RPG Adults
THE SOLUTION FOR MANSLAUGHTER
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22
Deuteronomy 19:1-14
Ephesians 4:23-27
“Be ye angry, and sin not:
let not the sun go down
upon your wrath.”
THE SOLUTION FOR MANSLAUGHTER
It is possible that one might accidentally kill one’s neighbour. A scenario is described in Deuteronomy 19:5: “As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live.” Circumstances may be different in different accidents, but such killing amounts to killing without intention.
One of the common accidents that cost many lives today take place on the roads. Modern governments have laws in place to settle such issues. In the Old Testament time, the provisions for such accidental killings were necessary. Anyone who had killed accidentally could escape to the city of refuge until his case was judged by the elders in that city.
In the meantime, it may be that in a fit of anger, those who have lost a loved one may want to take revenge. Thus, cities of refuge, being set apart, served the very important purpose of protecting the lives of those who may find themselves in that dilemma. A person who pursued someone who had fled to the city of refuge would be prevented from doing any harm to the “refugee.”
Such laws in the modern world would be in the hands of the civil government. The New Testament gives instructions to Christians of their duty to their governments. Thus, civil duties have been delegated to civil institutions, and the spiritual duties belong to the church.
In addition to the three cities of refuge on the western side of the River Jordan, three more were added. The addition was necessary because of the land allocation on the eastern side of Jordan.
THOUGHT: God has the answer to our human emotional outbursts.
PRAYER: Father, teach me to act rightly always.