The Cities of Refuge: or, The Name of Jesus by John R. Macduff (brene brown rising strong txt) 📖

the great Hebron above-"the city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Christ has made you to be members of the great heavenly family; so that the little child who loves Jesus, is brother or sister to the archangel before the throne! You may be deprived of human friendship and fellowship. The brother or sister, the father or mother, or friend you once dearly loved, may be laid in some earthly Machpelah-some silent grave. But rejoice! nothing can separate you from a better friend and more lasting fellowship. Though all earthly joys were to perish, you can always rush within the gates of that mighty Hebron of refuge, and say, " Truly our 'FELLOWSHIP' is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ ."

"Earthly friends may pain and grieve me,
One day kind, the next they leave me;
But this Friend can ne'er deceive me-
Oh, how He loves!"

[Illustration: Bezer]


Fourth City-Bezer.

BEZER was situated beyond the Jordan, in the tribe of Reuben. Although its precise site has not been discovered, we may infer that it was perched on one of the many rocky heights among the mountains of
Abarim ,-perhaps a spur of the great mount Nebo, from whose summit Moses was permitted, before death, to get a view of the Land of Promise. The northern portion of the waters of the Dead Sea would be seen from it, and the pastoral mountains of Judah in the distance. From its name, as well as from its being a border town, and subject to attack from the warlike tribe of Moab, Bezer would probably be strongly fortified,-similar, perhaps, in this respect to the towns in the neighbourhood, with which the Israelites were so struck on their first approach to Canaan, with "their walls great and high, reaching to heaven."

What does the name BEZER tell of Christ?

It literally means " stronghold ," or Rock. Jesus is the believer's BEZER. The sinner is in danger everywhere else, but in Jesus he is safe. He is invited to "turn to the STRONGHOLD" as a "prisoner of hope," and once within its gates, "though an host encamp against him," he need "fear no evil."

What a mighty force does encamp against him! There is God's Holy Law , with all its terrible threatenings and curses. But sheltered in the true BEZER he can triumphantly say, "It is God that justifieth: who is he that condemneth?"[37]

There is Satan , with his artful wiles and countless temptations. He was once a bright angel himself. He knows what holiness and happiness are. But being now a wicked spirit, he would make others as wicked and unhappy as himself. He is spoken of in the Bible as "a strong man armed."[38] But Jesus is "stronger" than this strong man. If you have fled for refuge to this great gospel Bezer , seated within its secure bulwarks you can joyfully exclaim, " I will say of the Lord, He is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whose I will put my trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. "[39]

There is your own Wicked Heart , with its sinful thoughts, and vain imaginations, and deep corruptions-for a man's worst foes are often those of his own household. One of these heart-foes will tempt you to tell a lie; another to swear; another to be dishonest; another to be selfish; another to be passionate; another to be unkind. But He that is
for you, is greater than they that are against you. Safer than in any earthly castle, you can take up your warrior-song, " The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. "[40]

There are the Trials and Sorrows and Distresses of this world ,-those things that cause sad hearts and tearful eyes. But that blessed Saviour-your Rock and Stronghold-"knows your sorrows," for He felt them. He marks your tears, for He shed the same himself. Fleeing to this true BEZER in the time of affliction, you can dry your tears and sing, " God also will be a refuge for the distressed, a refuge in the time of trouble; and they that know thy name shall put their trust in thee. "[41]

And there is Death , the last enemy of all. But even over this King of terrors and Terror of kings, you can shout in triumph from your Divine shelter, " O death, where is thy sting?... Thanks be to God, who giveth me the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. "[42]

And Jesus is a Stronghold for all . I have already spoken of the little children of old rushing to its gates,-infants smiling fearless in the Saviour's arms. He combines the majesty of Deity with the tenderness of man. If He had been the great God alone, you might have been awed at the thought of going to Him. But what says the prophet Isaiah of this true BEZER?-" A MAN shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest. "[43] He Himself says in another scripture, " I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. "[44]

In one of the great strongholds that were besieged in our last Indian rebellion, the Christian mothers were wont to hush their infants asleep by singing, " God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. " My young friends, " as one whom his mother comforteth ," so is God willing to " comfort you ;" and here is His word of comfort: " The Lord is good, a STRONGHOLD in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. "[45] In the old Cities of Refuge no weapons of any kind were allowed to be made. Those who possessed them had to surrender them. This is true in a nobler and better sense regarding the Gospel Stronghold. There can be no deadly weapons forged there. Their edge is blunted: " There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. "[46] Satan's armoury has been plundered; the "Stronger than he" has " taken from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divided the spoil ."[47]

I have said that the word BEZER means " Rock " as well as "stronghold." " Trust in the Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength ," or, (marginal reading,) "THE ROCK OF AGES."[48] May you not well say, with your eye on this glorious "Refuge"-

"Dear NAME, the ROCK on which I build,
My shield and hiding-place ;
My never-failing treasury, fill'd
With boundless stores of grace!"

"ROCK of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee!"

[Illustration: Ramoth]


Fifth City-Ramoth.

RAMOTH was situated in Gilead, within the tribe of Gad, and somewhere near the banks of the brook Jabbok, where, you know, Jacob wrestled in prayer with the angel. It must have occupied a commanding position among the beautifully-wooded glens of Gilead, and, like Bezer, been strongly fortified. We infer this latter from the many sieges it had undergone. Being not only, like the other, a border town of Palestine, but situated in the direct route taken by the invading Syrian armies, it must have been constantly exposed to hostile attacks.

You can think of Ramoth, then, among the hills and slopes on the other side of the Jordan, with their forests of native oak, which the famous " bulls of Bashan" (herds of wild cattle) roamed at large; while more peaceful flocks browsed on the meadows which fringed the mountain-streams.

What does the name RAMOTH tell us regarding Christ?

Ramoth literally means EXALTATION. Jesus is the true Ramoth ; He is " exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour!" He was once lowly, despised, rejected, crucified, slain. He compares Himself to a poor outcast and exile amid these forests of Gilead: " Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. "[49] But having been exalted on the cross as a suffering Saviour, He is now exalted on the throne as a glorious King. " God hath highly EXALTED
Him ;"[50]-angels exalt Him-seraphs adore Him-saints praise Him-the Church on earth magnifies Him-the Church redeemed in heaven will magnify and exalt Him for ever and ever!

Young reader, delight often to walk around the walls of Ramoth , and think of Jesus "exalted at God's right hand." He is there pleading your cause. Though exalted, He has not forgotten the lowliest or humblest of His people. He is the Greatest of all Beings, but He is the Kindest of all too. The first time after His exaltation when He came down to earth to speak to the aged apostle John, John wondered if the glories of heaven had altered His love and tenderness. He remembered how often before he used to lean on His bosom. When he looked, however, now , upon the glorious Being that stood before him in His lustrous garment, with "His eyes like a flame of fire," "he fell down at His feet like one dead." But the same gentle hand touched him, the same gentle voice he was wont to hear so often in past years, said to him, "Fear not!" How sweet for us to think that we have exalted on the highest throne of the universe an unchanged and unchanging Saviour, an ever-living, never-dying Friend.

"Though now ascended up on high,
He bends on earth a brother's eye."

JESUS is exalted in heaven, and exalted by all the glorious family of heaven. But, alas! there is one place where He is often not exalted, but rather cast down, and that is the human heart. That heart has been too truly compared to the inn of Bethlehem, where there was room for every guest but the Lord of glory! Ye of tender years, whom Christ loved so much on earth-whom He fondled in His arms of mercy; see that it is not so with you. "My son," He says, "give me thine heart." See that He is enthroned there as Lord of all. Exalt Him in everything: in your thoughts, in your words, in your deeds. Welcome Him, as the children of the temple welcomed Him to Jerusalem of old. Take up their song, and sing, " Hosannah to the Son of David! hosannah in the highest! "

"When, His salvation bringing,
To Zion Jesus came,
The children follow'd singing
Hosanna to His name.
Nor was the Lord offended
That children joined the throng;
But smiled that they attended,
And loved to hear their song.

"And since the Lord retaineth
His love