YOUR MORAL PROVISION—I—Joshua 20:1-9
God established Cities of Refuge within Israel.
God insured that the moral uprightness of His people was established.
How is virtue established in God’s people?
Virtue/Moral excellence is established among God’s people.
1—Virtue/Moral excellence is established among God’s people...
Thru DESIGNATION(:1-2)
—Explanation:(:1-2)Appoint/Give/Allocate/In Place
“Then the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘Designate the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,”
“Designate/Appoint out”—To separate set aside.
A people must see fit to apply God’s moral excellence in their society.
Give place to the concept.
Put faces with the names
Establish tangible means of expressing Virtue
—Laws—Enable/Free people to have virtue.
—Congress—Senate & House—Representatives must uphold Christian virtue.
—Churches—must be represented
Put in place a means of handling right behavior.
Overall Landscape made to support & encourage Virtue
—Argumentation:
Framers of our US Constitution/Christian virtue built-in & given place or definite structure/
—Illustration:
Associational church building construction on TAMA Indian reservation/Certain areas(foundation squares constructed strictly for the support of porch/Designation
Police dept./Designated for protection of citizens/1st Police dept. in New York—Charity work—Clean up of neighborhoods—Fix-it men/Moral Designation
—Application:
?You support DESIGNATIONS that establish virtue?
?Is Moral Excellence established thru you?
2—Virtue/Moral excellence is established among God’s people...
Thru REFUGE(:3)
—Explanation:(:3)Protection/Shelter//Immunity
“...that the manslayer who kills any person unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, & they shall become your refuge from the avenger of blood.”
“Refuge”
—Protect/Shelter/Immunity to the innocent—Life in God’s image is precious
—Incrimination of the malicious.
—Salvation Army—Churches—Food Pantry—Govt. Organizations—Lighthouse—
“Avenger of Blood”
—Designated by an authority to execute criminal.
Num. 35:19—“‘The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he shall put him to death when he meets him.”
Num. 35:27—“& the blood avenger finds him outside the border of his city of refuge, & the blood avenger kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood”
—Argumentation:
Ex. 23:7—““Keep far from a false charge, & do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty.”
Deut. 19:13—“You shall not pity him, but you shall purge the blood of the innocent from Israel, that it may go well with you.”
Jer. 19:3-7—“& say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah & inhabitants of Jerusalem: thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold I am about to bring a calamity upon this place, at which the ears of everyone that hears of it will tingle. “Because they have forsaken Me & have made this an alien place & have burned sacrifices in it to other gods that neither they nor their forefathers nor the kings of Judah had ever known, & because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent & have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, a thing which I never commanded or spoke of, nor did it ever enter My mind; therefore, behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when this place will no longer be called Topheth or the valley of Ben-hinnom, but rather the valley of Slaughter. “And I shall make void the counsel of Judah & Jerusalem in this place, & I shall cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies & by the hand of those who seek their life; & I shall give over their carcasses as food for the birds of the sky & the beasts of the earth.”
Ex. 22:22-24—“You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. “If you afflict him at all, & if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry; & My anger will be kindled, & I will kill you with the sword; & your wives shall become widows & your children fatherless.”
—Illustration:
Wildlife Refuge/Offers Sanctuary/Wildlife takes precedence
Clothes Pantry at Seminary/Suits/
Adoption services
—Application:
?You uphold the REFUGE for the innocent?
Adoption services/Safe houses/Indigent care/Food pantry/Clothes closet
?Is Virtue/Moral Excellence established thru you?
3—Virtue/Moral excellence is established among God’s people...
Thru PRORIETY(:4)
—Explanation:(:4,5) Right Channels/Procedure/
:4—“ ‘And he shall flee to one of these cities, & shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city & state his case in the hearing of the elders of that city; & they shall take him into the city to them & give him a place, so that he may dwell among them.
:5—‘Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor without premeditation & did not hate him beforehand.”
‘Propriety’—Behavior appropriate to honor God & man, under God’s graces.
a. “Stand at the entrance”—Where elders met—Aware of comings & goings of city.
b. “State his case”—Share the evnts bringing him there.
c. “Elders”—Hierarchy—Governors—Sheriff—Judges
d. “They shall take him...to them”—Congregation
e. “They shall...give him a place”—City/congregation accepts by means of elders.
Num. 35:24—“then the congregation shall judge between the slayer & the blood avenger according to these ordinances.”
“Dwell”—remain/live
—Argumentation:
1Tim. 1:8-11—“But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless & rebellious, for the ungodly & sinners, for the unholy & profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers & immoral men & homosexuals & kidnappers & liars & perjurers, & whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.”
—Illustration:
Radio/Walkie Talkies/License above certain power—frequency regulated/Propriety
Building permit/Inspectors—Experts/Recognize dangers & enforce safeguards.
Car repair at dealership/Contact repair scheduler/Agree to time/Bring in/Ke to manager/Wait in waiting room/Never see mechanic/
Jump thru the hoops—proves actions/Cause is worthy
Taxonomic Key/
—Application:
?You uphold PROPRIETIES that establish virtue in others?
Deacons/Elders
?Is Moral Excellence established thru you?
—Conclusion
Action:
Virtue/Moral excellence is established among God’s people...
Thru DESIGNATION
Thru REFUGE
Thru PROPRIETY
Presented 04/01/01pm to:
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 31797
