The Need for Security

“You yourself alone, O Jehovah, make me dwell in security.​—Ps. 4:8.

1. What has made the life of man uncertain during almost all the time he has been on earth?

THE life of mankind has been marked by insecurity nearly all the time that men have lived on earth. History reveals the many dangers to which they have been exposed. Illness in all its forms has carried men off. Disasters and famines have taken their toll of unnumbered human lives. Wars, small and big, have devastated many countries and brought millions of men to an early grave. Crime also has been ever present, and multitudinous are the ones who have fallen victim to it.

2. How have the developments of science affected man’s security?

² Although the progress due to science has provided men with many commodities not previously available​—for example, medicines to treat some of his ailments—​yet the life of man has not become safer in our scientific age. To the contrary. The scientific development in the field of armament is so colossal​—just think of the atomic, biological and chemical weapons produced—​that the life of men, not only in a few countries, but around the globe, is threatened to a degree never before known in the whole history of mankind. Truly, life has become more modern, but at the same time very uncertain and perilous. No wonder, then, that the speeches of statesmen and other prominent personalities, headlined in the world press, time and again revolve around the terms “peace” and “security.” They reflect clearly the prevailing uncertainty in the world.

3. How did the Bible foretell our days, which are marked by uncertainty?

³ In spite of all the efforts undertaken by worldly men, no real security is being reached. Hardly has one conflict been settled when another breaks out. Many people looking into the future see nothing but a big question mark. Insecurity and uncertainty are increasing. Here is how the Bible accurately foretold just these conditions in our day: “Also, there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of nations, not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea and its agitation, while men become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth.”​—Luke 21:25, 26.

4. (a) Why will this present world never find real peace and security? (b) Who is the source of true security?

⁴ According to the Bible we may never expect that the present agitated world will find peace and security. Why is this so? Because it is seeking security in the wrong direction and in the wrong manner. Men in general have not learned that humans and human organizations can never provide true security. They ignore the clear advice of the Bible: “Do not put your trust in nobles, nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs.” (Ps. 146:3) No man, regardless of how prominent he may be and with what power he may be invested, religious or political, no nation of this world and no international organization can provide true security and salvation for mankind. These precious, sought-after goals can derive only from one source, namely, God the Almighty, whose name is Jehovah, and only in harmony with the provisions he has made.​—Isa. 43:11.

SECURITY IN ANCIENT ISRAEL

5. (a) What does Israel’s history show as to security? (b) Describe the blessed reign of King Solomon.

⁵ As is generally known, the Israelites, that is, the descendants of the Hebrew Abraham through his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob, were at one time the chosen people of Jehovah. In Jehovah’s dealings with Israel there are revealing foregleams of how security can be gained and how it can be lost. As the history of Israel shows, national security and individual security were very likely at their zenith during the reign of the wise, peaceful and famous king Solomon, one of the human kings who ruled representatively for the invisible King Jehovah. In impressive words a chronicler reports about that blessed time: “And peace itself became his in every region of his, all around. And Judah and Israel continued to dwell in security, everyone under his own vine and under his own fig tree, from Dan to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon.”​—1 Ki. 4:24, 25.

6. (a) What were the factors contributing to Israel’s welfare and security? (b) But what does Israel’s later history show?

⁶ This peace, security and welfare during the reign of King Solomon were not the result of human wisdom. Rather, they resulted from heavenly wisdom. The people of Israel had received a fine code of laws. Centuries before, it had been made known by Jehovah to Moses and through him to the nation of Israel. This uniform legislation was to be applied throughout the whole territory of that nation, and it applied generally to Israelites and foreigners alike. It governed the relations of this people to its God and also the relations between individuals. It was a good law. To this the Christian apostle Paul testifies, when he wrote: “Wherefore, on its part, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” (Rom. 7:12) The more strictly the people observed this law, both rulers and subjects, the more they enjoyed the favor of their God, Jehovah, and the more they enjoyed peace and security. But the more they departed from the law, usually led on by a ruling class that had turned wicked, the greater their insecurity became. This is very tragically illustrated in what happened to Israel after the majority had rejected the Messiah, the one whom God had sent to them as their Redeemer. In 70 C.E., when the Romans destroyed Israel’s famous capital, Jerusalem, this highly favored people lost its national existence. The history of the Jews during the nineteen centuries that followed is unparalleled as far as insecurity and adversity are concerned. It all goes to show that true security can never be found outside of a proper relationship with man’s Creator.​—Ps. 91:2.

THE CITY OF REFUGE​—A PROTECTIVE PROVISION

7. Why is the law of Moses still of interest for us?

⁷ Let us now consider one of the provisions of the Mosaic law more closely. It is true that the Mosaic law with its many decrees and penal sanctions is no longer in force. When the Messiah, Jesus Christ, came, nineteen centuries ago, the time of this law was up. It had served its purpose. By its being fulfilled it was taken out of the way. The Bible so informs us in these words: “He kindly forgave us all our trespasses and blotted out the handwritten document [the Mosaic law] against us, which consisted of decrees and which was in opposition to us; and He has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the torture stake [of Jesus Christ].” (Col. 2:13, 14) But this old body of law, although no more being in force after Jesus Christ was used to bring it to an end on Nisan 14, 33 C.E., contains many instructive types or “shadows,” as well as principles, from which Christians may draw enlightenment and benefit. The weekly sabbath or day of rest, for example, which was stipulated in the Mosaic law, was such a shadow of good things to come, pointing forward to something in the future, namely, the thousand years of peace and tranquillity under the reign of Christ, the Messiah.​—Col. 2:16, 17; Heb. 10:1.

8. How many cities of refuge were there, and what were their names?

⁸ A very interesting provision in the Mosaic law was that of the cities of refuge. Where were they located and what purpose did they serve? The Law provided for a total of six of these cities, three of them on the east side of the Jordan River and three on the west side. Concerning the names and geographical locations of these cities we are informed by Joshua, Moses’ successor as visible leader of Israel: “Accordingly they gave a sacred status to Kedesh in Galilee in the mountainous region of Naphtali, and Shechem in the mountainous region of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba, that is to say, Hebron, in the mountainous region of Judah. And in the region of the Jordan, at Jericho, toward the east they gave Bezer in the wilderness on the tableland out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.”​—Josh. 20:7, 8.

9. (a) How were these cities distributed over the land? (b) What purpose did they actually serve?

⁹ A look at the map of the Promised Land shows that these cities were rather equally distributed throughout the land. Why was this so? These cities were to be within reach of any inhabitant​—the Israelites as well as the alien residents and settler—​who might need the city’s protection. These cities were havens of refuge, places of protection, open to persons whose lives were in danger, and therefore they were so located that the ones seeking protection might reasonably have the necessary strength and time to flee there. The national law ruled on who was eligible for protection. Anybody could flee to one of these cities who, due to accident, without any evil intent, had caused the death of another person or persons, be it while working or in any other situation.

10. Under what circumstances, for example, could a man flee there?

¹⁰ To illustrate, here is an example of such a situation, one that would make flight to the city of refuge necessary. “Now this is the case of the manslayer who may flee there and has to live: When he strikes his fellow man without knowing it and he was no hater of him formerly; or when he goes with his fellow man into the woods to gather wood, and his hand has been raised to strike with the ax to cut the tree, and the iron has slipped off from the wooden handle, and it has hit his fellow man and he has died, he himself should flee to one of these cities and must live.”​—Deut. 19:4, 5.

THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE

11. (a) Why should a person have to flee to the city of refuge? (b) What do Jehovah’s words to Noah show?

¹¹ But we might ask, Why should such a man have to flee to a place of protection? Because, after having caused the death of a fellowman, he was now himself in danger of losing his life. The nearest relative had the right to act as avenger of the blood of the person killed; he was entitled to act as executioner and in this capacity he could act swiftly, without delay. At that time this right of the avenger of blood was fully recognized. Undoubtedly it had its origin in the ordinance we find in the first book of the Bible, in Genesis 9, verses 4 to 6. There we find the words spoken by Jehovah to Noah and his sons, survivors of the global flood, and these words underscore the great value the Creator attaches to human life. “Only flesh with its soul​—its blood—​you must not eat. And, besides that, your blood of your souls shall I ask back. From the hand of every living creature shall I ask it back; and from the hand of man, from the hand of each one who is his brother, shall I ask back the soul of man. Anyone shedding man’s blood, by man will his own blood be shed, for in God’s image he made man.” From this old ordinance was derived the right to inflict the death penalty upon those who shed human blood illegally.

12. Was bloodguilt attached only to the willful murderer?

¹² This old ordinance was recognized in the Mosaic law. Anyone who willfully and illegally shed human blood had to pay with his own life, after the murder had been proved and established by witnesses. (Deut. 17:6) Even a person who caused the death of a fellowman involuntarily, without evil intent, made himself bloodguilty. But then the Law provided that such an unfortunate person could escape death by fleeing into the nearest city of refuge. The relevant passage in the Law reads: “And Jehovah continued to speak to Moses, saying: ‘Speak to the sons of Israel, and you must say to them, “You are crossing the Jordan to the land of Canaan. And you must choose cities convenient for yourselves. As cities of refuge they will serve for you, and the manslayer must flee there who fatally strikes a soul unintentionally. And the cities must serve you as a refuge from the blood avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the assembly for judgment. And the cities that you will give, the six cities of refuge, will be at your service. For the sons of Israel and for the alien resident and for the settler in the midst of them these six cities will serve as a refuge, for anyone to flee there that fatally strikes a soul unintentionally.”’”​—Num. 35:9-15; Josh. 20:1-6.

13, 14. (a) Was a willful murderer permitted to gain protection in the city of refuge? (b) How was the fugitive’s worthiness or willfulness determined?

¹³ It can thus be seen that, for everyone meeting its terms, this was a legal provision to save precious human life. These six cities were at the same time cities of the Levites, and one of them, Hebron, pertained to the Aaronic priests. But what about a person who made use of the legal protection in one of the six cities and who was actually not entitled to it, for example, a wicked murderer? The Law ruled out any protection for a murderer, such a person being considered unworthy to come within the protective shield of these cities. To ensure that no unworthy person would gain refuge, the law demanded that a hearing be held and the circumstances be examined, before a person was taken up definitely into the protective city. It was the elders of the slayer’s dwelling place who had to examine the case and render the final decision. If the decision turned out to be favorable for the refugee, then henceforth he was shielded by the sacred status of the city of refuge. Thus we read:

¹⁴ “But if it was unexpectedly without enmity that he has pushed him or has thrown any article toward him without lying in wait, or any stone by which he could die without seeing him or he should cause it to fall upon him, so that he died, while he was not at enmity with him and was not seeking his injury, the assembly must then judge between the striker and the avenger of blood according to these judgments. And the assembly must deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the assembly must return him to his city of refuge to which he had fled, and he must dwell in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.”​—Num. 35:22-25.

15. How long must the unintentional manslayer stay in the city of refuge?

¹⁵ The last part of the scripture just quoted explains just how long the unintentional slayer had to remain in this legally provided asylum. He did not necessarily have to stay there for all his life, but only until the death of the high priest occurred, whichever high priest was in office at the time the refugee fled to one of these havens. When the high priest died, then at once all who had fled there were fully entitled to leave the city and return to their former dwelling places. Were they not in danger of being overtaken by the avenger of blood? No, not anymore. The avenger of blood now had no right to do harm to the released refugees. The case was closed. There was no longer any bloodguilt for which to account, “For he ought to dwell in his city of refuge until the high priest’s death, and after the high priest’s death the manslayer may return to the land of his possession.”​—Num. 35:28.

16. What does the provision of the city of refuge teach us as to the value of human life?

¹⁶ The provision of the city of refuge teaches us more than one thing. It shows us clearly that the Creator of man, Jehovah, values human life as something precious. There is no question that He has the full and indisputable right to destroy human life, if men oppose his sovereign will and ignore his purpose. Man, however, certainly is not in the same position as his Creator and therefore has no right to snuff out human life just as he pleases. Life is so precious. In a way it is holy. The Mosaic law ruled that even the unintentional manslayer became bloodguilty, showing thereby the severity of God in matters of bloodshed. No doubt this rigor was to impress the Israelites and convey to their minds the proper appreciation for the sanctity of human life. It also taught them in all their dealings to give careful consideration to this most precious possession of their fellowmen​—life. Pointing to the great Source, the psalmist wrote: “For with you is the source of life.”​—Ps. 36:9.

17. Which two great qualities of Jehovah are reflected in this special legal provision?

¹⁷ On the other hand, the provision of the city of refuge shows that Jehovah is a God of mercy and that He, as the Supreme Judge, knows the hearts of men and makes a distinction between one who commits a wrong unintentionally and one who is wicked in heart and who willfully and presumptuously breaks the divine law. So the provision of the protective city as it existed in ancient Israel reveals two great attributes of Jehovah: his justice and his mercy. The psalmist wrote: “Righteousness and judgment are the established place of your throne; loving-kindness and trueness themselves come in before your face.”​—Ps. 89:14.

18. Since that provision was a prophetic type, what questions now arise?

¹⁸ Since the provision of the city of refuge was of prophetic significance, pointing forward to greater things to come, the following questions arise: What does this city picture? Who is typified by the unintentional manslayer who was permitted to flee there and who by the avenger of blood who pursued the unintentional manslayer? What is meant by the road leading up to these cities? Who is the high priest? And what is shown by the fact that the refugees could leave the city after the high priest died? All these questions can be answered satisfactorily as we let God’s holy spirit ‘lead us into all the truth.’ (John 16:13) For further discussion of these questions we refer the reader to the following article.

The Way to Security

“I am the way and the truth and the life.”​—John 14:6.

1. What do the cities of refuge typify?

AMONG the ancient people of Israel the provision of the cities of refuge must often have proved to be lifesaving. Their purpose was to grant protection and security to unintentional manslayers, in view of threatening death by the hand of the legal avenger of blood. These cities were not to offer protection to criminals. And since the provision of these cities, as with so many other “shadows” of the Law (Heb. 10:1), was a prophetic type, from which Christians may learn much, the conclusion is inescapable that it typifies the grand provision of salvation that God, Jehovah, brought into operation for the eternal benefit of men of all kinds, to relieve and save them from the penalty of bloodguilt. How so?

2. What were some of the reasons for Jesus Christ’s coming to earth?

² God sent his highest Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to make known here the great truths of this provision and also that he might die a sacrificial death, in order to save those truly exercising faith in him from a certain and everlasting death, and give them life without end. Thus we read in Ephesians 1:7: “By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one, yes, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his undeserved kindness.”​—Matt. 20:28.

3. What is shown by the fact that both Israelites and alien residents could find refuge in the city of refuge?

³ Even as with the typical city of refuge, so also the antitypical city of refuge is a merciful provision of God, to forgive repenting violators of His law on the basis of the ransom of Jesus Christ and to accept him into his care and protection. Writes the apostle Paul: “So that is why he is a mediator of a new covenant, in order that, because a death has occurred for their release by ransom from the transgressions under the former covenant, the ones who have been called might receive the promise of the everlasting inheritance.” (Heb. 9:15) In the literal city of refuge, both Israelites and alien residents could find refuge. (Num. 35:15) That pictures that the antitypical city of refuge offers its powerful protection, not only to spiritual Israelites, that is, those who become members of the heavenly class and rule and serve as priests with Christ Jesus, but also to all those who are in line to receive everlasting life on earth, “other sheep.”​—John 10:16.

4. (a) What cannot be overlooked in the provision of salvation? (b) To what end do God’s spirit and his angels work?

⁴ The unintentional manslayer in Israel did not flee abroad, leaving his country, but headed for the city of refuge, which belonged to the nonpriestly Levites; the city of Hebron belonged to the Aaronic priests. This signifies that the provision of salvation is closely connected with Jehovah’s organization. A remnant of the spiritual priestly class is still on earth today, forming the nucleus of the congregation of Jehovah’s people. We cannot ignore the role the visible congregation of Jehovah’s witnesses plays in this provision of salvation. In Acts 2:47 we read: “At the same time Jehovah continued to join to them daily those being saved.” That means that those “being saved” were added to the visible body of the early Christian congregation. They were gathered together into one united family of faith. So the visible congregation of God’s people has something to do with the provision of salvation today. Indeed, it has an important place in that provision. Every congregation forms a small part of God’s people. We cannot remain outside the organization of God’s people, separated from it, if we want to have Jehovah’s protection. Jehovah’s spirit and his angels all tend to a bringing together in unity of thought, aim and action. So there is a vital connection between Jehovah’s protection in the antitypical city of refuge and His visible congregation of spiritual Israelites, supervised by the “faithful and discreet slave.”​—Eph. 4:3-6; Matt. 24:45-47.

THE ANTITYPICAL UNINTENTIONAL MANSLAYER

5. Who was foreshadowed by the unintentional manslayer?

⁵ But who, then, actually is typified by the unintentional manslayer who found refuge in the protective city? He is a picture of all those who become conscious of the fact that they, in some way and from Jehovah’s viewpoint, share in bloodguilt. This fact becomes clear to them when such sincere persons come in touch with the enlightening message of God’s Word, the Bible, which teaches the sanctity of human life. As in ancient Israel, even so today, a person may have been the cause of an accident, fatal to some other person or persons. Year by year, tens of thousands of people lose their lives on the streets of the world due to traffic accidents. Although there is no evil intent present, nevertheless, there is a certain amount of guilt involved, and, as a rule, the law codes of the nations stipulate penal sanctions for such cases.

6. How have many persons shared in bloodguilt in our age?

⁶ But the application of the meaning of the unintentional manslayer in the present antitype is broader in scope and does not limit itself to those cases just mentioned. Our age is the period of the greatest wars in human history. Just think of World War I and World War II. Millions of men were forced to have a part in these bloody events, without actually wanting it. Tens of millions of men have thus died since 1914, due to the struggle for world domination and also in the course of cruel ideological revolutions. Indeed, since 1914 C.E. alone the blood account of mankind has mounted as never before in all history. It goes without saying that the Creator of man, the one who declared the sanctity of life, must have viewed all this with great displeasure.​—Hab. 1:13.

7. (a) How has heavy bloodguilt become attached to false religion? (b) How does Revelation 17:5, 6 describe this?

⁷ The fact that religious leaders in all the world gave their blessing and support to such organized, mass spilling of human blood has led many persons to believe that it was indeed God’s will and even compatible with Christianity. So it can be presumed that many have done wrong while believing their course was right. The support of organized shedding of blood by the numerous churches and religions inside and outside Christendom reveals one thing very clearly: the immense bloodguilt that attaches to false religion throughout the entire world. This bloodguilt has accumulated, not merely in the past few decades, but also during the many centuries of the past. Blood indeed has flowed in streams in many religious wars, in wars inspired by religious leaders and supported by them, in crusades, during the so-called Inquisition and during the persecution of faithful servants of God before and after Christ. In Revelation, chapter 17, this world empire of false religion is signified or described in symbol as an immoral woman, called “Babylon the Great.” We read: “And upon her forehead was written a name, a mystery: ‘Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth.’ And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.”​—Rev. 17:5, 6.

8. How have churches misled the people?

⁸ How much the churches have misrepresented God’s purpose and justified wars is underlined by the following from a German Protestant Sunday paper during World War I: “Our combatants are not merely fighters for homeland and home, for king and fatherland, but they are God’s armies, fighting in his service as his instruments and administrators. It is good for our Christian soldiers to know that they really stand in a far higher service and office, that they take care of God’s business and that therefore the Lord has been so marvelously with us . . . to bring the war to a good end. Honor be to God alone! Also this war is a step forward on the way to the realization of the kingdom of God.” (Kirche, Krieg, Kriegsdienst, by Walter Dignath, page 51) How tellingly the words of the prophet Jeremiah apply to the bloodguilt attached to false religious systems of Christendom! Says the prophet: “Also, in your skirts there have been found the blood marks of the souls of the innocent poor ones.” (Jer. 2:34) But bloodguilt also attaches to pagan religious organizations.

THE ANTITYPICAL AVENGER OF BLOOD

9. (a) When will punishment come upon the bloodguilty? (b) Who is the antitypical avenger of blood?

⁹ Where there is so much bloodguilt, punishment is due and unavoidable. It will come without fail, swiftly, yes, within our generation. Speaking about this divine punishment, the prophet Isaiah wrote: “For, look! Jehovah is coming forth from his place to call to account the error of the inhabitant of the land against him, and the land will certainly expose her bloodshed and will no longer cover over her killed ones.” (Isa. 26:21) In ancient Israel it was the legal avenger of blood who settled the account and imposed punishment. Who, we ask, is the avenger of blood in the antitype? It is Jesus Christ, to whom ‘all authority has been given in heaven and on the earth.’ In Revelation, chapter 19, he is described as a rider on a white horse, carrying on war in righteousness. The armies in heaven follow him. About nineteen centuries ago Jesus was born on earth as a perfect human, and for this reason he often referred to himself as the “Son of man.” (Matt. 28:18; 25:31) Due to this he became, so to speak, the closest relative of mankind and is therefore fully entitled to be the antitypical avenger of blood.

10. Since when does the picture of the city of refuge apply in particular, and why?

¹⁰ In 1914 C.E. the “time of the end” came upon this order of human society, and particularly since that time the picture of the city of refuge has become timely and applicable. Why is this so? Because it is in our time, within this generation, that Jesus Christ will act as the great and powerful avenger of blood. He will make a complete end to this bloodguilty order of society. (Dan. 2:44) The avenger of blood and his vast army of holy angels will overtake each and every one who has not escaped in time to the shielding city of refuge. Absolutely nothing can stop this oncoming catastrophe. No nation will escape. But individuals can escape it.​—Prov. 1:24-33.

FLIGHT TO SAFETY

11. How can a person avoid being overtaken by the avenger of blood?

¹¹ But how can individuals avoid being overtaken by the oncoming avenger of blood, Jesus Christ? The answer is: by flight to safety while there is yet the time. Flight to security is indeed possible. In ancient Israel there were six cities of refuge, rather equally located over the nation’s territory. Thus the way to the place of safety was not too long for any who were in need of it. Security was within reach. So it is in the fulfillment of this prophetic picture. Honest and truth-loving men, who really want to find this real security, can find it. Salvation is within reach. The way to it is not too far. The protective city, God’s provision of salvation, is near. But it takes some effort to get there. The way into security is not like a gay walk in springtime. It means hard work, yes, a fight, the “fight of the faith.”​—1 Tim. 6:12.

12. Whose course furnishes an excellent example of how bloodguilty persons should act?

¹² For this we have an excellent example in the apostle Paul. He too had a share in the bloodguilt resting on the Jewish religious system, at the time when he was called Saul. He approved of the killing of true Christians. About the murder of Stephen, for example, we read: “Saul, for his part, was approving of the murder of him.” (Acts 8:1) But after this Saul had converted to Christianity, what a fine fight he then fought for the true faith! What efforts he made to run the way to its end, in order to assure his salvation! He preached, he wrote numerous letters to his Christian brothers, he went through all kinds of difficulties and finally was put to death for being a Christian. The example of Paul and that of many others show us that it takes real effort to gain everlasting life.​—2 Cor. 11:23-27; 2 Tim. 4:6-8.

THE WAY TO SECURITY

13. (a) What are some requirements for undertaking this flight? (b) What, actually, does faith mean?

¹³ Basic in starting this flight to safety is the consciousness that one has acted wrongly before Jehovah God and is guilty in his sight. (Ps. 51:3-5) This will lead the honest person to repentance, which also means a change of mind. Along with this goes faith in the Bible, in Jehovah God, in Jesus Christ and in God’s kingdom. (Acts 3:19; Heb. 11:6; Acts 16:31) But faith means much more than just believing that God exists and that Jesus Christ came to save sinners. Many people have this kind of faith, but it is wholly insufficient. Faith according to the Bible means much more: it means having complete confidence in Jehovah; it means complete obedience to God and it means action. (Heb. 11:1) It really means to dedicate oneself to Jehovah and become a follower of Christ, that is, his disciple, one who lives according to the divine will as it is set forth in the Bible. Do you see the big difference between faith as this term is commonly understood and faith in the true and deep Biblical sense? Jesus Christ declared: “Most truly I say to you, He that exercises faith in me, that one also will do the works that I do.” (John 14:12) The road to security to the antitypical, lifesaving city of refuge is actually identical with the cramped road Jesus spoke about: “Narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it.”​—Matt. 7:14.

14. From what should a person separate himself, and why?

¹⁴ To follow this cramped road means that we cannot follow at the same time the broad and spacious road leading off into destruction. This means that we have to separate ourselves from the present wicked system of things. (Rom. 12:2) The true Christian will keep away from any movement that could involve him in bloodguilt. He will take a neutral position toward the affairs of this world. (John 18:36) As already pointed out, there is a tremendous bloodguilt attached to this world, and especially to the religious part of it. If we stay in these systems, we are a part of them and hence share in the bloodguilt resting collectively on these systems. So, as the apostle Paul separated himself from bloodguilty Judaism, honest persons today will separate themselves from Babylon the Great. It means that they break their connections with all false religion. The Bible makes this obligatory for anyone who does not want to share in the destructive judgment upon her. “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues. For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind.”​—Rev. 18:4, 5.

15. How is it admitted that the churches of Christendom are a part of Babylon the Great?

¹⁵ That the churches of Christendom are a part of this Great Babylon is even admitted by their own prominent members. One who certainly must be quite familiar with the situation the churches find themselves in is the former Secretary-General of the Ecumenical Council of Churches, Dr. Visser’t Hooft. Commenting on a speech he recently gave, a religious press bulletin said: “As another obstacle in the way to [religious] unity, Dr. Visser’t Hooft mentioned the ‘Babylonian captivity’ of the church. Every church has entered into some alliance with worldly powers, not only with states and peoples, but also with races and cultures and national realities.”​—Schweiz. evang. Pressedienst, Sept. 30, 1964.

16. Why should not the flight be delayed?

¹⁶ The wise person who loves life and wants to do what is right in God’s sight will not delay his separation from this bloodguilty world in which we live, from whatever part he may have been in, political, social, religious. It is high time to flee, not when it is too late, when the avenger of blood commences to execute punishment. Stressing the need for flight in time, the antitypical avenger of blood, Jesus Christ, says: “Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime, nor on the sabbath day; for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.” (Matt. 24:20, 21) The time will come when circumstances will no longer permit a successful flight, namely, at the destruction of Babylon the Great and the succeeding war of Armageddon.​—Rev. 16:14 to 17:18.

REMAINING IN THE “CITY OF REFUGE”

17. Who is the high priest in today’s city of refuge?

¹⁷ As we have seen, the unintentional manslayer who found protection in a city of refuge had to stay there until the high priest who was officiating when he fled had died. Then he was free to return to his former place of dwelling. The avenger of blood then had no right anymore to touch him. In fulfillment of the prophetic type Jesus Christ also fulfills the role of the high priest, for indeed he is such a high priest, as we read in Hebrews 3:1: “Consequently, holy brothers, . . . consider the apostle and high priest whom we confess​—Jesus.”

18. What does it mean to stay in the city of refuge until the high priest dies, (a) for the heavenly class? (b) for the Armageddon survivors?

¹⁸ In the interesting picture of the city of refuge, Christ therefore takes on a double role, that of the avenger of blood and that of the high priest, whose death spelled liberty for those in the protective city. What, then, does it mean to remain in the antitypical city of refuge until the death of the high priest? Since, actually, members of two classes are seeking refuge in that city​—“Israelites” and “alien residents”—​that is, members of the heavenly kingdom class and members of the earthly class, it means the following: When the members of the heavenly class, the spiritual Israelites, finish their earthly course as imperfect humans and are rewarded with a heavenly spiritual resurrection, then the high priest “dies” toward them, so to speak, that is, he ceases to function in the capacity of a high priest in their behalf. Being no longer human, they no more need his sin-atoning services, being themselves raised to immortality, to rule as kings and priests with Christ for a thousand years. (Rev. 20:6) As regards the Armageddon survivors, Jesus Christ will cease to function in their behalf as high priest when the thousand years of his royal rule have ended and all men will have been brought to human perfection on earth. To speak in the terms of the picture of the city of refuge, Jesus Christ will then “die” as respects them, that is, leave the scene as a sin-atoning high priest. These services will then no more be needed. Then they will come directly into God’s hands to prove their perfect devotion to righteousness forever.​—1 Cor. 15:24-28; Rom. 8:33; 6:7.

19. What warning is given us?

¹⁹ If, however, the one who in his human imperfection fled to the city of refuge were to leave the city before the High Priest’s death, he would expose himself to the danger of death, the danger of being executed by the legal Avenger of Blood, as he would no longer be under benefit of the ransom sacrifice of the High Priest, Jesus Christ. This is a warning for us. It shows us that we must remain in the antitypical city of refuge as long as the divine provision demands it. If we want to assure our everlasting salvation, we must stay within the bounds of Jehovah God’s loving provision associated with his visible organization, presided over by his High Priest. Let us not be tempted to forsake the shielding and powerful city of refuge in order to enjoy for a short time a deceptive freedom that exposes us to everlasting death. It is true that remaining in the city of refuge imposes some restrictions on us. We are not entirely free to do and say what we please. We have to obey God’s will, abiding under our Ransomer, Jesus Christ the High Priest, and yet that means we have full freedom to do what is right and good.

20. What advice does the disciple James give us?

²⁰ So the provision of the city of refuge in the old Mosaic law speaks with life-or-death urgency. It conveys a sobering lesson. It is a timely lesson for us who are living in this bloodguilty human society of the twentieth century. It shows us how as individuals we may escape both the world’s collective bloodguilt and the approaching divine punishment of this wicked system of things. Happy indeed is the person who, not only reads and hears what God’s requirements are, but applies them immediately and diligently in his life! Says the disciple James: “However, become doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves with false reasoning.”​—Jas. 1:22.

Getting a Permanent Hold on Life

In this series of articles on the Bible book of Revelation, we have come to Re chapter 20, verses 7 to 10. The preceding six Re 20 verses 1-6 deal briefly with the thousand-year reign of Christ, during which the earth will be ruled by his kingdom without interference from Satanic influence. This rule of the promised Seed to bless all families of the earth has the purpose of eventually bringing real life​—in the full, in its perfection—​to mankind. Re 20 Verses 7 to 10, discussed in this article, show a marvelous universal purpose that God has in connection with those on earth at that time.

CAN you feel comfortable and secure in your home if it is heavily mortgaged, even though you have steady employment or a good income? Hardly. You realize that sickness, accident or financial reverses can take away everything you have almost overnight. The same is true of life, which is “like a shadow.” But say, now, that you were perfect in physical organism, living in a world where there was no war, no crime, where you possessed your own home and had it landscaped and beautified to delight your heart; also, where you had work to do that challenged your abilities and would keep your mind occupied in joyful activity.

“Fine,” you say, “if that were possible.” Well, it is possible, for it is the very purpose that God has toward this earth, to have it peopled with obedient humankind living in perfection, able to employ all their talents and abilities, as he arranged for them at the beginning. Again, you may say, “Yes, but I observe the word ‘obedient,’ obedient mankind. How would I be sure that I would always be obedient? It would be a sword hanging uncomfortably over my head​—the fear that I might do as Adam and Eve did, and lose life.”

God realizes this and, in his love for those who love him, has kindly purposed something beyond our capacity to accomplish,