Joel M Bradshaw

 6And he shall remain in that city until he has stood before the congregation for judgment, until the death of him who is high priest at the time. Then the manslayer may return to his own town and his own home, to the town from which he fled.’”–Joshua 20

The difference between murder and manslaughter is that murder requires intent. The murderer was put to death (Numbers 25:30) while the manslayer had options. He had to leave everything behind and travel to the nearest city of refuge. Meanwhile the deceased’s family’s avenger of blood was allowed to kill him if he found him. The manslayer stayed in the city of refuge until his case was decided or until the high priest died.

You can picture the office of the prophet like a downward arrow. The prophet facilitated communication from God to man. The word of the LORD would come to the prophet, etc. Now picture the priest as an upward arrow. The ancient priest represented man before God and facilitated sacrifices. He symbolically stood before both man and God in this process.

So today’s verse reminds us of a key provision. The death of the high priest would serve as a substitute for judgment and would satisfy the avenger. His death would cover over whatever sin happened and provide reconciliation between the man and his family. Our text today was a foreshadowing of Jesus. Here are the verses that came to mind. I added emphasis.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest [Christ] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. (Hebrews 10:11-14)

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation. (Colossians 1:19-22)

The sinner was once alienated and now could be reconciled and free from accusation. That perfectly describes the manslayer in our text today. It also perfectly describes you and me when we agree with God about our sin and put our faith in Jesus alone for our salvation. What a wonderful foreshadowing in Joshua 20!–JMB