Mattot “Tribes” – Masa’ei “Stages” Pt 6: Numbers (B’Midbar) 34:16 – 34
God (Yahveh) sets up cities of refuge, and the rules for dealing with murder. Yahveh hates bloodshed, especially the shedding of innocent blood, but we live in a fallen world. Accidents happen, then passions get inflamed, and yet another may be killed for the sake of an accident. So, He established cities of refuge, where those who had killed another could go and be safe while their cases were examined.
Since our world is broken, Yahveh makes provision for dealing with that brokenness. He enforces His standards, but ensures that judgment is made on the basis of truth, not on hearsay.
We also must take care in judging others and their actions, not being hasty, but seeking the Spirit for discernment and desiring the truth before we evaluate and act. Let us judge, not by human wisdom, but by Yahveh’s wisdom.
