare these two numberings and if we do so we find the following interesting things. The nation as a whole. We’re worse off by 1820 men from twenty years old and upward. However, across-the-board spectrum of the whole of the nation. There were tribes that increased and there were tribes that decreased.

40. 22:40

    Those most greatly affected by the sin at Bow and evil. That happened at Baal peor suffered the most in their decline in numbers. And, and what why is this relevant to our Cities of Refuge?

41. 22:57

    If we take a list of all of those tribes, That had an increase over the period of time of the wilderness wanderings. And all of those that had a decrease. During the period of the Wilderness wanderings, all the tribes, They had a reduction in their numbers. Received a City of Refuge. really with a six that increased and six that decreased know, There were five that decreased and seven that increased. So if five were given to those that decreased who got the other one, On what basis would you choose but we’ll all would you give it to the one that increased? The least because they’re the nearest to those that decreased were no Yahweh chose to put the final City of Refuge in the tribe that increased the most

42. 24:00

    Yahweh chose to distribute the Cities of Refuge on a needs basis. Yahweh put a City of Refuge in the places where the people most needed salvation, but he kept one for himself to show what they should be aiming for This is not a reward for mediocrity. This was not to give everyone a go. This was because those that had the greatest failures, had the greatest understanding of their needs So if this is the case, then how is it.

43. 24:37

    So as the Cities of Refuge about providing safe haven for those who accidentally killed someone from being killed by the Avenger of blood. and if that’s all you saw, the City of Refuge as being, You’d be right. And for the much of the nation, that’s all they saw. as was evident by the attitude of those, in our Lord’s Day, There were some who saw the parable in the pattern and looked for the coming of the Eternal high priest who could redeem them from all sin.

44. 25:11

    They were the simians and the Anna’s and the publicans and sinners. There were those who looked for the consolation of Israel. And there were those who thought saw themselves as poor miserable Sinners and needed and everliving internal high priest. And there were those who Glimpse the pattern, and now recognized the reality as their lord was in their very presence. So what is the type thing of the City of Refuge we established at the outset that the function, the function of the City of Refuge appears to show a brutal picture? To remain happily working together in the woods. And bang one’s dead.

45. 25:57

    Quick run as fast as you can to the City of Refuge and over the next few days or weeks you’re judged, and you’re trapped. Possibly for Life as a prison in this city.

46. 26:14

    That’s not the ultimate picture that Yahweh wanted the nation to see and it’s not the lesson. He wants you to see. That’s law thinking that’s never going to lift us up. All we doing is hoping that the high priest will die which is all the rulers in Christ a wished for No, in this chapter, we read we read this morning. There’s no commandment for the Avenger of blood to pursue the Avenger of blood conflagration, with the original Slayer is always couched in terms as meeting if he met him in the way or he comes across He’s able to kill him, but when we come to dharana, me chapter 19 and verse 6, it’s not until we come here. That we read the word in Deuteronomy, 19 and verse 6, lest.

47. 27:17

    The Avenger of blood pursue the Slayer. This is a human consequence, not the law, it’s not a direction from Yahweh or what’s yahweh’s actual purpose. I think the clue is in Joshua chapter 20. And verse 5. and in Joshua chapter 20, verse 5, and if The Avenger of blood. Ashu him if he pursued.

48. 28:01

    So, I believe the parable of the City of Refuge is the two men. Two. Dear friends were working happily together in the woods. And one’s dead.

49. 28:16

    You went home. Discreetly. You advised, your family of the terrible tragedy. And then with haste and discretion, you made your way to the City of Refuge. We’re, if innocent of premeditated murder, you admitted into the most amazing Rehabilitation and reflection period ever experienced.

50. 28:44

    He spent the rest of your lot, your time until the death of the high priest, in the presence of the teachers, and Servants of the law, very priests and administers of yahweh’s Law and precepts. You learn to serve them. He learned at their feet. You’re immersed yourselves in the things of Yahweh until until the high priest died.

51. 29:13

    Until the high priest died and took away your sin forever. And what did you do then? He returned. As a change person to your Eternal inheritance to teach your children and your grandchildren, the things of Yahweh. How can we be sure that there was this was more about lifting, the nation rather than showing how they failed as the law was appears to be always intended to do. Well, if we look in Numbers chapter 35 the word Avenger all Revenger in verse 12.

52. 29:57

    Verse, 19, verse 21, verse 24, verse 25, and twice. In verse 27 is more often translated in the Old Testament as redeemed already MO. This is the same word used of Boaz as he in a brotherly way redeemed. The lands of Ruth back to her family and restored her inheritance, he brought life, not took it, The Redeemer wasn’t out of vengeance. He also was a sinner.

53. 30:36

    He’d failed. The Redeemer needed. Justice executed, not vengeance. If engines is shallow ways. And Yahweh is people should not be corrupted. Imagine This. The nearest. Closest relative is killed. Killed by another. By accident. Well, it hasn’t been established yet, but it may have been the event is incredibly distressing. Heartbreaking, grief is inconsolable.

54. 31:37

    You want vengeance? Do you really? You reflect back. 30 years ago when you accidentally killed, Another Man’s brother and had to leave family and Fleet of the City of Refuge where you live, 25 years. The high priest died, five years ago, and you are now home a person with a new life, a life restored, and a life returned.

55. 32:07

    You reflect on this? and you can, as you come, your grief is not lessened. The distress is not smaller. The Heartbreak is not eased. But the Vengeance. He’s you cry. Not because you’ve lost your dearest love one. But because you failed, you failed your father in Heaven. You’ve received unconditional forgiveness for your sin of taking another man’s life.

56. 33:01

    End. The high priest took his sin away with him when he died. And you’ve been able to return to your family and your internal inheritance promised to your father’s by Yahweh and self. You go inside your house.

57. 33:29

    You cancel your family. And you’ll give it a day or two. Before you prepare for the journey to the City of Refuge to appear before the elders. To accuse him who killed your dearly beloved family member. You’re sad. Almost inconsolably sad for the loss, but you have no vengeance. That’s on me for Yahweh. He will repay.

58. 34:10

    You need to be merciful. As you have experienced the mercy of Yahweh, there is no way that you are going to tread underfoot that blood of the Covenant that was extended to you by grace. Those 25 years with the Levites and the priests have changed you as a person. The law could not save. You, you were sure of the blood of bulls and goats were not able to take away sin.

59. 34:35

    The high priest himself had limits. He could only enter into the hot Most, Holy once a year and only then with the blood offered for himself and for the errors of us all You could now see, clearly it was all a figure meets drinks divers Washings and carnal ordinances as laws on us all that we never saw. But now you saw you look not for your high priest who entered by the blood of goats.

60. 35:03

    Now you look for one who would come to enter into the holiest of placed by his own blood We have that high priest here represented on the table. This morning, our Lord, Jesus Christ. He’s not here represented on this table to make all things right today. He’s not here to remove all consequences, the blood of Christ offered by himself without spot.

61. 35:33

    Concur Purge. Your conscience from dead Works to serve the Living God Yahweh. Is our refuge. The Proverbs show that the name of Yahweh. Is a strong tower the righteous run Earth into it and is safe.

62. 35:56

    Yahweh is our refuge. He is a strong tower, he is our sure, foundation. And I’d like to turn to our opening quote in Psalm 46 and verse 1.

63. 36:28

    God is our refuge. And strength. A very present help. In time. Help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear though. The Earth be removed though, the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. Though, the waters thereof Roar and be troubled though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. Initially the theme for export this morning was to be. Yahweh is our refuge.

64. 37:14

    But I changed it to God. Is our refuge because of this psalm. Yahweh is our refuge, our strength. Absolutely. However, this sun gives us another layer. the word God here, that commences this some He’s not aisle our strength. Our singular God. It’s Elohim. It is the manifestation of Yahweh in a multitude that is our refuge. This is our City of Refuge.

65. 37:52

    Not this whole not this building, but you. You are Elohim to me, and maybe I can be Elohim to you. When we are in need of help. We are the help that Yahweh provides. To one another. A card, a call, a message of visit a meal, a hug, a word of encouragement. Assistants helped strength, guidance. Presence.

66. 38:27

    All of these are. A comfort that we need to provide one another in our time of help. Yahweh has provided us here in this Hall, a City of Refuge. Made up of many members, and we must run to it. We must run to it to seek comfort in our time of trial. That Yahweh. May forgive us our sins and as we know we need forgiveness of our father for our shortcomings.

67. 39:07

    So, let us then. When asking your way for forgiveness? Reflect on how we forgive those that trespass against us. That we do unto other, as Yahweh has done for us. Christ. Was offered to Bear the sins of many. To them that look for him. Shall he appear?

68. 39:45

    The second time without sin unto salvation. Thank you for listening to the good christadelphians talks podcast. We hope this talk helped you in your walk. If you would like to hear more, please subscribe for new episodes and leave a review. You an apple podcast or whatever service you are using to help more people find the show when they search for it.

69. 40:21

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70. 41:01

    God, bless and talk to you next week.