Your permanent refuge
- mimiinjc
- Sep 20
- 2 min read
EXHORTATION according to the BOOK OF LIFE
Verse to meditate on:
“Like a shepherd, he guards his flock; he gathers them with the wave of his hand; he carries the lambs in his arms; he gently leads the nursing ewes.”
Isaiah 40:11 NIV
🕊️ YOUR PERMANENT PLACE OF REFUGE 🕊️
Today, I want to show you how there are no insignificant details in the Bible. Let me reveal to you some hidden truths hidden in the names of the six cities of refuge found in Joshua 20. Read with me and see what the Lord has for us: "So they established Kedesh in Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (which is Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. And on the other side of the Jordan, near Jericho toward the east, they assigned Beser in the wilderness in the plain, from the tribe of Reuben; Ramoth-gilead, from the tribe of Gad; and Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh" (Joshua 20:7-8).
So let me give you the meaning of the names in the order in which they appear. Kedesh means holy place or sanctuary. In the cities of refuge, people sought sanctuary in the sanctuaries. Then we have Shechem, which means shoulder. Incidentally, Jacob's well is located in Shechem. Our Lord Jesus met the woman at the well of Shechem. Joseph was buried in Shechem, and his tomb is still there.
Then we have Kirjath-Arba, which is Hebron. Hebron means friendship or fellowship. It is the place where Abraham and Sarah were buried. Then, on the east side of the Jordan, we have Bezer, which means fortress, followed by Ramoth, which means heights or highly exalted. We end with Golan, which means rejoicing or joy. Now, let's put these names together to see the message for us: You can find sanctuary (Kedesh) on the strong shoulders of the Lord (Shechem), whom He offers in fellowship (Hebron). He is your fortress (Bezer), and He exalts you highly (Ramoth) above all your troubles with great joy (Golan).
Hallelujah, praise and glory to the Name above all names! Names paint an amazing picture of our Lord Jesus. Bending down where you are, He offers you His strong shoulders when you are gripped by fear and weary. What a beautiful image of the Good Shepherd saving His lost sheep. Beloved, when you have failed and are exhausted by life's struggles, He offers you His shoulders in communion. He is your sanctuary. He is your holy place, where you are separated from the world. When you respond to His desire for communion, He carries you on His broad shoulders and lifts you above your challenges. Your only duty is to accept!
Jesus’ beloved!
AMEN & AMEN 🙏🏾🙏🏾!!