The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-07-08

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When the high
priest died, and so there came change
in the priesthood, he could leave the
city of refuge and return to his home.
How these cities of refuge preached
to Israel Of her need of divine refuge
for terrible fratricide For she is the
manslayer who has unwittingly slain
her fellowman, the Lord Jesus Christ,
as his prayer at the cross revealed:
Father forgive them, for they know
not what they do" And the ayenger
of blood is the Man of Sin, that dire
enemy of the last days, and for whose
coming the world is making such rapid
preparation.
But the text likens believers In the
Lord Jesus to the manslayer, and upon
the likeness bases our strong consola-
ton. And in Hebrews 0 "a IT Is written
Of the Great High Priest of our con-
fession: For Christ is not entered
into holy places made with hands,
which are the figures Of the true, but
into heaven itself, now to appear in
the presence of God for u.s."
The Christians Refuge.
Behold your security, child of God
Shut up in the city of refuge and your
life there depending upon the High
Priest who said, Because l live We
shall live also" and of whom Ii is
written In Rom. 8 TO- For If, when
we were enemies, we were reconciled
| to God by the death Of his Son, much
| hot InI ,h,Il hn
saved by his life."
But when will our Great High Priest
| die? And Romans go answers: "Know-
ing that Christ being raised from the
dead dieth no more; death hath no
more dominion over him." He has left
the graTe forever in defeat behind him
and he lives In the presence Of God
for us In the power Of that endless
| life. And thus Hebrews Z 1925: "And
they truly were many priests. because
| they were not suffered to continue by
reason of DEATH" Aaron died, and the
| priesthood descended to his sons,
Eleazer and Ithamar. These, In turn,
| died and the priesthood descended to
| their sons, and so on through a long
| IlI1c VI DTlCSlS. Dut tiio Tic
next verse tells us-this Man who now
| appears for us In heaven-"because he
| continueth ever, hath an Interchangeable
| priesthood. Wherefore he Is able also
to save them to the uttermost that
come unto God by him, seeing he
ever liveth to make intercession for
them"
Each of these cities Is mentioned by
name, In the twentieth chapter Of
Joshua, and every name speaks to us
of our good portion now In Christ, In
whom we are secure.
The first was Kedesh in Naphtali:
the sanctuary Of the struggler." This
is what our Lord has provided for all
his own by that awful struggle to
viii h our sins had put him, so that
now we struggle no more but rest in
his finished work on our behalf.
The second was Shechem in the hill
country Of Ephralm. Shechem means
shoulder" and Ephraim Is fruitful
ness" In this haven of refuge that
Christ has provided 1t is in bowling
the shoulder to receive the yoke Of
submission to him that the fruitful
ness for which he looks from us Is
realized.
The third was Hebron In the hill
country Of judah. And here are two
familiar names: Hebron is "com-
munion" and judah is praise" A
goodly city this, and 1t is ours Shut
up here with Christ, II 10 to enjoy I'M
broken communion with him and thus
70 have the overfull heart pour itself
out in that sacrifice of praise" with
which our God Is well pleased.
The fourth city was Beer In the
wilderness. And what Is the wilder
ness? Just what this world has be-
come to the heart that has come under
the power of these divine realities and
that knows its place In Christ. But
Rezer means riches" and tells us Of
our possessions now In Christ that we
are 20 enjoy in the wilderness world.
The fifth is Ramoth In Gilead. And
Ramoth means "the heights" Yea,
the heights are ours also, for 'he
hath made us sit together in the
heayenlies," and by a thousand voices
he Is calling us to have our hearts In
that place in which he sees us.
And last we come to Golan, 10y"
"exultation," a fitting name. indeed,
with which to end the record, for
knowing our strong consolation and
all these blessed things that belong to
us in the cities Of refuge our exulta-
ton is complete.