The cities of refuge typify the all-inclusive Christ as the embodiment of the redeeming God, into whom mistaken sinners can flee for refuge. Christ was delivered by God into the hands of sinners (Acts 2:23; Rom. 4:25), who mistakenly put Him to death (Luke 23:34; 1 Cor. 2:8). If any sinner repents, God will regard him as a mistaken sinner and will forgive him (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38). Such a one may flee into Christ. But if anyone refuses the gospel and does not repent, God will regard him as a willful sinner, one who is destined to perish (v. 16; John 3:16-18).

There were six cities of refuge, three on each side of the Jordan (v. 14). The number six signifies mistake-making man, who was created by God on the sixth day (Gen. 1:26-27, 31). The number three signifies the Triune God as the refuge for the man who makes mistakes. The number two (the two sets of three cities each) signifies a testimony standing in the universe, testifying and declaring to the universe that the Triune God is living on earth among human beings to be their city of refuge.

The number forty-eight is composed of six (the natural man created by God on the sixth day) multiplied by eight (resurrection). The forty-eight cities given to the Levites signify the natural man, who became fallen, being brought into resurrection through the Levitical service. The Levitical service was a service to the priesthood, and the goal of the priesthood was to bring fallen man back to God in resurrection. The number of cities given to the Levites thus signifies the purpose of the Levitical service.

The number forty-eight is also composed of four (also signifying man as God’s creature — Ezek. 1:5) multiplied by twelve (the number of perfection and completion in God’s eternal administration). Hence, the number forty-eight indicates that man, who was created by God, will be perfected and completed in the eternal administration of God.

The forty-eight cities given to the Levites were to be scattered among Israel, changing Jacob’s curse on Levi in Gen. 49:7 into a blessing.

That the cities of refuge were to be not only for the children of Israel but also for the strangers and sojourners among them signifies that the Triune God as the refuge for mistake-making man is for all mankind. Furthermore, the distribution of the six refuge cities in different places indicates that Christ, the embodiment of the Triune God, is near and available. The Triune God has spread among men, to the very place where we are, to be a city of refuge for all those who make mistakes.

The cities of refuge were not for the murderers, those who killed with an intent (vv. 16-21). Adam sinned without intent, and we, the descendants of Adam, have sinned in the same way (cf. Rom. 7:15-24). Therefore, in the sight of God we are those who sin without intent, and He considers our sinning as being without intent. See note Num. 35:6^1a, par. 1.

The high priest here signifies Christ (Heb. 4:14), who died for our sins. Spiritually, the Old Testament saints had to remain in the city of refuge until Christ died; no ransom could have released them before the time of Christ’s death (v. 32). This was a refuge prior to direct salvation. In the Old Testament time Christ had not yet died, and those who fled into Him as their refuge had to wait there until He came and died on the cross. For the Old Testament saints, therefore, the refuge was like the sheepfold in John 10:1 (see note John 10:1² there).

Since Christ, our High Priest, has died, He is the refuge, not in the Old Testament sense but in the New Testament sense, to all His believers. This refuge is a matter of direct salvation. Before Christ’s death He was the refuge for the Old Testament saints, but now, after His death, He is our direct salvation. We who enter into Christ today may do so with the assurance that He has already died and that our sins have already been forgiven (Eph. 1:7; Col. 2:13).