The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-09-11
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
SEPTEMBER Is.
lesson Text: sThe Refuge Of Cities, I"
Joshua Xxx, 1-9-GOlden Text:
Hebrews vi. 1S-Com-
mentary.

/. "The Lord also spake unto Joshua, say
ing" There was time when God spake to
men face to face rs with Adam. Abraham.
Moses and Joshua. He afterward spoke
through the prophets, but He last spoke
through His Son. our Lord Jesus Christ
(Heb. j., 1. 2). Even His communications to
Abraham and the others were through tho
Son, for, mo man hath seen God Mt any time,
the only Begotten Son who is in the bosom
Of the Father, He hath declared Hin" (John
l.. 1S). Whether through the prophets or
His Son it was always by the Spirit, and tho
same HOLY Spirit now speaks to us In HIS
word (f Pst l.. II: II Pet. l., 81; John XVII,
13: John H., 27).
9. .'Speakto to the children of Israel, saying:
Appoint out for you rites of refuge. whereof
I spake unto you by the hand OF Moses" The
commands concerning the Settles OF refuge"
are found in Ex. xxi, 13: Mum. xxxv., Ills,
AMI Deut. XIX, 90. Our lesson Is the fourth
reference to them. and the number folr 1s
suggestive eofcompleteness OF concerning Gods
dealings with the earth. The four gospels,
the four faces of the cherubin, for four cor
nars OF the earth-all suggest Coils purposes
of grace in Christ Jesus for the whole earth.
5. ''That the slayer that killeth any per-
son lnawares and unwittingly may flee
thither, and they shall be your refuge from
the avenger OF blood" The word "miglat"
here translated "refuge" Is a word which Is
used ony Of tho cities Of refuge. 1t is from
a root which signifies "to receive" and
makes us think OF Him of whom it is said.
This man receiveth sinners" The cities OF
refuge were only for the innocent who had
killed accidentally and without malice; the
Lord Jesus is Saviour and refuge for the
guilty. and yet the cities OF refuge were Gods
way OF saving those who otherwise would
have nnrished.
T. '!They shall take him into the city unto
them and give him a place that he may
dwell among them" His dwelling among
them calls to mind another word which is
translated "rsfuge" onlv once. 1t Is In ths
passage, "The eternal God is thy refuge"
lDAut. xxxiii.. 27l, and is In the Ninetieth
and Ninety-frst Psalms and elsewhere trans
lated dwelling place. and "habitation:"
When we have fed to Jesus, our refuge, He
becomes our dwelling place, and we may
"abide in Him."
S. "And il the avenger OF blood pursue
after him. then they shall not deliver the
slayer up into his hand" The way to the
city was prepared (Deut. XIX, 81 and every
thing made as plain and easy for the unwill-
ing slayer al possible, but he had to flee to
the city an flee for his life lest the avenger
should overtake him. Thsrs is always a
danger of the sinners being cut of In his
sins. Then there is no possibility Of redemp-
ton, for 1t Is written: because there Is
wrath, beware lest Hs take thee away with
His stroke. Then q great ransom cannot de-
liver thee" (Job xxxvi.. 1S).
God Is NOT willing that any should perish,
and He has made every possible provision
for every sinner who will come, 80 that the
guilt is either upon the sinner who has heard
and will not come, or upon those who, know
ing OF the refuge, have not informed those
who know it.
6. "And he shall dwell in that city until
he stand before the congregation for judg.
ment, and until the death OF the high priest
that shall be in those days" His liberty de-
pended upon the death OF the high priest.
Our High Priest has died and risen from the
death and is alive forevermore. Because He
ever liyeth He is able to save evermore all
who come unto God by Him. None who ever
come to Him will be cast out, and because
He lives all who come to Him shall live also
(John vi, 81; xiv. 19). We have only to
abide in Him, live unto Him and rejoice In
Him who has made US free.
7. "And they appointed Kedesh In Galilee
In Mount Naphtali, and Shechem in Mount
Ephraim. and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron
in the mountain OF Judah" There were
three cities on each side Of Jordan. Three Is
suggestive of the Trinity and of resurrec-
ton, and these names are all suggestive OF
Him who reveals the Father by the Spirit,
and by His death and resurrection becomes a
refuge for us. Kedesh means holiness, and
Naphtali means wrestling. He becomes our
holiness when we yield to His wrestling and
are willing to acknowledge no good thing In
US. Shechem is shoulder and Ephraim Is
fruitful. 1t Is only when we cease from our
wrestlings against Him and rest quiet on HIS
shoulder that He can make US fruitful.
Kirjath-arba Is the city OF Arba, or Of four:
Hebron Is a company, or fellowship, and
Judah Is praise. Resting from our wrestling
in Him who is our holiness we become fruit
full through fellowship with the Father and
the Son BY the Spirit and are thus praise
unto God. 1t all comes through coming
unto and abiding in Him who Is our only
refuge.
g. "Bezer, out OF the tribe of Reuben; Ra-
moth, out of the tribe Of Cad, and Golan.
out OF the tribe OF Manasseh." These were
the three on the east Jordan and are also
very suggestive of Him. Bezer signifies
strong, and also gold or silver, or something
precious, Reuben Is ''see SON." There Is
no real strength or wealth or preciousness
apart from the Son In whom dwelleth all the
fullness of Godhead bodily (See Prov. ill.,,
IA, IS; I Pet H., Z; Isa. xii, 2; H., 29). Ra-
moth Is height or exaltation, and Cad Is d
troop or company. This makes us think Of
the host OF SStlteQ OueS WIZ idfo LOU ioL
refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before
them. Redeemed by His precious blood
they are now by faith sealed with Him in the
heavenlies-in due time shall be actually
with Him, spirit, soul and body, and shall
come with Him among the armies OF heaven:
Golan is circle, or joy or rejoicing, and
Manasseh is forgetting. When the circle Is
completed and We become manifestly part
of Him from whom our new life began, then
will our Joy be full and we shall forget all
our miseries and remember them as waters
that pass away Dob XII, 16). Then shall we
see that all the sufferings OF this present
time are not worthy to be compared with the
glory that shall be revealed (Rom. viii, 1s).
8. "The:e were the cities appointed for all
the children Of Israel and for the stranger
that sojourneth among them" The benefit
was for all, Jew or gentle. Twas for who
soever" kileth any person at unawares that
he might not perish. Consider the whoso-
evers of John ill.,, l6; iv., 49, xi.. 26; Acts X,
43: Rom Y. II; John ", l; Rev: xii, II.
Wha. responsibility rests upon all who
know OF this refuge for sinners to make Him
known to all as spec lily as possible.-Les5on